It was billed very confidently as ‘a magical encounter between human and horse.’ After a slowish start involving singing, acrobats and a few horses, one wondered if the creator of Cirque de Soleil, Normand Latourelle, had exaggerated.

However, it did not take long for the tempo to pick up, as the music and constantly changing backdrops drew the audience into an unusually serene world. Wonderfully co-ordinated graphic backdrops featuring water, snow and orange leaves kept the eye visually focussedand added to the atmosphere whilst an enchanting ‘goddess – like’ voice serenaded eerily. In between, beautiful trapeze artists flew through the air.

As contrast, the mood changed with powerful bursts of muscular acrobats performing cartwheels and jumping onto thin wooden planks or trampolines. Their long hair and swift movements combined with loud music to deliver that old fashioned ‘big top entertainment’.

Throughout all the changes, there was an all important common link – the horses; a total of 47 in the troupe being managed by 37 male and female riders. The magnificent animals were shown at their best in both fast paced manoeuvres and quieter, precise moments of timing.

The live band also featured strongly and the lighting with holograms was very effective. By the end of the show it was not hard to feel connected with the performance. Indeed, it was a ‘magical’ experience, as its founder had promised, and one that was definitely different.

We had travelled to so many places in one night – the Roman Colosseum, the American desert and the Aztec world to name a few. And we also witnessed a truly wonderful beauty – those horses!

CAVALIA is playing under the White Big Top, on The Showring at the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park, until June 2, 2013.