See the world from a bug's perspective in Cirque du Soleil: OVO
Apr. 3—WILKES-BARRE — Cirque du Soleil's OVO show comes to Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza with five performances between Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6.
An exciting Cirque du Soleil experience, OVO is a colorful intrusion into a new day in the life of insects. This is a non-stop riot of energy and movement through show-stopping acrobatics, as the introduction of a mysterious "ovo" (meaning "egg" in Portuguese) challenges all creatures to reconsider their role within their tiny world.
Cirque du Soleil: OVO uses the whole stage to enhance their storytelling, and every piece of the set is stunning. Everything is colorful, big, and vibrant with Brazilian-inspired music throughout, not to mention all the incredible high-level acrobatics.
"In the beginning is a huge egg and everything else is so small, you really get into the perspective of the show," said acrobat and dancer Dani Maloney in an interview with The Weekender. "It is such a world of happiness, and you can see it in the audience reactions too"
Dani Maloney is an acrobat and character in the upcoming OVO shows in Wilkes-Barre, she also helps the artistic director with the show's choreography.
Cirque du Soleil also includes a love story and there is something delightful for all ages to take away. The ladybug is in love with the blue fly character — and the feeling is mutual. "Every time he sees the ladybug, he freezes. It's a really fun, lighthearted storyline," explained Dani Maloney.
Hailing from Northwestern Pennsylvania, Dani Maloney joined Cirque du Soleil: OVO in October 2024 as the Red Spider! This multi-talented superstar has been dancing since she was three years old and runs her own contemporary dance collective in Las Vegas called Dani Maloney Dance Company. Now, see the Pennsylvania-native star in this larger-than-life touring dance/acrobatic show.
"Timing is everything and here we are," said Maloney.
OVO has been on the road since 2009, visiting 40 countries over the last 15 years and changing arenas every single week. The show began as a big-top show under the tent and became an arena show in 2016. They briefly paused only for the pandemic and relaunched in 2022 back on tour!
The talented OVO cast is constantly rehearsing and adding new tricks to keep the show fresh for everyone, whether it's your first Cirque experience or your 15th!
OVO was also recently restaged in 2024, so they've added some new magic to the show as well, introducing new set designs, updating the sound system, and changing the space itself over three months of restaging work in Montreal, Canada. They also added three new acts, along with fresh costumes and items for the bugs, I mean, cast to discover!
Dani Maloney was so excited to join the cast of Cirque du Soleil: OVO and, with her vast expertise, has become an artist coach in Cirque's choreography. She helped facilitate in restaging the show and maintain that vision as they go on tour, bringing her own style of dancing into the tale
"My job is to make sure everyone keeps the choreography where it should be and everyone remains safe," said Maloney. "I like it to be a safe space for people to come and be able to take care of them."
Maloney has been teaching dance almost all her life, but this experience with Cirque Du Soleil has been very special to her. "I think whenever you're able to lead people in that way, it's such a special privilege," she said.
OVO has been touring since February for this leg of the tour and after making their way around the country, Wilkes-Barre will be the final arena stop for this latest leg of the ongoing OVO tour. Maloney is from Corry, her sister attended Penn State in State College, and her aunt even lives in Wilkes-Barre — so the whole family is coming out for Cirque's stay in Pennsylvania.
"It feels serendipitous that I got the job at the time we were doing this tour," said Maloney.
Dani Maloney has mastered a number of different styles of dance and acrobatics. She's mainly been a contemporary dancer, but also has learned tap, jazz, ballet, and more while continuing to add to her artistic and athletic skill. She loves to challenge herself.
"In Cirque, I identify as a generalist, but I haven't homed in on one operandus my whole life," said Maloney. "For me, I'm training on as many operandi as I can, so when there's a rock wall — it definitely keeps it interesting."
Dani Maloney brings life to the Red Spider in the OVO show as an acrobatic character doing wild stunts to wow the crowd. One of her favorite parts of being on the Cirque du Soleil: OVO circuit is getting to perform on the giant rock wall at the same time as the cricket family performs with a trampoline below.
"You see me a lot throughout the show, in different scenes," said Maloney. "My character interacts with almost every insect in the show."
She said the Red Spider is very fun and exhibits a bit of both the light and dark energy within her. Although she may rip off butterfly wings, she also plays with other characters too. Very spider-like behavior if you ask me. Perhaps we are all complicated creatures, and maybe that's one of the many takeaways from the OVO show.
"I love watching how invested every single performer is in their character. I love seeing everyone go for it and embrace their inner child." said Maloney. "It's a huge for us, and it's so fun to watch everyone flipping, climbing all around you." said Maloney.
See the Red Spider and the rest of the mesmerizing Cirque Du Soleil: OVO cast wow audiences at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza with five shows in NEPA between Thursday, April 3, and Sunday, April 6. The show is open to all ages.
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