GROUPS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN and visitors were in awe of a small animal-inspired Cirque du Soleil performance at the San Francisco Zoo and Gardens recently that was done to promote animal conservation and a new show in the city.
A skilled contortionist dressed as a pangolin — a mammal related to an armadillo — performed for about five minutes to a stunned crowd this past Friday morning. The performance was followed by the opportunity to know more about conservation efforts.
Zoo director of marketing Paulo Vergara said the collaboration between the zoo and Cirque du Soleil came about after he noticed how their current show in San Francisco was inspired by the impact humans have had on the natural environment, something the zoo has tried to educate the public about.
“When we saw that Cirque du Soleil was coming back to San Francisco with a new show that had the exact same theme, it was very intriguing because it allows us to also echo and amplify that message to the community,” said Vergara. “The fact that they did not use live animals in the show made it a natural, organic partnership around the holiday season, when families are going to be together and they can learn together about animal conservation.”
Cirque du Soleil is a 41-year-old Canadian entertainment company that produces circus-like shows with skilled individuals who can bend, breathe fire, and push the limits of their bodies. Between November and January, the group will be performing their show ECHO under the Big Top at Oracle Park’s parking lot A.
Eschewing animals
Kevin Albert, a publicist with the group, described their show as a performance that represents how even the smallest actions done by humans have ripple effects across the biosphere. He said their history of not using animals in their shows demonstrates their shared goal with conservation organizations.
“We’ve never had any animals in our shows for the past 41 years, believe it or not, and that’s what really put us on the map,” said Albert. “Partnering up with the San Francisco Zoo, talking about conservation, preservation, and seeing all these beautiful animals that you will see today is the perfect match for us.”
Eddie John Browne was the performer at the zoo who dressed as the pangolin. He said he began contorting his body when he was young in Sierra Leone, but now he has to work hard to also make it into a performance.
“I think the hardest thing to do is feeling like I am the pangolin,” said Browne. “Putting the expression on for the people to know. I have to have the expression in my eyes and what I do.”
Vergara wanted to inform the public that the work of the zoo may not always be seen, but he hopes his team can help educate the public about the ongoing conservation work they do.
“I think there’s a misperception that the zoo just does work within its own gates,” said Vergara. “We take endangered species, we breed them on site, and we work with other organizations to release them back into the wild. The work that we do here is not just an attraction for people to come and look at animals. We’re a conservation organization that does real, meaningful, calculable work in California to boost populations of animals that are under the threat of human existence.”
More events are lined up for people at the San Francisco Zoo through the month. They hope to make it more available for families by offering free visists for kids and guests.
More information about zoo events can be found on the SF Zoo website. Tickets for the Cirque du Soleil show in San Francisco, priced at $58 and $66, can be purchased online.