The Cirque du Soleil KOOZA Experience

KOOZA, by Cirque du Soleil has come to Colorado! In true Cirque fashion, stunning and dramatic physical acrobatic feats are combined with humor and the human spirit. We attended the premier event and can tell you that, if you go, you’ll be talking about what you experienced for years to come. Here are our impressions of the show, plus some interesting facts about it.

Things to Know Before You Go to KOOZA

The name: According to press materials, “the name KOOZA is inspired by the Sanskrit word ‘koza,’ which means ‘box,’ ‘chest’ or ‘treasure,’ and was chosen because one of the underlying concepts of the production is the idea of a ‘circus in a box.'”

The premise: “KOOZA is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,” says the show’s writer and director David Shiner. “The tone is fun and funny, light and open. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s very much about ideas, too. As it evolves, we are exploring concepts such as fear, identity, recognition and power.”

The costumes: They’re always a big part of the draw with a Cirque du Soleil show and KOOZA is no different. The designer, Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt, draws from a wide variety of inspiration including the painter Klimt, Mad Max movies, graphic novels, clock movements, marching band uniforms, and more. Knowing that the performers have to change in and out of the 1080 costume items frequently and quickly, she researched magicians’ quick-change techniques to create methods that would work for the KOOZA team. We saw the costumes close up and every little detail is meticulous, including embroidered designs.

The music: You can tell it takes inspiration from the sounds of western pop culture, from 1970s funk to orchestral arrangements, and traditional Indian music, all performed by six musicians who play live during each performance, plus two singers. Although the musicians are high up on an elevated stage and, therefore, aren’t a major focus, do be aware when you go that it’s all original, live music being performed which is really impressive.

What’s it Really Like to See KOOZA?

I’m a writer and I’m having trouble finding words beyond “wow” to adequately express how incredible KOOZA is, so that should tell you something right off the bat. There are humorous, clowning aspects which, frankly, I was grateful for as a break from the nail-biting intensity of the other acts. There’s a lot of camaraderie with the audience too, from the moment the show starts. Don’t be surprised if you get popcorn thrown on you, get your hair blown, confetti down your shirt, get pulled up on stage, or get wrangled into a conga line in the aisles.

Between the comic bits are acrobatics that will make you gasp, ooo and ahhh, say some swear words out of disbelief about the incredible feats and, maybe, make you dig your nails into the person you came with as one mom near us did to her teenage daughter. You watch these performers contort their bodies like they seriously have no bones, see them hold up their body weight in an unnatural pose while balancing on a tall stack of chairs, see them balance on the head of their partner who is riding a unicycle, and you just stammer “how…what…why…who…” with no real answers.

For me, after being amazed by everything I had seen so far, the act that stood out above the rest was the “circle of death.” That’s an appropriate name since it’s a mega contraption of two cylinders connected by an intricate metal frame with the whole thing turning end-over-end in the air while two men run, flip, and fly INSIDE and OUTSIDE the cylinders. I mean, WTF! When one of them started running around the outside of this cylinder, I held my breath and asked myself “who willingly does this and night after night?!” I was equal parts terrified for them and impressed. I had to recover a little after their act was done. I mean, I’m sure the two men did too but I’ll just say it’s a lot to put the audience through… You’ll see a little snippet of this act in the video below.

KOOZA is a fun time for sure and great entertainment. But more than that, it’s seeing things you may never see again, performed by people about whom you can’t even fathom that this is a “day at the office.” It’s just unreal – except that it IS real, live, immediate, and only in Denver for a brief time. Go. Just go.

KOOZA is in Denver July 5-August 13, 2023. Visit their website to learn more.

Please note, we were hosted for the premier of this show but, as is always the case, our opinions are purely our own, honest and true.

-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher and Managing Editor of InGoodTasteDenver.com.

 Here’s a glimpse from the premier in Denver:

Kooza Premier 16×9 from Becky Holden on Vimeo.