This weekend Alister and I went to the Ukrainian National Circus in Kiev.This was not a big tent affair - but rather a permanent building with two "features" per year. We went to the winter show - Polar Bears on Skates. The advertisement was in Ukrainian rather than Russian, and for the longest time I thought it was a Polar Bear Playing a Harp (which it also did) but in reality the main feature was Polar Fears on Skates.
Everything about the show was spectacular - it was like - circus meets ice-capades - everything was done on an ice rink - their were "stilts", disappearing acts, performing cats, birds, and of course the polar bears. Each act was put to music and accented with fabulous costumes in winter motif - one of them were glow in the dark snow flakes - another was a battle between fire and ice. Our favorite was the Amazing Icicle Boy who skated on his hands!!
Other than the sheer ability of the performers, I was also struck by the amount of training that when into the animal bits - For example, the cats knew that when they got let out of their cages, they were to trot over to the rope course and run through the obstacles. Another cat knew that when it came out - it was to run to the top of a high pole and then jump onto a scarlet cushion being held by a clown assistant. My cat was pretty smart, but i could never get it to do a trick when he didn't want to entertain.
Still in another act, they actually trained pigeons where to fly and what to do - seriously, pigeons have super tiny brains - how can they be trained to fly and land on first a shoulder and then a bush?
All this without even mentioning the polar bears, who really did run about on skates AND play a harp (so it just looked like a harp - but there was a LIVE orchestra that filled in) (We'd show videos- but we don't want to give away the fun or cheat the Ukrainian National circus out of admission)
Everything was fantastic. So fantastic that Alister actually wants to go again - before the winter season ends on the 30th. He says "Whoever dreamt up the program definitely had a sense of humour, a polar bear ice skating, brilliant!"
The summer show promises to feature a crocodile and a Brown bear - care to join us?
4 comments:
We had a great time with you guys the other night. Thanks for everything!
Today we talked just about everyone we know into going to see the polar bears on ice skates. They all want to go but it looks like we are going to be too busy to join them. Oh well, maybe next year.
Hi guys!
Kolya and I were able to visit the skating bears :) Very fun and I love the live music element here in Ukraine!
We would love to have you guys come down sometime to just hang out! We've got the river very close by and if the weather is nice a picnic in 'fresh air' would be fun :)
Ohh this sounds so fun! I bet my nephew would love it! What I wouldn't give to have a coffee with my pal Sarah. It's been too long. Luv ya, miss ya, thinkin' about ya. Aiz
Guess we're too old to tag along...but someday I hope to take grandchildren!
I agree that the bears on skates are a sight to behold!
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