THE ‘CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’ OF HORSES

THE ‘CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’ OF HORSES

SAN DIEGO (Wireless Flash) – The co-founder of Cirque du Soleil is really horsing around with his latest show. Gilles Ste-Croix has just mounted Cheval Theatre, an “equestrian extravaganza” that features horses performing polka dances, marches and other “equine ballet” moves. One of the dancing animals is “Chabo,” a 30-inch-tall miniature pony who entertains the crowd by doing pirouettes. Chabo’s “dance partner,” Caroline Williams, says the ballet- dancing horse doesn’t wear a tutu – in fact, he wears nothing at all and that’s “just the way he likes it.” It may seem hard to train a horse to do ballet, but Williams – who is the niece of famed animal trainer Gunther Gable Williams – says all of the horses’ “dances” are, in fact, moves they do naturally. The Cheval Theatre has just started a three-year tour of the U.S. and its next performance will take place in San Diego on October 4.

Wed 09-19-01