11:11:30 ... Dinner guests are stunned by the telekinetic powers of one of their table companions who can make a chandelier suspended above their heads move. Another guest challenges him by piling up chairs in an attempt to reach the chandelier. All of a sudden, the group realizes that their exact double exists in a parallel universe right above them where the same scene is unfolding… but upside down! In this original chair-balancing act, they will compete against each other through feats of ingenuity and daring to achieve their ends.

The metal hand is replaced with a dinner table, set with all the finery, replete with guests taking in a meal and conversation. Although what they are conversing about is unknown to us, it quickly becomes apparent that one of the dinner guests is boasting about his ability to catch the chandelier one of the magicians has set aloft by balancing the chairs around the dinner table. Fans of Cirque du Soleil will recognize this equilibrist as none other than Cuban-born Carlos Rokardy, formerly of La Nouba and Viva Elvis. His routine here is similar to his performance in both shows, building chairs ever higher to catch the floating chandelier. Only – look up – he’s not alone!

This number is referred to as the “upside-down dinner scene” for a reason, for above Rokardy, another dinner is taking place with another balancer stacking chairs – only in reverse! Counterweights were attached to parts of the costume worn by the artist hanging from the chandelier to create the impression that gravity has been reversed. These counterweights work like roly-poly toys – tilting dolls that have a weight inside the bottom and wobble back to an upright position when pushed. It’s a fantastic twist to what’s become a Cirque du Soleil staple performance