Cavalia

Saw this show back in 2011 or 2012, and it was amazing. I remember Unilocal was giving out free tix to this show last year! The acrobats and the awe inspiring horses were beautiful to watch! I’d definitely be down to catch this show again if in town. Wonderful show comparable to a cirque du soleil performance. But even better!

What a wonderful entertainment!
I got VIP ticket. There is reception before the show. The food just keep coming! Unlimited wine & beer. They even have popcorn machine and unlimited ICE-​CREAM! It makes the whole evening even more fantastic!
The Service: very organized event. Good directions on the site. Staffs are always there to help.
The Parking: Private lot (FEE)

One of the few times that Unilocal has steered me wrong. This show is BEYOND RIDICULOUS!
Unless you LOVE horses. more specifically, horses running in circles, you’re gonna want to hurt yourself a little bit trying to sit through this show.
Completely horrified that we paid so much for tickets and ended up leaving at intermission because we just couldn’t punish ourselves any longer. I really imagined this show to be Cirque-​ish w stunts on/​with the horses. BUT, the reality is, it’s ppl on horses running ard waving at you with intermittent breaks of half-​baked Cirque stunts.
If you still think you want to use your hard earned cash on this, I highly recommend getting the cheap tickest… unless you make so much freaking money that you can justify over priced tickets for 15 minutes worth of entertainment (that’s about how long it’ll be interesting before you realize the next set is more of the same)

Incredible!
While having no inherent equestrian-​esque feelings, I’ve got to say this show is a gorgeous display of the beautiful creatures. They’re so incredibly feminine in their movements but with a masculine strength that commands attention. It was electrifying to watch.
Cirque shows amaze me because it’s stupefying to think what the human body is capable of when in tip top shape. Not only were there acrobatics on the floor and in the air, but ON THE HORSES! What? Yes. It’s exactly how you’re imagining it right now.
I can’t even synchronize my oven clock with my microwave clock, yet these talented human beings could choreograph these stallions in performances that were executed flawlessly. The live music was moving as well.
The show is great for adults and kids.

What an amazing time we had at Cavalia!
Hey snobby peeps complaining about ‘oh they didn’t push the horses enough’ or ‘the acrobatics wasn’t that great’… get over it. The show was great, the horses were great, the booze and food was great!
My husband and I went for the expensive $ 200 per person tix which included food and drinks before the show and during breaks. I believe the website describes the food as «light dinner» but do not believe it. There was so much freakin food I couldn’t believe it! The quality was great as well.
I rated Cavalia 4 stars instead of 5 simply because the show is not as good as cirque du soleil. I understand its a much smaller performance and is more focused on the animals but it’s mostly a fair comparison.
If you like cirque du soleil definitely see Cavalia! And make sure you splurge for the expensive seats. Totally worth it!

I’m a big fan of cirque du soleil productions so I was highly curious about this show. After sampling the trailer, I knew I had to check out this show! I brought my lovely mother with me. My mother’s favorite parts of the performance were when the horses messed up or simply did not feel like following or listening to the trainer. I have to admit, those candid moments were pretty humorous.
As for me, I really enjoyed the live music (guitarist, drummer, violinist and singer), cultural influences (African dancers and drummers), and the athleticism (especially when it was performed in a romantic/​beautiful way). However, I did find room for improvement — such as the production and story line. Overall, I rate the show 3.5 stars.
There were lots of kids at the show and most were surprisingly well behaved!
Parking: $ 10

When I first heard Cavalia was coming back, I was online within minutes scouting tickets. I love horses. Not in a normal «I used to ride when I was a kid» kinda way, no, I love horses in a «wanted to be an Appoloosa when I grew up» kinda way. Totally obsessed.
As a child, I could whinney so realistically that horses would whinney back. I was like an idiot savant, memorizing the details and facts of all things equine. I had a collection of about a hundred Breyer horses, and I’d read everything written by Margarite Henry, my best friend was a pony named Beauford, and my favorite movie was Hot to Trot.
Then I turned 12 and discovered boys. I still loved horses. But I was a lot more interested in boys!
So when Cavalia came back to town, I looked up tickets immediately… and got a nasty case of sticker shock. $ 80 a ticket in the nose bleeds? There was no way I was going to talk my fella into that! He’s far too practical with money to agree to spend $ 160 on magical fancy horse dancing. (And honestly, I need that kind of practicality. I’m an idiot for magical fancy horse dancing)
So when Katie B sent out an email that said she had tickets, I was absolutely elated. I replied without reading the entire email, and when I got the tickets, I changed my status to «MAGICALFANCYHORSEYDANCING AYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAY!!!»
And then, I went to see the show…
And I was NOT a bit disappointed.
First of all, I ate cotton candy for dinner and washed it down with a party cup full of champagne. AWESOME START!
In the minutes before the show started, they threw out a bunch of trivia about the horses in the cast. I won’t bore you with details, but my inner seven year old woke up and started paying attention. All male horses??? Most of which are stallions??? THEY HAVE A PONY OF THE AMERICAS??? I’d never seen one in real life. EXCITED!
Then the actual show started.
They do a really amazing job of choreographing this show, designing the stage and working with the horses to create an amazing and memorable show. I remember thinking two things:
1. $ 160 is not too much money to pay to see this. It’s pretty much the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and it’s a crime that everyone invovled isn’t a millionaire.
2. I have wasted my life.
Seriously, that’s what I kept thinking.
There was a family sitting behind us, a couple little girls and a little boy. The little girls were almost as excited as I was, but by the intermission, the little boy started to sound like some of these other Unilocalers.
«Ugggggh standing on the back of a galloping horse AGAIN?!»
So basically, leave the boys at home. Let them watch a bunch of guys chase a ball around. Spend that $ 80 on a babysitter, or the bar tab, or whatever.

I am a horse lover. No, I don’t mean I love Ikea using horse meat in their meatballs (I DON’T love that). I mean: I love to horseback ride, learn about the breeds, and even have a subscription to Horse Illustrated (yup, that’s a real magazine). I also love anything to with performing arts or creative outlets. Mix those two together, and you have Cavalia’s Odysseo.
Cavalia’s second-​year run embarks us on Odysseo: a wild ride of horses, acrobats, dancing, music, aerialists, and special effects all under a big, white «top» in Burbank. As you arrive, you feel transported to a gypsy circus in a fantasy land of smoke, trees, and fairy tales. I’m not exaggerating, as the tent is filled with fake trees and low/​black lights.
Parking is simple enough (just follow the signs) and is paid inside the venue ($ 10). Here is the secret: park along the edge of the fence and you don’t have to pay. We DID pay, and no one ever took our ticket. I don’t know if that was a fluke or not, but maybe someone else should try it.
The box office is located immediately before the main entrance and moved surprisingly quickly with ticket pickup. The employees were fast-​moving and they got the job done. In fact, this can be said about all of the lines at Cavalia. The bathroom lines (clean bathrooms!), concession, merchandise, etc; all moved very efficiently. However, be prepared to fork out some cash if you want popcorn, nachos, and beer to stuff in your mouth or Cavalia merchandise to remember the night. Like all large events, these are costly. How costly? A bookmark — a flimsy thin piece of paper — was $ 2 while a post card is $ 2.50! A keychain? $ 10! Programs are $ 15 which isn’t THAT bad, due to the glossy, colorful pages.
The venue is small. Much smaller than one would suspect when driving by the numerous white tents at the edge of the freeway. One must remember that some of the tents are stables, horse exercise pens, costumes tents, equipment, etc. Therefore, don’t worry about getting «bad seats» because the view is quite decent from where ever. Although, I am happy that I had 6^th row! The seats ARE uncomfortable, hard plastic, and with NO stretching room. My boyfriend and fellow Unilocaler who is 6’2″ was in quite some pain, having to sit half sideways. Taller people should be prepared and perhaps also bring a cushion for your booty.
Alright, enough about the logistics and let’s talk about the show! What can I say but that Cavalia’s Odysseo was AMAZING! The show begins with a warm-​up consisting of mostly dressage horse moves (dressage is a horse show term and does NOT mean costumes!). This is supplemented by a live band and singers mixing Celtic and African beats. Odysseo also features 60 horses (Paints — my favorite!-, Arabians, Appaloosas, etc), African drum musicians/​acrobats, aerialists, dancers, pole stunts, special media effects (projections, lights, the stage filling with water, large props), etc. Think: Cirque du Soleil mixed with horses. There are some slow or repetitive moments, but overall it is extraordinary and creative. These performers defy human nature, gravity, and bone flexibility in the best way possible. Yes, there are some show portions where the horses have a «horseplay» moment, but they are animals. They can’t be perfect.
Other notes: there is a 30 minute intermission and NO photography is allowed (whether cell phones or cameras). There are ushers who WILL yell at you.
Overall, Odysseo (or any Cavalia show) is a MUST for horse lovers or those who love acrobatic performances. It is definitely something to remember your whole life.
**Thanks to Unilocal Elite and Katie for the tickets!!**

A good show, when it comes to horses, this is likely as good as it gets. I can’t imagine the training it took to get these beautiful animals to perform like they do. I took my family who LOVED the performance, my girls (10 & 8) left wanting to be horse trainers.
Good aspects;
— Amazing horses
— Outstanding human performances (acrobatics, IE floor gymnastics)
— Fun/​Cool under the tent setting
— Arresting visual effects, the arena is set against a movie screen type background
— They serve beer
— Lots of little mementos for kids
— They flood the arena floor the last ¼ of the show, which adds a fun/​interesting aspect
Less than ideal aspects;
— Parking is NOT perfected, I sat in my car for 30+ minutes before getting out of the parking lot
— The performance is a bit repetitive
— Bathroom scenario is not convenient
— Lots of little mementos for the kids