Ten things to know about KOOZA

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Cirque du Soleil and Atlanta go a ways back but still KOOZA is a big deal. Atlantic Station has quickly become the hangout for new things. Dialog in the Dark plus Bodies is now setting up shop and then there is KOOZA.

You might think you’re too old for the circus but Ringling Bros. is certainly just for the kids. KOOZA is sexy. Music is so important they have their own cd and, with good reason. A constant companion throughout the show, the sounds of KOOZA are largely pop but it does get jazzy and clubby often. Costumes are crazy and often quite alluring. The juggler is Vegas hip. Acrobatics is a big thing of course. Be prepared to be wowed. How people learn that they have such talents is unexplainable to the average Joe but it does look great on stage. And, just to make sure, it doesn’t get too intense, there’s also some comic relief.

Always here to serve you, Metromix has compiled a list of ten KOOZA items to ensure that your KOOZA experience is as gratifying as the show.

1)    KOOZA is a Sanskrit word for “small box” or “treasure chest,” if you want to get fancy. This is the “get-back-to-basics” show for the Cirque du Soleil phenomenon that began in Montreal in the early '80s. Basically, this show is conceived as a circus within a box, with the show unfolding through the eyes of “The Innocent.”

2)    The show, which has pitched a tent alongside Atlantic Station, officially opened on January 2 and ends March 1.

3)    Average adult ticket prices range from $55 to $125. To get better seats, ticket upgrades, behind-the-scenes news and online merchandise discounts, become a Cirque Club member for free at www.cirquedusoleil.com.

4)    Don’t be late. Tuesday through Friday, shows begin promptly at 8 p.m. Saturday shows are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, there is a 1 p.m. and 5 p.m show. The site, which includes the refreshment and merchandising area, opens an hour before the show, with the Grand Chapiteau opening a half-hour before.

5)    More than 2000 people can pack out the Grand Chapiteau so seating is very tight. To make this a comfortable experience, getting situated before other folks start pouring in is highly advisable.

6)    It’s a long show. Two hours and forty minutes plus a thirty minute intermission. Yes, there is popcorn, drinks and typical theatre fare but an early dinner or a revitalizing snack might be a good idea. Tapis Rouge (VIP) tickets are a whopping $215 per person, not couple, but includes preferred seating, reserved parking, private suite lounging an hour before the show and intermission, not to mention hors d’oeuvres, fine wines and desserts. There’s also coat check and private restrooms.

7)   To avoid long traffic lines before the show, try entering the parking garage closer to the Ikea end of things. Also, regular parking might be a better option than the $10 you will be charged for entering through the main entrance by Dillard, which promises that you can park closer to the tent.

8)    Ladies, if you go with your man, please know that the contortionists will be his favorite act. Of course, you will have no earthly idea how any human, let alone a woman like yourself, could possibly contort her body into so many positions so easily. Watching them will bring pain to you but only pleasure to him.

9)    Do note that the show is interactive. That means there are performers running in and out of the audience. It gets even scarier: they pick people out of the audience and, gasp, bring them on stage. So, sometimes those really good seats up close aren’t so good if you want to be entertained and not become the entertainment.

10)  Be patient when the show is over because leaving early is not really an option. Walking back to the car won’t be the worst part of the trip, though. Of course, getting out of the parking garage might just be the biggest headache of the night. Thank goodness KOOZA is worth the headache.