[originaltext]M: What did you do to celebrate your birthday?W: My friends took

M: What did you do to celebrate your birthday?
W: My friends took me to see Cirque du Soleil. What a show! It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The performances were mesmerizing---they were art!
M: Wow, it sounds like you really enjoyed yourself. What distinguishes Cirque du Soleil from other circuses?
W: It simply has class. The acts have a certain style that you don’t see in other circuses. There is soft, romantic lighting and fantastic music which ranges from classical to jazz. But, what really sets the circus apart is the costumes with their beautiful fabrics, rich colors and fairy tale designs.
M: It sounds amazing, but I always feel a little guilty when I go to the circus. It seems so cruel to use animals for our entertainment.
W: Cirque du Soleil doesn’t believe in using animals. They rely on human performers including acrobats, trapeze artists and contortionists.
M: That’s wonderful. I wish other circuses would do the same.
W: And the human performances are much more fun. There was one clown who actually juggled eight wine glasses at one time. I couldn’t believe it. There was also a magician who performed a series of comical tricks involving members of the audience. I loved the whole thing. You really should see them while they are in town.
M: I think I’ll go this weekend.