wordplay: Erica Easter
image: CatPartyLetsGo.com

Pyromaniac paradise definitively describes the Carnaval de Fuego, meaning “carnival of fire” in Spanish, happening weekend nights at Elitch Gardens through Labor Day. Featuring a menagerie of circus-inspired performances, this show, produced by SRO Productions out of Texas, is a “visually scintillating” array of feats and routines with fire. In one routine, Melinda Rivers, a member of Denver-based fire troupe Fire Prism, mesmerized the audience with visually appealing movements and a fusion of music, lightness, darkness, and pure energy. The flow of physical motion combined with the danger of the flame enlivened the performance, taking it from a basic dance number to an incredible feat demonstrating the tenacity of the human spirit.

Another performance that captivated the audience was the performance by the hula hoop troupe, Kaivalya, which is Sanskrit for “isolation and freedom from conditioned existence.” As their name suggests, these talented women confined their movements and hip gyrations to the space within the flaming hula hoop; nevertheless, their energy and rhythm was completely liberated on stage. Because Kaivalya Hoops brings people together from several backgrounds, including belly dance, yoga, and modern dance, each performer executed their individual performance uniquely, adding even more flair to the show. TJ, the fire king, who performed tricks and stunts with flames, even toured with Cirque du Soleil’s Allegria. Other performances included a variety of dancers sans flames and an interactive drum line.  Perhaps another highlight of the show was the pogo stilt walker, whom prowled around the stage minus the inferno, decked out in face make-up and an elaborate creature costume, courtesy of ArtSmyth. With the overall sharp thrill of the fire performances, including the fireworks display intertwined in the show, having performers free from flames provided a visual reprieve and alternative stimuli for the audience, giving the show a dynamite balance, no pun intended.

Weekend Nights (through Labor Day) @ Elitch Arena

ElitchGardens.com