A week or so ago, I got an email for free tickets to see KOOZA. Because I’m a blogger in the Twin Cities. I double checked the links with my l33t haxor skillz, found it wasn’t a hoax, and proclaimed loudly to no one in particular “YOINK!”

I got 2 tickets. I debated bringing my son, but he’s seen Circus Juventis and wasn’t impressed (I think his exact words were “It’s not my thing.”) I didn’t want to force him to something he didn’t want to be at just because I thought it would be good for him. So I brought my childhood friend Aliera. And I’m glad I didn’t bring him. I think he’s a little older and would have appreciated it more now, but he’s still an incredibly sensitive boy, and there were some parts that, although other children may have brushed off, he would have likely started crying out of fear. The skeletons dancing in the dark would maybe have been fine. The guys tripping on air and falling a bit? Not so much.

I’m going to show a future girlfriend of his this post. To be fair, I did hear the frightened voice of a child a few rows behind me. Still, future girlfriend, please don’t point and laugh. If you do, gently, and only for a moment. If you break his heart, I swear I will tear you in two. but not in front of my son. He’s a little sensitive.

The show itself was absolutely amazing. Seriously. The costumes were amazing. The clowning was amazing. The magic was amazing. The tech was amazing. The feats were amazing. The whole experience was simply amazing.

And OMG the eye candy. I love my boyfriend. A LOT. He is amazing. Cirque du Soleil amazing. But DAMN there were some pretty people on that stage. Girls and guys. SO damn pretty!

There were two disappointments for me. One, there was no fire. As a fire manipulator, I was looking forward to some fire. I heard there was fire in shows past. Not KOOZA. No fire. Sad little pyro. The second one was the juggler. Now don’t get me wrong- he was a really good juggler. Didn’t drop a ball. 9 clubs in the air. But damn it, I was raised at a renaissance festival. I have been spoiled by world tournament winning jugglers. If there isn’t 11 clubs in the air, it’s just not as exciting to me as it should be. Especially if nothing is on fire.

Other than that? Simply amazing. The timing had me moving my eyes from one thing to the next so that I would turn back and something else was magically in it’s place. The feats were daring enough to have me on the edge of my seat, with my hand to my mouth. The jokes were playful, the audience interaction top notch (they used some of the same tricks I’ve used at Fest). Purely amazing.

You win, Cirque du Soleil. I’m blogging about how awesome you are. Not because of the tix, but because you really were amazing.

See the KOOZA trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O0-HJhjw8Q
Get super reduced rate tickets here: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/saintpaulpromo