The first Cirque du Soleil show on ice is coming to Hamilton

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Published April 17, 2023 at 12:54 pm

Cirque du Soleil is hoping to dazzle audiences in Hamilton during this year’s holiday season.

Crystal — Cirque du Soleil’s first show to put their famous acrobatic performances on an ice rink — will be coming to Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre as one of the centre’s last shows before it undergoes renovation.

Five shows are planned for December 14 to 17, with tickets to go on sale to the public starting on Monday, April 24.

  • Thursday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 16 at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 17 at 1:00 p.m.

“In addition to seven jaw-dropping traditional circus acts, Crystal also features figure skating and extreme skating – two disciplines that have never been seen before in a Cirque du Soleil show,” says the event organizers.

The traditional circus acts will include trapeze, banquine, pendular poles and aerial straps, all done on ice.

Crystal officially premiered in December 2017 as Cirque du Soleil’s 42nd original show.

Robert Tannion, the show’s artistic director, says the organizers are thrilled to be bringing it back to North America.

“The show is all about finding the magic in the everyday, and what could be more magical than seeing the beauty of ice-skating blend seamlessly with adrenaline-inducing acrobatic and aerial feats that Cirque du Soleil is known for,” said Tannion.

The major renovation planned for Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre was originally slated for after Sept. 17th, but it seems the centre will stay open longer to accommodate both Crystal and the Grey Cup festival, scheduled from Nov. 16 to 19.

A minimum of $50 million will be spent to renovate FirstOntario Centre, which includes a new exterior facade and video board, “comprehensive transformation of the lower bowl,” expanded concourse level, and a new flexible curtaining system for the upper bowl balcony.

The renovation also proposes to allow year-round access to street-level activations on York Blvd., which the group says will include a sports lounge, e-gaming zone, and other food and beverage offerings in collaboration with local hospitality partners.

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