Cirque du Soleil has returned to Austin to wow audiences with their big top production, KOOZA at Circuit of The Americas through Thursday, October 8. KOOZA is set in an zany world full of surprises, thrills and chills with high wire and trapeze acts, contortion and amazing acrobatics. KOOZA had its world premeire in April 2007 in Montréal, Canada, and has since played in over 47 cities in 12 countries.

Our Content Manager, Heidi, had the chance to take her family to see KOOZA, and she tells us all about what to expect from this show….

This was my first time seeing a Cirque du Soleil production, and I had no idea what to expect. Admittedly uninformed, I had always thought of these performances as “circus for grown-ups”. So when I was offered the chance to go with my whole family, I was curious. Is this something appropriate to take the kids to? I glanced through the show photos. I looked through the Cirque Du Soleil YouTube channel to see clips of amazing acrobatics but also noticed some scary-ish costumes (skeletons, grim reaper), and I was still unsure if this was really okay for younger kids. So like any Mom, I Googled it. And everything I read noted how incredibly awesome the tricks and performances are and how much it’s been loved on all of the International touring stops. So I opted to take the whole family (husband plus kids ages 5, 7, and 9). And I am so glad I did!

KOOZA was like nothing I had ever seen before! From the moment we saw the huge blue and yellow striped big top tent at the Circuit of the Americas, I got really excited. This was the real deal. We found our seats in the air-conditioned tent and settled in for an amazing show.

The entire production was artfully crafted to take us to a world of wonder and mystery. The show featured exciting lights, live music, clowns (although not like American clowns with big red noses and funny shoes), elaborate costumes and the most talented performers. We were seriously wowed by the high wire acts, the trapeze artists, the unicycling duo, contortionists and others. Our jaws literally dropped when we were watching the “wheel of death”, an amazing two-wheeled giant contraption that spun at fast speeds as two men jumped in and out of it. (This was unanimously the favorite among my family.)  But I also really loved watching the acrobatics on the teeterboard that flung people into the air to execute twisting somersaults – even some wearing stilts.

We literally shouted out things like “Oh, oooh, ahh, oh my goodness, etc.” There is no photography allowed in the arena, but I wish I could have snapped some pics of my kids’ faces showing pure delight and awe. It will be a lasting memory.

So, should you take your kids? Absolutely… if you want to. (This is obviously a judgement call that can only be made by parents who can best guess if their kids will get fussy after two hours of sitting or be afraid of loud noises, etc.) I can tell you that my kids loved it! But if you’d rather go for date night, or with a group of friends or even by yourself, you’d love that, too. We saw lots of families at the show we attended, but we also saw a group of ladies on girl’s night out, tons of couples out for a fun night (there is even a bar in the concessions area), and there really were folks of all ages in attendance.

What to know before you go:

• The show is about 2 hours with a 30 minute intermission.
• There are a few moments in the show with loud noises, darkness and strobe lights. So if your child might be sensitive to these things, please take note.
• Concessions are expensive (like most venues), and you are forced to walk right past them. So it’s good to have a game plan if you wish to say “no” to the kids about ice cream, candy, popcorn, etc. (We spent $20 on one popcorn and 2 bottles of waters, FYI, just to give you an idea of what to expect.)
• Ask for a complimentary booster seat for your younger/shorter kiddos when you are getting seated. They definitely helped my youngest see above the grown-up heads in front of him.
• If you think your child might be afraid of skeleton-themed costumes, you might consider showing him or her the photos before you go so they are not startled by these styles.
• If you’re trying to decide where to sit and which ticket pricing level to purchase, let us point out that the arena is relatively small. We were seated in the 2nd-to-last row, and we could still see everything. Of course you can opt for tickets that will provide you with the best views, but if you’re trying to work within a budget, we think you should be able to enjoy if from all angles.
• Children under the age of two years old are admitted to Cirque du Soleil shows for free, however they must remain seated on the lap of a parent at all times.
• Parking is $20 cash on site. (Discounted parking is available if you purchase parking online with your tickets.)
• More questions? You can check out the FAQ section on the Cirque du Soleil website.

–> Tickets: There are a variety of ticket options available online here, starting at $30. You can save 20% off with the purchase of a Family Pack. To view Family Pack options and details, click here. (Under the “General On Sale” heading, click “select ticket type, and you’ll see the Family Pack options mid-way down the page.)

–> Giveaway! We are excited to send a lucky reader to experience this show! Enter below to win a 4-pack of tickets to the 5 p.m. show on Sunday, September 13! Winner will be chosen on September 11. Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to our winner!