With dreamlike sequences interspersed with high-powered athleticism and other human feats that defy imagination, O Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio has been mesmerizing Las Vegas show audiences since 1998. The centerpiece of the O Cirque du Soleil Bellagio show is the 1.5 million gallon pool. The pool is an engineering marvel that blends seamlessly with the stage floor and sets the show apart from other Las Vegas shows. The Franco Dragone written and directed Las Vegas show begins with the almost indiscernible sound of a “drip, drip, drip” as if there’s a leak somewhere. It starts slowly, and as the audience settles in their seats it becomes slightly louder. This is followed by two clowns winding their way through the audience to the stage. These aren’t your normal slapstick or scary circus clowns, however. These clowns seem a bit melancholy and in a bit of a predicament because they are concerned by the leak and surrounded by water. They continue to appear throughout the show and offer light relief between acts.

Even though there are clowns in this Las Vegas show, it’s apparent that this is no ordinary circus; there’s not an animal to be seen in the entire show. As the house lights dim and the curtain raises, synchronized swimmers plunge from dizzying heights above the stage into the enormous pool. It’s easy enough to forget there’s a pool in the Las Vegas show, as the show engineers have managed to eliminate the chlorine smell and pool drainage sounds from the production. It’s hard to tell when the moving stage floor gives way to the pool and vice versa. Throughout the show, show ticket holders find themselves breathless as the performers dive in the water with incredible force and grace. A giant ghost ship hovers in the air as divers perform incredible stunts mid-air. Beautiful creatures emerge from the water and disappear just as quickly as they appeared. Ethereal beings appear onstage one moment, and the next moment tattooed Polynesian dancers twirl fire.

Carousel horses high in the air are slowly submerged in water with riders astride. As the red-cassock-clad performers are submerged in the water, their faces don’t change expression and their bodies remain completely still. The effect is dazzling and audience members are left wondering: “Am I in a dream, or have I fallen into a work of art?”

The show is made up of 85 performers including acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers, actors, singers, musicians, dancers, fire twirlers, and clowns who perform on stage and above it. Even though this Las Vegas show takes place twice nightly five nights a week, it’s still mind boggling how the show performers manage to maintain such precision in their performances.

Down to the smallest detail, this Las Vegas show amazes from beginning to end. The costumes are not only engineering marvels that act and look like a second skin and dry quickly, but the average Las Vegas audience members finds it hard to determine where the costume ends and the dazzling makeup begins. The opulent theater, cast in rich reds, golds, and blue tones, was created specifically for the O Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas show. The theater is proscenium style, which basically means that just about every seat is a good seat. In the lobby you’ll find sculptures depicting some of the acts and the performers of the Cirque du Soleil shows.

Why such a short name for such breathtaking show? After all, only one letter of the alphabet is used for the show’s name. You may be left wondering why? Here’s a big hint: The French word for water is eau. Give up? It’s pronounced “oh.”