‘Cirque Dreams Holidaze’ melds Santa with the circus

There’s no denying that Florida-based Cirque Dreams aims to tap into the phenomenal popularity of Cirque du Soleil. Besides the first word in the name (which, thanks to Cirque du Soleil, has come to describe a new kind of circus, with a fine-art sensibility), Cirque Dreams echoes the older company’s visual sense, its devotion to narrative in its shows and its visual sense.

But Cirque Dreams expands the art form in somewhat different way than Cirque du Soleil with distinctive productions that incorporate elements of Broadway musical theater.

The company first made a name for itself with the spectacular “Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy” in 2008, and followed a few years later with its Christmas show, “Cirque Dreams Holidaze.” That show will come to Sarasota’s Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for one show only on Thursday.

One description of the show calls it “gingerbread men flipping through the air, toy soldiers skillfully marching on thin wires, snowmen daringly balancing, icemen sculpting powerfully, penguins spinning, puppets caroling and reindeer soaring high above a landscape of holiday wonderment.” The New York Daily News said the show is “so full of energy it could end our dependence on oil.”

More objectively, the show features 300 costumes, 20 acts and 30 artists from all over the world, and brings together acrobats, elaborate production numbers and Santa Claus.

Details: 7 p.m. Dec. 21, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. $36-$105. 941-953-3368, vanwezel.org.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 2:08 PM with the headline "‘Cirque Dreams Holidaze’ melds Santa with the circus."