Meeting News - March 23, 2009 - (Page 40)

Destination Insider: Las Vegas Cirque Performances, Bargain Prices Cirque Imagination, a new company made up of former Cirque du Soleil performers, offers affordable and customized shows Thirty former Cirque du Soleil performers have launched Cirque Imagination, specifically to offer performances for groups at affordable rates. “We created this company because we saw the need,” said Judy Blake, a company partner and its director of business development. “In these unprecedented economic times, we want to provide truly amazing entertainment without the extravagant cost.” According to Blake, the price for a Cirque du Soleil event, through its corporate events department—which closed last year—was $150,000. “With Cirque Imagination, you get Cirquetrained, world-class perfomers and the same acts for $32,000 for an event,” said Blake, who added the troupe is allowed to use the Cirque name and stage performances in Las Vegas, where Cirque du Soleil has several shows. Cirque Imagination will entertain anywhere in the world, drawing from its collection of acts to tailor performances. Acts include hand-balancing; contortionist displays; a display where aerial artists climb chiffon straps, choreographed to music; and pole-climbing.“We can do as little as two acts or a full show, from 30 minutes to two hours,” said Blake. “You are only limited by your imagination.” One of the company’s performances in April, for a meeting of 500 employees of an oil and electric company, will be an example of Cirque Imagination’s customization capability. The event will begin with the performers and some audience members collaborating in the setup of an aerial apparatus (which has been specially designed so that it can be carried on a plane in snowboard bags and assembled anywhere in 20 minutes). Explained Blake: “We will show them what we do with safety for this apparatus, which reaches 21 feet into the air. Then, the performers will talk about everything they go through that is critical to their success, from training to nutrition.” After a couple of acts, the performance will conclude with an audience Q&A session with the performers. Cirque Imagination has designed a menu of options as a jumping-off point for planners. The list includes “Cirque Between the Courses,” with performers appearing throughout a formal meal; “After Dinner Cirque,” a seated show; “Awards a la Cirque,” with a customizable script and Cirque performers as presenters; and “The Cirque Cabaret,” where performers circulate throughout an event, such as a reception or product launch. Meanwhile, “Cirque Business” energizes meeting attendees during a session break or as part of a team-building program, and in “Cirque – Exhibition,” contortonists become part of an exhibit booth. Cirque Imagination has a national tour under way. Groups are able to book “VIP Red Carpet Experience” tickets for $150 for the troupe’s show,“Cirque Montage.”VIP tickets include dinner, premium seating, and the opportunity to meet, take photos of, and get autographs from performers. The new company’s website is www.cirqueimagination.com. —Heidi Waldrop Bay Cirque Imagination performer does a chiffon-strap act for a group event. ‘Price Is Right’ for Groups In February,“The Price Is Right - Live,” at Bally’s, began offering private, customized shows for up to 1,000 attendees. Elements that can be tailored include company trivia and product knowledge being integrated into the contestant-selection process, sections divided by company departments (e.g.,“C’mon down, Chris from Accounting!”), and use of company products for onstage pricing games. Small groups (minimum 50 people) can get discounted tickets and a shout out at the real show. —HWB Event Report Even in Down Times, a Convention Remains Picture-Perfect Photographers annual event has its best year ever In the worst economy in the 29-year history of Wedding and Portrait Photographers International, the association had its most-attended annual event ever in February, in Las Vegas. The secret? It offered cost breaks and plenty of budget tools for attendees, while preserving first-class food and entertainment. Registration at WPPI 2009 was up 10 percent versus 2008, with just under 12,000 people in the photographic industry from 35 countries gathering at the MGM Grand Conference Center for the convention and trade show. There were 360 exhibitors and 130 speakers over seven days. The WPPI show has been staged in Las Vegas for the past 15 years, because “we never get as great attendance anywhere else,” said organizer Skip Cohen, president of Culver City, CA-based continued on page 42 40 MeetingNews March 23, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.vegasmeansbusiness.com http://www.cirqueimagination.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 23, 2009 Contents What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com Meetings Mean Business As 'Meeting Matter' Marriott Unveils Promo Columbus, OH, Addresses Convention Hotel Issues People Making News Orlando Strives for Cost Transparency Is Biz-Class Air Travel Dead? Greenest Planner Awards Mid America Insider Report: Conference Centers Destination Insider: Mississippi Gulf Coast Las Vegas Destination Insider: Cleveland Ad Index Live from the Forum

Meeting News - March 23, 2009

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