KOOZA presented by Cirque Du Soleil

EQUILIBRE CHAISE. The equipment is as simple as it gets: eight chairs and a pedestal. But in this act, the artist uses them to create a 23-foot tower on which to perform a balancing act that displays the human body at the very peak of condition and muscular control. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions - acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor.

Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

CHARIVARI. The 19 artists of the House Troupe burst into action off the top of the show, combining acrobatics, rapid-fire costume changes and rebounds from three miniature trampolines set in the stage. The act highlights include human pyramids, bodies flying through the air and a "crash bash" – a daring dive into a circle of fabric inspired by the "Nalukauq," the traditional Inuit game of "Blanket Toss" and the landing mats used by firefighters. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

Young performers work in harmony and unison to bring a new approach to the art of contortionism. What sets this number apart is the artists' innovations in movements and position, their speed, and the way they work as a team to create tableaux of sculptural beauty. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

Never losing contact, two strong, flexible performers move almost imperceptibly, assuming positions impossible without an impeccable sense of balance. The artists call on their sensitivity and powers of concentration in their quest for perfect harmony. Their act is testimony to the natural beauty of the human body. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

HIGH WIRE. The twin high wires criss-cross diagonally stage left to stage right at 15 and 25 feet above the stage, and the four tightrope walkers add their own tension to the 6,600 pound load on each rope. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

A hoops act with such a high level of difficulty is a rare demonstration of skill and the KOOZA artist is one of the best in the world. Combining fluidity of movement, physical contortion, exceptional balance and impressive dexterity, her performance is out of this world, whether she is spinning one, two, three, or even seven hoops simultaneously. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

The trapeze is installed stage left to stage right – a Cirque-created innovation. But the act goes beyond the stage setting and the artist's display of physical mastery. There is drama in the personalities as she interacts with The Trickster, and that adds even more dynamic undertones to the visual thrills and delights. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

The Teeterboard flings artists into the air, where they execute quintuple twisting somersaults – and that's just the prelude for acrobats doing the same thing over 30 feet above the stage with double and single metal stilts strapped to their legs. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

A twist on the classic unicycle number introduces a passenger to the action. The two performers create a pas de deux in constant motion around the stage in a combination of balance, acrobatic control, physical strength, choreographic grace and a spirit of partnership. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

KOOZA's 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates at heart-stopping speeds, powered only by the two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a death-defying display of fearless acrobatics and astonishing teamwork. Like the Highwire, the Wheel of Death is positioned diagonally stage left to stage right in order to break with the usual symmetry and bring the action as close as possible to the audience. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.

Charming and sophisticated, The Trickster is a sublimely quick and agile being, a genius who knows all about the world of KOOZA because he created it. He appears and disappears at will and there's electricity in the air each time he arrives on stage. He created this world for The Innocent and keeps a watchful eye out for him. He teases him, and plays tricks on him with his powers, but it's The Innocent's own subconscious that leads the dance…

The Innocent is a naïve and melancholy loner carried off into The Trickster's world. Outwardly childlike, ingenuous and simple, he is eager to get to know the new world he's in, but as soon as he uses The Trickster's powers he discovers an unexpected and jarring environment, a reflection of his soul.

The King is the king of fools, the most burlesque of all the characters. His hair is tousled and his crown has a mind of its own as he tries desperately to gain the respect of those who are crazier than himself.

The two Court Clowns are The King's foolish footmen, his indispensable sidekicks in the extravagant adventures in the realm of KOOZA.

The Pickpocket is a wily criminal in the guise of a clumsy clown. He makes improbable balloon animals and is constantly on the run from a pair of cops. And he almost always manages to give them the slip. He's a master scam artist and he'll steal the shirt off your back in no time at all!

The very strange Heimloss lives beneath the stage where he's in charge of the mechanical machinery that gives life to everything in the hidden world of KOOZA.

In this crazy world, even The Dog is nutty. He chases everyone, barks and is impossible to control. The word "training" means nothing to him. But like everyone else he's drawn to The Innocent and becomes his playful, over-the-top companion. KOOZA is showing from July 26 thru August 19, 2012 at Sam Houston Race Park at 7575 N. Sam Houston Parkway West, Houston Texas 77064 USA.