A sensory exploration of Odysseo
Visually impaired children get to touch, hear and smell the horses of the circus extravaganza
The rumbling of a horse’s belly. A flowing mane, soft to the touch. The uptempo rhythm of a band trotting in unison.
These aren’t typically considered highlights of Cavalia: Odysseo, the horse circus extravaganza currently showing in Toronto, but for a group of blind and visually-impaired children who went behind-thescenes May 21, sensory experiences made up for what they couldn’t see with their own eyes.
“The best part was seeing the horse’s body parts and hearing its heartbeat,” says Joe Fornasier, a sandy- haired 11-year-old, who more than a year ago was diagnosed with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, or central vision loss.
Fornasier and a handful of other kids with the CNIB, a national charity supporting people with impaired vision, were able to touch, hear, smell and taste Odysseo backstage, in a nod to Vision Health Month.
At the grooming station, the kids pressed their hands up against a variety of hard-bristled brushes, before stroking a mild-mannered 10-year-old quarter horse named Django and cleaning his hooves.
The kids also tested out different saddles, used stethoscopes to listen for the beasts’ heartbeats and fed the horses chunks of apple.
“It feels like his belly was moving,” says William Cheang, 11, who is completely blind and described “heat rising” when his skin came into contact with the horse. The event culminated with a djembe (African drumming) set led by Odysseo musicians. With the drums beating, five riders positioned in a circle around the kids brought their horses to a powerful canter.
“I totally loved that,” says Dylan Wood, 11. “It really did give a good speed to the horses, the speed they were going, it really controlled them.”
Odysseo aerialist Claire Beer says she enjoys sharing their passion for horses with the kids.
“They were able to come in and just feel the strength and power of a horse running around you,” she says. “You can feel the beauty of a horse.”
Sue Marsh-Woods, regional manager, services and operations for CNIB, says such events give blind and partially sighted kids an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have.
“For them to experience a show like this wouldn’t be as meaningful as a sighted kid,” she says. “To touch the horses and learn about the show, it’s absolutely essential.”
“I liked it because of how beautiful they were and how soft and cute. I didn’t know what they’d feel like.” DYLAN WOOD, 11 “The actual speed, how fast they went, how slow they went, was great. I heard a lot of motion.” GABIE PANER, 12 “When I put my head to its stomach, it made this gurgling noise and I didn’t know they did that.” JOE FORNASIER, 11