On Nov. 21, international group ‘Cirque Le Masque’ amazed and sparked a fun and excited response at UW-Platteville.

Photographs by Stephanie Coren

International group “Cirque Le Masque” performed in the CFA on Nov. 21. The show included 20 performers who were used to entertain the audience and tell a story. This group was developed by Dennis and Bernie Schussel in 1993.

The Arts sold almost 700 tickets on Saturday between the two shows. Children, students and adults were amazed and in awe as the show progressed. Acts ranged from balancing and comedy to aerobatics and dancing, all showing the strength and dedication of the performers.

The ‘Cirque Le Masque’ is a group developed by Dennis and Bernie Schussel in 1993. The group performs at theaters and arenas worldwide, including Paris, Athens, Dubai, Caracus and the U.S. They offer a circus-type experience without the use of animals, allowing their imaginations and creativity to play a part in each act.

Their show at UW-Platteville included 20 performers used to entertain the audience and tell a story. The story of the carnival is a journey to the Rio de Janeiro. The main character, Maria, tours through Rio seeing the acts of the carnival and letting the music inspire her. One of the dancers, Royce Russell, said he loves performing because it’s fun, challenging, exciting and gives him an opportunity to travel.

This past weekend sparked positive responses from audience members of all ages.

“The show was very cool and creative. I was in complete awe,” junior business administrative major, Kelly Oleson said.

Comedy and creative costumes appealed to the younger members of the audience. An entertainer kept the audience entertained and in their seats before the show started. He served as a comic break throughout the show, dancing on stage and among the audience.

“[It was] very enjoyable and jaw dropping,” senior theatre major Jared Baker said. “Some of the stuff they did was really amazing.”

Freshman Katie Swein was asked to come to the stage at the 2 p.m. show to help in a comedy act. After the show, Swein was all smiles and said the show was a lot of fun.

“It was an amazing experience that I won’t forget for a long time,” Swein said.