It’s the day before our first real vacation this year, May 17th, a Tuesday. Like usual, doing ten different things at the same time, while trying to figure out what to pack for a two week bike camping trip through Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe, Napa, San Francisco and Santa Cruz, when suddenly I received a phone call from a strange number. My phone suggested it may be “Cavalia”. Yes, the Cavalia with the twirling dancers, gifted riders and the most beautiful horses. I admit I was a bit timid to answer the phone, but my guts pretty much yelled at me “Just answer the phone”. So I did and this very familiar soft voice with a French Canadian accent answered the phone. It was Kim, Cavalia’s publicist, who I met when visiting the show in San Francisco only the year before. Long story short….she was in need for photos of the show the next day and invited me to watch the show that very same evening. Well, dear Kim, Salt Lake is 6 hours from Eagle, Colorado, so there was no way we would have made it the same night. However, Salt Lake was on our road trip route anyway, because we had planned on visiting our friend Claire, who currently stars in Cavalia as an aerialists and rider. So sure enough we packed up our car and the next day we went west bound with bikes and cameras and all! After nearly 6 hours and exactly 400 miles we finally made it and we were happy to be reunited with the one and only Claire Beer, who is always such a joy to be around. The next day, I enjoyed following Claire around the big white top getting a glimpse into her not so ordinary life.
Claire taking care of her horse Fabuloso.
After I got to see the dressing room, stables and tack room, the most exciting moment for me was to watch the young riders, including Claire, exercise their four-legged stars. The dedication and love everyone pours into this production is truly inspiring. After my day observing everyone backstage, it was time for me to prepare for my evening photographing Cavalia’s Odysseo for publicity needs. And I have to say, Sean and I really did get the royal treatment with VIP seats, not two, no six of them for enough room to photograph. They fed us, let us cut lines, I’ve never felt so important. This equestrian theater is simply stunning and so much fun to photograph. If you have a chance to see Cavalia in nearby city, I would highly encourage that. Check out their tour dates here: http://www.cavalia.net/en
Claire riding Fabuloso and Rio in the main arena in front of the big white top.
