I have never been on a cruise ship until earlier this month, when I was invited on board not one but two cruise ships by Genting Hong Kong in one day. I was invited to a buffet lunch onboard Star Pisces first before the main event – a preview of the “Light Balance” performance on board SuperStar Virgo.
Superstar Virgo
I was fortunate that someone reminded me to bring along my passport, since boarding a cruise ship requires identification papers, even when it is not be sailing. After the buffet lunch on Star Pisces, the media was led across Ocean Terminal building and in just under three minutes, we were processed to board the SuperStar Virgo.
Boarding SuperStar Virgo from Ocean Terminal, Hong Kong. Photo © Justin Teo.
I was awed by the size of the ship. I have been on warships before, but being on the Superstar Virgo felt nothing like it. There are many areas on a warship which would make a normal person feel claustrophobic. However, it was like being on a floating building on the Superstar Virgo. I walked past the main atrium, or as it is called “The Grand Piazza”, on the way to the theatre and it was cavernous. It boggles the mind that I was on a boat floating on water. No wonder the SuperStar is the flagship of Star Cruises fleet in Asia.
Grand Piazza on SuperStar Virgo. Photo © Justin Teo.
Light Balance
As I took my seat in the Lido theatre, the lights were already beginning to dim as the music began. For the next 45 minutes, I was treated to a visual feast of dance and acrobatic performances by the dancers and the crew of Light Balance.
Entrance to The Lido theater. Photo © Justin Teo.
Light Balance, a high-tech dance group from Ukraine, rose to fame by finishing in the semi-finals of UK’s Britain Got Talent television show in 2014, and Season 8 of German’s Das Supertalent (2014). The group uses a combination of contemporary breakdance and hip-hop moves in perfect synchrony with specialised “cold-neon” lighting and computer timing effects to enthral audiences with a performance like no other.
Mad scientist of the show. Photo © Justin Teo.
Putting their sleek dance moves and unique neon-coloured costumes to good use, Light Balance weaves different stories and choreographies to take audiences to another world. I was reminded much of the movie Tron, where digital sentient beings live in world of light outlines and where physical laws no longer apply.
Light Balance. Photo by Light Balance/Genting Hong Kong.
World of neon lights and flashy moves. Photo © Justin Teo.
In addition to Light Balance’s electrifying performances, the preview also included a dance medley by Superstar Virgo’s dancers and acrobats that put together an eclectic mashup of modern and classical performances.
Classical and contemporary dances by SuperStar Virgo performers. Photo © Justin Teo.
Acrobatic performances on SuperStar Virgo. Photo © Justin Teo.
I was so immersed in the experience that before I knew it, it was time for curtain call. The bright lights came on and broke the magic. However, it was still pretty cool to see the human faces behind the costumes, and I realised that it took real people to make those dance moves, and the show was not just projected animations.
World of electrical romance. Photo by Light Balance/Genting Hong Kong.
The performance by Light Balance felt so surreal that I needed some time to shake off that uncanny feeling, and get my sense of reality back.
SuperStar Virgo departs from Hong Kong Ocean Terminal and prices are HK$588 upwards for the cruises.
For more videos of Light Balance, visit http://www.lightbalance.net/video/light-balance-ft-unexfeel-0.
