"It's winter after all."

Wintuk is a simple story that combines elegant circus acts and elaborate fairy tale stories. Delivered with childhood innocence, the role of Jamie becomes the theme of the show. The tale of Jamie and his desire to see snow allows the audience to go on a journey that evokes both enthusiasm and excitement.

The flashing lights and dancing dogs gave Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk personality. There was a sense of happiness shown on the faces of the artists on stage. At this show, talent is put on display by people, animals and even streetlights.

The set was nothing less than extravagant. The colors changed from passion-packed purples, and berry-blues to crashing cranberry reds and intense indigos. The wide variety of artists range from a flipping pickpocket who steals wallets and purses to a bouncing bicyclist, down to a jiggling juggler. Exuding tremendous upper body strength, the acrobatic balancers became weeble-wobbling city workers. City workers with this strength and style only do one thing to the crowd: mesmerize them!

Yaya Baylock, Grade 12

As a young child, did you ever wish it would snow? Did those aspirations bring you on an adventure that only your imagination was able to capture? The magic of winter is what has brought together families for decades.

Wintuk begins and surrounds the hope of a young boy named Jamie, who wants his city to snow without the interruption of long shadows and extreme cold. His quest of finding snow brings forth extraordinary aerobic street dancers, puppets and giant marionettes.

Cirque Du Soleil is a company of dreamers and entertainers who have brought to life their vision on the stage of WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The magic of winter has brought together families forever. Wintuk is blocks of art with few words, many voices and the epitome of what magic is all about. It is understandable for audience members at the tender age of seven months to those of 90 years of age.

Tahyasha Brown, Grade 11

Perhaps Wintuk means to address the hot issue of global warming. Or rather, just the innocent fantasy of a boy's dream to have a white, powdery winter. Either way, the newest of the Cirque Du Soleil performance falls just short of magnifique.

As the curtain rises, we are approached by several bicyclists who show us their impressive tricks, skateboarders, rollerbladers, and children, all in a crisp white cityscape. The main character, a young boy, describes how his current hometown never snows. He is then swept away by the winds into a foreign, magical land where his quest for snow begins. On his journey, he meets several characters who have the uncanny ability to perform some amazing tricks of the trade. They range from a tight-rope walker, who doesn't seem to be able to keep his pants on, to construction workers who can balance ten feet high on cylinders, to a ridiculously flexible woman who is hard to distinguish from a doll, as well as many more. Unseen cast members bring giant dogs and massive rock-men to life, causing a surreal experience. The audience's reactions to each act shows that their hard work has paid off, as the audience is left wanting more.

While the acts themselves prove to be impressive, the plot could use a bit more practice. The young boy repeats almost all of the same lines throughout the show, stating that all he wants is snow, even though he is brought to this distant, fantasy land which holds everything except for sugar plum fairies. He is also completely oblivious to the acts that appear, as he is easily distracted by a large puppy. It seems as though the boy is used as a ring leader, rather than an actual character, in order to introduce each new act. The storyline does not progress much through the show, as the audience merely meets new characters who don't assist the boy or advance his journey in anyway. Perhaps character and plot development are not the highlights of Wintuk, and perhaps they are not meant to be. Without them, however, the overall performance lacks luster.

If you wish to see a show filled with exciting acrobatics and elaborate, beautiful sets, then Wintuk is the show for you.

Nicole Ng, Grade 10

Cirque Du Soleil's newest show Wintuk is a story about a young boy who has never seen snow and dreams to see it more than anything else. Through the performance we see how his imagination takes us to different places of a magical world in a quest for snow. On the way, the young boy, along with the audience, gets to meet different people and creatures as well as see their extraordinary talents.

Some of the characters are super flexible, many of them have excellent balance, and others are all about being in sync with their partners. Wintuk has huge puppets as a part of the show, including white dogs that participate in the quest for snow. All these characters and their clues get the young boy closer to his dream.

The show is not only about acting but being acrobatic too. There is not much conversation in the show, instead the actors communicate through movement and body language. Otherwise Wintuk is full of bright colors and original costumes. The background and stage are designed in cold colors, which really make the colorful costumes stand out. The stage is also set up as a skating rink so in addition to all stunts, performers also skate.

Wintuk is a show that will amuse people of all ages so be sure to see it.

Salome Akimova, Grade 12

What is your average circus? Juggling, trapeze artists, horses and lions etc. Cirque Du Soleil has all of those components, but so much more.

When the curtains first rises to reveal the stage, you immediately got the feeling of winter time in the city. Something you'll notice right away is a large screen in the back of the stage with moving images that makes you feel like you're right in the center of town. My favorite surprise was when the lampposts started to sing, as if we were seeing a musical instead of a circus. However, what we first see when the stage opens is a normal city...almost.

Each moment, there is something going on onstage that catches and holds your attention, so don't expect to be bored. And yes, Cirque Du Soleil is a circus, but it is also so much more. They take your average circus acts and in a way turn them into sophisticated theater acts that you'll still be amazed by.

Ariana Ladera, Grade 12

Cirque Du Soleil'a Wintuk is definitely a family thriller. This festive production showcases acrobatic movement, ballet, contortionism and other special tricks that the kids will love. Wintuk arrives just in time for the approaching frosty season. This show is entertaining to the eye, but it does not penetrate the intellect.

Wintuk introduces the tale of a young boy, Jamie, who desperately wants it to snow. The days are growing shorter, the weather is getting cooler, yet the city he lives in lacks snow. As Jamie diligently searches for snow, he crosses paths with a female Shaman who is lost in the city, the shadow of a young girl, and a young man searching for his courage. This Wizard-of-Oz like tale takes the audience along the boy's adventure and sneaks in fantastic choreography along the way.

The dancers are technically profound. There is a mastery of the art that is expressed through their movement. One female heightens the skill of ballet by performing advanced movement on a tight rope. The contortionist pops out of a box dressed in bright pink rags, another in a blue-and-silver body suit bends her body beyond belief, while twirling multiple hula hoops simultaneously. Skaters glide across the stage, jugglers juggle and acrobats do exactly what they do best. This proves that Cirque Du Soleil can provide the same mesmerizing performances that the show is known for and water it down to a tale comprehensive enough for a three-year-old.

Fernand Rainville, the Director of Creation, misleads the audience, however. They are overwhelmed with acrobatic spectaculars; therefore, they may overlook the transparency of the plot. It is easy to predict but less simple to follow. Movement overshadows the lack of theatrical development. There are dozens of characters capable of dazzling a crowd, but conveying a story is one skill they may not have mastered. Rainville may have attempted to do too much at one time and fails to deliver a rich story intertwined with acrobatics. In Wintuk, the movement is emphasized. Unfortunately, this does not do the plot justice. The characters and their individual stories are drowned out by the elaborate set and overly sized objects.

Yet, the set will dazzle children, and the vibrant colors will perfectly set the mood. The soulful/jazzy music selection will keep the audience moving, and the happy ending will elevate the excitement. Wintuk is a special treat that warms up this cool winter. This show will attract crowds of all ages and will satisfy those who are simply coming for an uplifting tale. Those searching for a deeper message, however, may leave disappointed.

Najee Ritter, Grade 12