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Bloomingdale's Unveils Holiday Windows with Cirque du Soleil Performance

By Mary Johnson | November 14, 2012 7:52am

UPPER EAST SIDE — The contortionists, clowns and hula-hoop masters of Cirque du Soleil delighted crowds of onlookers on Lexington Avenue Tuesday night as part of the official unveiling of holiday windows at Bloomingdale's flagship location.

The holiday windows are all inspired by the upcoming film "Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away," which opens Dec. 21.

The brightly colored window displays unveiled Tuesday night include interactive elements that snap photos of passersby and project their image on characters in the store's windows. The displays show high-flying acrobats like those in Cirque du Soleil, along with more traditional holiday themes like ornaments and presents.

In honor of the popular troupe, performers from the odd and awe-inspiring international circus took to a stage set up in front of the department store for a series of flips, tricks and gags.

During the performance, a white-faced clown meandered in front of the stage before the show began, hamming it up for photographers and tickling one young onlooker with a feather.

Four contortionists bent their bodies into unthinkable positions, and a woman dressed in skintight white lace twirled half-a-dozen hula hoops around various parts of her body.

Catherine Sarno, who lives in Midtown, brought her 4-year-old daughter, Zoe, to the performance. It was Zoe's first encounter with Cirque du Soleil, and she said her favorite part of the show was the end, when confetti rained down on the performers.

"I've seen [Cirque de Soleil], but I've never brought her to it," Sarno said, as her daughter stared at the stage. "It was a great performance."