Contortionist fits right in with ‘Fantasy’

When Buyankhishig Ganbaatar performs in "Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy" tonight, she'll be a long way from her home in Mongolia.

But in a way, this show that has her playing a contorting lizard, a hopping frog and a dancing ladybug is about a place where she's spent much of her life.

"Every morning you wake up and get back to your dream," she said.

Ganbaatar, 20, has been performing contortion since childhood. She would watch her sister practice and wanted to do the same thing.

"It's worth all the sweat - working out and practicing," she said.

Both sisters have been performing in "Jungle Fantasy" for four years, and one of the highlights for Ganbaatar has been seeing lots of new places.

The troupe members travel occasionally by air, depending on the distance between shows, but most of the time they go by bus. They performed in Denver in mid-February, then traveled to North Dakota and South Dakota, Utah, California and Arizona for 29 shows before returning to Colorado for the show in Colorado Springs. Saturday they are in Wyoming.

The miles add up, but the troupe, especially Ganbaatar, has fun doing it.

"When you have fun, time goes fast," she said.

And in her time with the production, she has gotten used to people asking how "Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy" is different from something under the Cirque du Soleil umbrella.

"Jungle Fantasy" is for every age, a family show, she said.

"I love how kids react," she said. "When they applaud for you - best feeling ever."