Breaking the Ice

Cirque du Soleil skates into Germain Arena

C irque du Soleil returns to Germain Arena in Estero this summer but the legendary troupe is bypassing its usual “Big Top approach.” With its new touring production of Crystal: A Breakthrough Ice Experience, the action takes place on ice!

It is the group’s 42nd show and its first to be performed on an ice rink. According to Cirque, the production “pushes boundaries by blending stunning skating disciplines, acrobatic feats that defy the imagination and the ice for a unique canvas.”

Crystal is about looking at things from new angles that reframe one’s day-to-day reality—while following the lead character in a “journey toward empowerment as her imagination turns everyday scenarios into extraordinary moments. … Sometimes the only way to appreciate things is to look at them sideways.”

Audience members are certain to be thrilled by watching world-class ice skaters and gymnasts as they “discover individuality through the unique expression displayed on uncharted territory—a sheet of ice.” The show is subtitled A

Breakthrough Ice Experience because viewers “will suspend reality and glide into a colorful world as Cirque du Soleil meets the ice.”

The company’s six performances at Germain Arena are scheduled from July 12 to 15 and include evening and matinee shows. Tickets range from $48 to $133, and parking is $20. For more information or to buy tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com/crystal.