“Cirque du Soleil: Crystal" at the Vibrant Arena at the MARK -- February 13 through 16.
Thursday, February 13, through Sunday, February 16
Vibrant Arena at the MARK, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
A unique production that pushes the boundaries of circus arts by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination, Cirque du Soleil: Crystal enjoys a four-day, five-performance run at Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK, the touring show's February 13 through 16 engagement exploring brand-new creative territory for the first time in the company’s astounding 40-year history.
In Cirque du Soleil: Crystal, the company's astonishing team of acrobats and skaters perform on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines for a world-class audience experience. Synchronized skating, freestyles figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside traditional circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial straps, and hand to hand. The touring show started previewing to the public in October of 2017, with an official premiere that December. It is Cirque du Soleil's 42nd original show since 1984, and the first one done on an ice rink, its narrative thread described as about "a woman shattering reality to discover herself in the world of possibility." Kurt Browning, a four-time world champion Canadian figure skater, joined the creative team as the Skating Performances Senior Designer, with Benjamin Agosto, a four-time world medalist ice dancer, coming aboard as Crystal's Skating Performances Designer.
Among the music employed for Cirque du Soleil's latest are covers of U2's "Beautiful Day" performed by Cyrille Aimée, Beyonce's "Halo" performed by Gabrielle Shonk, Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" performed by Betty Bonifassi, and Sia's "Chandelier" performed by Ariane Moffatt. The show's belief-defying physical performances, meanwhile, include: Hand to Trapeze, in which a group of porters propel Crystal onto the trapeze, with another partner flinging her back down to be caught again in a flurry of banquine and hand-to-hand moves; Juggling, with a world-class juggler joined by acrobats and skaters to perform an upbeat routine with live music and intricate choreography; Pendula Poles, Cirque's first-ever poles act that combines synchro pole work, pole-to-pole jumps, and impressive Russian-swing-style dismounts; and Extreme Skating, in which a hockey game on a quiet pond turns into a high-octane romp on ramps, with extreme skaters flipping, twisting, and jumping at breakneck speed, turning the ice into a giant pinball machine.
Cirque du Soleil: Crystal will be performed in Moline from February 13 through 16, with performances Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is $52-123, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting VibrantArena.com.
