What do Kylie Minogue and Varekai have in Common

The problem I have with blogging is the fact that in order for me to be able to write good articles, I somehow have to be inspired first or be in the mood to write the article. It's a form of release of the creative side bottled up inside me. Like these next events, I can't seem to find the right story to attach the event with! Well, I've decided that there's no need to be creative with this post as Cirque du Soleil and Kylie Minogue are born masters of reinvention and creativeness! It was an indeed a very memorable and eventful July as I got to see Varekai and Kylie Minogue's Aphrodite Tour Concert in Manila.

When it was announced that Cirque du Soleil was coming to the Philippines for the first time, with no hesitation, we booked our tickets to watch the show! I was very excited to see this given the fact that Cirque du Soleil is very popular worldwide and I have yet to watch any of their shows abroad. The closest I got to watching was when I went to Macau. Unfortunately, during that time, they were on Chinese New Year's break! So I didn't get to see ZAIA.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil^® is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has close to 4,000 employees from over 40 different countries, including 1,000 artists. Cirque du Soleil^® has brought wonder and delight to almost 80 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents. In 2008, Cirque du Soleil will present 18 shows simultaneously throughout the world. The company has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d’Or de Montreux.

The Grand Chapiteau

Varekai was held at The Grand Chapiteau, a circus tent erected in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The inside really looks and feels like a circus - showcasing an elevated stage surrounded by immovable chairs. Honestly, the spacing of the chairs were a bit crammed. If you were seated beside someone who would qualify as a The Biggest Loser candidate, it would be very uncomfortable. Seat elevation was quite low as well. If somebody tall sat in front of you, it would be impossible to see the stage.

Inside the Grand Chapiteau - Varekai Cirque du Soleil

Well, regardless of all that, Varekai was still a fun and interesting show to watch. The finale act was explosive and the comedians who entertained the crowd in between transitions were adorable. While it wasn't quite as full of surprises as I expected it to be (too high expectations again), in the end, I still went home feeling good and smiling.

Varekai Cirque du Soleil in Manila

Cirque du Soleil DVDs for Sale

And just a few days later, production-wise, Kylie Minogue's concert was equally as impressive! Just check out the magnificent stage with matching acrobatic dancers as well.

Kylie Minogue Aphrodite Tour in Manila

And she captured the audiences' hearts by singing old local favorites like "Especially for You" and "Locomotion." See the crowd waving with enthusiasm while joining the goddess in singing "Especially for You."