Horses Take Up Residence before Premiering All-New Show Next Week,
Co-Presented by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Miami, February 23, 2012 - The 70 horses of Cavalia’s newest show, Odysseo, arrived today in downtown Miami.  The horses took up residence in Bicentannial Park, in the 17, 400 feet stables tent of Odysseo, adjacent to the production’s white big top where the show will premiere on February 29.
The horses were arriving from a four-week vacation in Ocala, FL, having journeyed there from Atlanta, where they performed the U.S. Premiere of Cavalia’s new show this fall. Miami is thus the second U.S. tour stop of this all-new production that marries the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels.  In Odysseo, 70 horses and 50 artists lead the viewer on a great journey where, together, they discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes. In total 11 horse breeds are represented in Odysseo, including Lusitanos, Spanish Pure Breds, Arabians and Quarter Horses.

A veritable revolution in live performance, Odysseo comprises a list of superlatives: the world’s biggest touring big top, the largest stage, the most innovative visual effects, and the greatest number of horses at liberty. In fact, one striking feature of the show is the impressive number of horses on stage at once.  In one unforgettable scene, the viewer witnesses the waking of 30 horses with their riders in the Sahara, where moments later they play together freely. These numbers with so many horses at once are made possible by the immensity of the stage (27,000 square feet), the broad 50-foot wings that flank it, and the patience of the equestrian trainers, led by Benjamin Aillaud, Cavalia’s equestrian choreographer.

In addition to the vast stables where the horses live on tour, the Odysseo equestrian facilities include some 10 paddocks where the horses are let out every day. When the horses are not outside or on stage, they are relaxing in their roomy stalls in the high-ceilinged stables of Odysseo.  An 18-person stables team is dedicated to caring for these four-legged athletes making sure they are in perfect health and top performance conditions.

ABOUT CAVALIA INC.
Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Cavalia Inc. operates two separate touring shows, Cavalia and Odysseo, both of which marry the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels. Cavalia, seen by some 3.5 million people across North America and Europe since its 2003 debut, celebrates the relationship between humans and horses by loosely recounting the evolution of this bond. Odysseo, which premiered in autumn 2011, takes the next step, leading viewers on a journey through some of the breathtaking landscapes horses have helped humans discover around the globe. Follow Cavalia Inc.’s latest developments at www.twitter.com/cavalia or www.facebook.com/cavalia.