OAKS, Pa. (WLVT) - Alix Croop began her gymnastics career at 5 years old, training at the Parkettes gym in Allentown. Now 31, she’s still doing gymnastics, but on a much more global scale. Croop is a performer for Cirque du Soleil’s “Amaluna,” a show that’s been touring the world since 2012… from Canada to Europe to South America. This summer, she’s coming home.
“I never expected for the show to come to Pennsylvania, so for the show to come to Pennsylvania and so close to home—within an hour—it’s incredible,” Croop said.
“Amaluna” is performing in Oaks from July 24 to Aug. 25. The show set up a big top tent just outside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, where they’re expecting to draw crowds from both the Philadelphia area and the Lehigh Valley.
“All my family and friends can come out, all my coaches,” said Croop. “I can’t wait.”
“Amaluna” was created to honor the work and voice of women. Directed by Broadway Tony-wnner Diane Paulus, female performers make up most of the cast, including an all-female band.
“A majority of Cirque du Soleil shows have a majority of boys, so this show is the opposite,” said Amaluna publicist Mami Ohki.
The show’s story is set on the mysterious island of “Amaluna,” where a tribe of goddesses live.
“We’re the warriors of the island,” Croop said.
Their queen, Prospera, is celebrating her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony. But when a group of young men comes ashore, the Amazons must protect their island.
“So it’s a very fierce, strong role and it’s so fun to play,” Croop said.
Performers use unicycles, aerial straps and a unique water bowl in their acts, but Croop said her favorite act was the uneven bars.
“We do use a lot of the skills from the sport of gymnastics, from uneven bars, but we’ve also created our own skills that are unique to the act,” she said.
The role isn’t easy on the hands; Croop has big callouses on her palms despite using grips.
“The grips really help us because we have this dowel piece, so when we do release moves it helps us to stay on the bars a little bit better,” Croop said.
Organizers hope to inspire other young athletes who may be in the audience while they watch Croop and the Amazon goddesses flip and jump seemingly effortlessly across the uneven bars,.
“Especially kids dreaming to be on stage, you can see, ‘Oh my God, I can be on stage,’” Ohki said.
The show premiered July 24 and holds performances Tuesday through Sunday through most of August.
Tickets start around $55.
