Cirque du Soleil Dralion in Abbotsford

Cirque du Soleil is returning to BC but this time the iconic blue and yellow tents won’t be setting up along False Creek. Their latest show Dralion will be performed out at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre.

The show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures: the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West. In Dralion, the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form. Thus embodied, each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one, and balance is achieved.

Featuring “a harmony of Eastern and Western acrobatic prowess” Dralion will premiere June 2nd and run until June 5th. Tickets start at around $37.50 and go up to $100 for premium seating. Children are welcome but require tickets if over the age of 2. Family packs of 4 tickets are available. The show will head over to the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria June 22nd.

Update I sent guest blogger John Biehler out to Abbotsford on Thursday to preview Dralion, here are his thoughts about the show:

Dralion was my first Cirque Du Soleil experience. I had seen a number of behind the scenes shows on the Discovery Channel before but had never been able to attend a performance in person until now. I can’t recall ever seeing an audience so transfixed on the stage, watching the performers and not playing with their smart phones.

It was truly a delight to see all the different performers do their amazing feats of skill, athleticism and artistry (sorry, no spoilers) up close and in a surprisingly intimate setting in the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre. While Dralion was my first Cirque show, it definitely won’t be my last.