Kooza

Last weekend I went and saw Cirque du Soleil's performance of "Kooza" at Atlantic Station in Atlanta. I am a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil, seeing probably 10 or so of their performances, with my first one being in 1993 in New York City, and my favorite being "O" in Las Vegas.

I am always amazed at the incredible talent and strength of the performers. The athletes are all in incredible shape, have very little body fat, amazing strength, talent, balance, flexibility, and focus (and more!). Some of the acts they did included riding a bicycle on a highwire 25-feet above the ground, an third person sitting on a chair that was balanced between two bikes that were on that same highwire, an artist balancing on chairs 23-feet in the air, people balancing on huge balls, jumping and twisting on these huge wheels, and so much more. It is just unbelieveable the moves that they do.

One act that stands out in my mind is three female contortionists that bent their bodies backwards and into awkward positions. I sat with my jaw wide open as they did these strange moves, wondering how it was possible for their spine to get in these bizarre and somewhat gross positions.

I realized they practice for hours on end, focusing on every move, with no room for error. They watch every bit of food they eat and how it affects them. They are totally present in all that they do, and most likely, are totally confident that they will succeed. Doubt does not exist in their mind.

At the same time, I realized that they have a full crew of massage therapists, Chiropractors and Dieticians on tour with them, working with all the performers every day. These are performers who rely on very specific movements and perfect timing with all that they do. Do you think their nervous system should be functioning optimally to help them perform? Or, do you think they could care less about how their bodies perform?

Remember, Chiropractors focus on the central nervous system and the overall functioning of the body, striving for optimal health and performance. What if these performers weren't getting adjusted? What if they weren't focused? What if they didn't pay attention to their bodies?

If you have never seen a Cirque du Soleil performance, put it on your goal list to see a show at least once in your lifetime. Observe the performers and be amazed at their talent. Then think about yourself. No you don't have to be a world class performer, but if you paid attention to your body just a little bit more, what would your health be like? Would you be more fit? Eating better? Exercising more? Getting adjusted more? Go see Kooza and be inspired!