TOURING CIRQUE SHOW IS AN ACROBATIC DREAMSCAPE >>>

If the International Olympic Committee is looking for any ideas to spice up their gymnastics competition, I have a list. It starts with team gymnastics. And none of that lame "one at a time" crap. I'm talking doubles parallel bars, two people running at the vault from opposite sides.

That would be followed by flaming rhythmic gymnastics. Just like normal rhythmic gymnastics, with hoops and ribbons and balls. Except on fire. It's not a difficult concept

I know these things are possible, and I know they would be crowd-pleasers of epic proportions. I know this because similar feats of awesomeness are the centerpiece of Cirque du Soleil's Alegría, running through Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Tacoma Dome.

I imagine these same - or close enough - acts play into most Cirque du Soleil shows, but last night's show was the first I had the pleasure to attend, so I cannot speak for the rest. There are twirling fire batons, synchronized trapeze artists, and an assortment of other running, jumping, bouncing, spinning and balancing.

If you read the website - or, I imagine, the $20 program - there is some pretense of a story threaded throughout the show, but it is lost without pre-reading, or the ability to understand the singing. Instead, the experience is largely one of music and visuals.

The performance is best described as an aerial ballet. The trapeze and other airborne artists move with an ease that more closely resembles dance than purely technical feats.

Despite the impressive nature of the acrobatics, however, by far the most popular facet of the show was the comedic work of a pair of clowns. The two play out in a series of vignettes the humorous sort of rivalry and friendship rarely seen outside of under-10 siblings.

Alegría's biggest weakness is unfortunately in its choice of venue. I say unfortunately because there is nowhere else in Tacoma suited to the size of the production. But the uncomfortable bleacher seats and undisguiseable sports-arena aesthetic of the interior detract significantly from the overall experience.

These minimal unpleasantries, however, do not overpower the epic music, floating between '90s new age pop and accordion-heavy tango, or the beauty of the oddly curving set, or any other facet of the production, and despite somewhat overblown prices, Alegría remains a worthwhile evening of entertainment.

Cirque du Soleil performs Alegría

7:30 p.m. Sept. 16, 17, 18; 3:30 p.m. Sept. 17, 18; 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sept. 19
$44-$104 adults/$41-$95 seniors, students, military/$37-$84 ages 2-12/free ages under-2
Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma
866.448.7849
www.cirquedusoleil.com
www.ticketmaster.com