dralion ( pronounced drah-lee-on ) was a touring production by the canadian entertainment company cirque du soleil .

the show combined elements of traditional chinese circus with western contemporary circus , complementing the " east-meets-west " theme implied in the title — the name is a portmanteau of " dragon " ( representing the east ) and " lion " ( representing the west ) .

it is cirque du soleil 's 12th touring production and the first cirque show since 1985 not to be directed by franco dragone .

dralion performed its final show at the sullivan arena in anchorage , alaska on january 18 , 2015 , bringing its 15 year world tour to a close .

dralion

to purchase tickets to dralion visit ticketmaster . com . for more information on dralion , visit the cirque du soleil website .
cirque du soleil ' s dralion to tour u . s . | programmed activities
cirque du soleil presents dralion in raleigh aug . 15 - 19 | pnc arena
questions prepared by pat rioux , interim artistic coordinator and general stage manager for dralion .
dralion continues its southern california tour in long beach and san diego this november , 2012 .
celebrating its 15th anniversary , dralion comes to the o2 from 4 - 8 june 2014 .
i just watched dralion on dvd again . in my opinion one of the very best cirque production
if you go to cirque du soleil’s “dralion” this weekend , pay attention to the performers’ costumes .
on december 16 , 2001 , dralion celebrated its 1 , 000th performance in dallas , texas .
on november 5 , 2004 , dralion celebrated its 2 , 000th performance in madrid , spain .
on may 13 , 2006 , dralion celebrated its 2 , 500th performance in valencia , spain .
on october 2 , 2007 , dralion celebrated its 3 , 000th performance in osaka , japan .
on january 31 , 2009 , dralion celebrated its 3 , 500th performance in perth , australia .
if you had to choose one word to describe dralion what would it be ? awe - inspiring .
uuve jansson prepares backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at . . .
artists prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the . . .
trampoline artists practice ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the . . .
costumes are prepared backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at . . .
you can get the promo codes for cirque du soleil dralion tickets by logging in on our page .
after 15 years performing around the world , dralion will make its final curtain call in january 2015 .
the world of dralion attempts to mix cultures and unite the human and the natural world . dralion is all about harmony , finding strength and making every piece of the show come together as one enchanting picture .
sorry , we don ' t have any cirque du soleil - dralion tickets on sale at the moment .
the ballet on lights girls prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' . . .
your cirque du soleil dralion tickets will be delivered to you via our most reliable courier services , fedex .
uuve jansson applies her make - up backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' . . .
surging ticket sales have led cirque du soleil to schedule an additional two weeks for its dralion show in brisbane .
dralion fuses the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil .
with 50 artists from 16 countries , dralion ' s talent is world - class in every sense of the term .
igor arefiev , head coach for cirque du soleil’s dralion , got onto a circus payroll at a very young age .
dralion is a study in exuberance and dazzling verticality : a thematic melange that strings together one superlative performance after another .
dralion plays at copps coliseum until april 29 . you can check out hecfi for more information and to buy tickets .
cirque du soleil dralion is one of the most vivid , awe inspiring and dazzling show produced by cirque du soleil .
dralion artistic director mark shaub said :
we are very excited to be bringing dralion to great britain next spring . many of our cast and crew have connections to great britain and are looking forward to presenting the show to audiences there .
to realize the original “dralion” designs , workers in montreal spent three months customizing the clothing , hats , wigs and footwear .
with its debut in 1999 , cirque du soleil ' s dralion drew in and captivated more than seven million audience members .
cirque du soleil production dralion will perform in winnipeg at the mts centre from july 20 – 24 for eight performances only .
the availability of the cirque du soleil dralion tickets for the same row can be checked by going to the respective page .
yes , we are responsible and ensure on time delivery of cirque du soleil dralion tickets . check and order right away .
catch cirque du soleil’s dralion show in its last go - around from oct . 15 to 19 for six performances at the mohegan sun arena at casey plaza in wilkes - barre township . the dralion show makes its final curtain call in january 2015 .
if you happened to see cirque du soleil’s “dralion” a handful of years ago , know this : the show has changed dramatically .
on april 1 , 2011 , dralion celebrated its 4 , 000th performance in des moines , iowa , on its new arena tour .
“dralion’s” 5 , 000th performance will occur in kearney . the show , restaged in 2010 , is scheduled to be retired in january .
with dralion , “colours and cultures combine in a world beyond human limitation . ” cirque du soleil have toured australia with four shows , performing to 3 . 5 million people and – after a two - year hiatus – dralion is expected to be a huge success .
cirque du soleil : dralion wows swfl during local performance thru sunday - urltoken | fort myers beach bulletin , fort myers beach observer .
dralion ' s
futuristic set is a huge technological structure with components that serve as accessories to the show ' s acrobats .
no , our site doesn ' t require any member ship . cirque du soleil dralion tickets can be bought easily at low rates .
cirque du soleil to present dralion in charlottesville six performances only from oct . 22 - 26 , 2014 at the john paul jones arena
you can get the promo codes of cirque du soleil dralion tickets by following simple instructions on our page . check and order right away .
sponsors cirque du soleil gratefully acknowledges the official sponsors of the dralion north american tour : xerox , dhl and its presenting sponsor visa signature .
françois barbeau tailored some elements of the dralion costumes for the arena , a much larger venue : “you need the details to be stronger . ”
there is no special policy to get promotion codes for cirque du soleil dralion tickets . follow the directions and get them as soon as possible .
place an order for dralion tickets and watch as the art of chinese acrobatics meets the mastery of cirque du soleil . dralion is a stunning exploration of humanity ' s relationship with nature that incorporates both traditional cirque and eastern acrobatic acts . conceived with the creativity and innovation of cirque du soleil , the touring production features hoop diving , bamboo pole - balancing , tumbling dance routines , aerial acrobatics , feats of strength , and more . we are well - stocked in cirque du soleil dralion tickets for every city the tour is visiting this year in the united states and canada . please reference the complete lineup of dralion tour dates above to find your tickets today . you can reserve seats for both matinee and evening performances of dralion at vivid seats .
the
dralion
tour is going to 17 cities in the united states and canada , including atlanta , boston , chicago , quebec and toronto .
you can get cirque du soleil dralion tickets on discounted rates till the date of the event . check out the details onlien and order right away !
we are offering a reasonable discount on cirque du soleil dralion tickets . the details are available on our page . get them as soon as possible .
yes , we do sell cirque du soleil dralion tickets at discounts on our website . use the discount codes mentioned on our page to get discounts .
the show schedule is published d on our page with timings . take a look and place your order for cirque du soleil dralion tickets right away .
cirque du soleil dralion tickets are very much up for sale on our website . do log on to make the most of our cheap rates now .
. and am grateful for that . but i needed a better taste in my mouth so i bought the cirque box set on dvd and popped in dralion
js : no , not at all . in fact , the first cirque show i ever saw was dralion when i started the job a year ago .
cm : dralion is an old show and cirque has shifted quite a bit since that time . how do you keep a show created in 1999 fresh ?
a triumphant beat of the drum calls a close to the fanciful universe of dralion . performers spin about on stage while a solo performance of the chinese drum fills the air . thunderous applause erupts from those who are there to witness the spectacle… and the natural order of time is returned . dralion has ended .
costumed dancers jump through towers of spinning hoops and show off their flexibility in dralion , cirque du soleil’s latest whimsical spectacle to be performed for moscow audiences .
“take an extraordinary journey through a futuristic dimension , where you can soar to new heights , and defy the laws of nature . ” – dralion press release .
cirque du soleil has long been known for redefining the entertainment landscape and is returning to australia with their new show , dralion , never before seen in australia .
it is very simple . check out on the directions on our page and place the order for cirque du soleil dralion tickets as soon as it is possible .
1 . 5 hours before the premiere of dralion in doha , qatar ! here the trampoline team practiced their skills earlier this afternoon . have a good show everyone !
like most cirque productions , dralion soft - starts with three clowns walking among the floor seats before 7 : 30 pm and interacting with the audience to hilarious effect .
“one of the things we want to do with dralion is to have people rediscover the power and importance of the four elements . we take them for granted in our daily lives . values have been displaced . maybe one of the goals of dralion is to help re - establish a connection with the elements . ” – francois barbeau
on march 4 , 1999 , cirque du soleil announced the name of the show . in august 2000 , dralion celebrated its 500th performance , in minneapolis , minnesota .
“the advance ticket sales for the sydney season of dralion have exceeded our expectations , ” says milan rokic , cirque du soleil vp of marketing for asia - pacific .
dralion will premiere on november 27 under the trademark blue and yellow big top and continue through to january 4 , including performances on christmas eve and new year’s eve .
dralion is the fusion of ancient chinese circus tradition and the avant - garde approach of cirque du soleil . the show ' s name is drawn from its two main symbols : the dragon , representing the east , and the lion , representing the west . dralion derives much of its inspiration from eastern philosophy w . . . read more
a tribute to dralion music . here all the music know from this show ( except those used in the clowns act ) made with the best knowledge available for this shows . on january 17 , 2014 , after more than 15 years on the road , dralion by cirque du soleil will be taking its last bow in achorage , alaska !
cirque du soleil is pleased to announce that the critically - acclaimed touring production dralion will perform in raleigh at pnc arena from august 15 - 19 for seven performances only .
houston ( june 6 , 2011 ) – cirque du soleil will perform the touring production of dralion in the greater houston area at two arena locations during 2011 . dralion will perform in cypress from november 17 – 20 , 2011 at the berry center and then in downtown houston from november 30 – december 4 , 2011 at the toyota center .
niki kemeny , company manager for dralion said :
we are so thrilled as a tour to be coming to london so that we can feel inspired by the vibrant blend of so many cultures , sounds , and styles in this great city . similarly , this vibrant blend within dralion , along with breathtaking performances will definitely thrill londoners too .
stream dralion by cirque du soleil and 40 million songs on all your devices with amazon music unlimited . exclusively for prime members . new subscribers only . terms and conditions apply .
in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . thus embodied , each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved .
sorry there are no special cirque du soleil dralion tickets discounts available on our website . however we assure you that our prices are from among very cheap ones you will find .
mendeltna ronan farguhar . ws280628 / 02 . 11 / 07 / 2008 . breeder : owner . by dralion mountain of island west - mendeltna sophia girl . owner : mable wimmer
dralion is the fusion of ancient chinese circus tradition and the avant - garde approach of cirque du soleil . the show ' s name is drawn from its two main symbols : the dragon , representing the east , and the lion , representing the west . dralion derives much of its inspiration from eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature .
but changing
dralion
from a
big top
show into an arena show is a lot more than just moving the set pieces into the likes of the wolstein center .
we changed a lot of the staging to adapt the show to this new environment ,
desmarais said .
in fact , dralion is performing on a brand new stage .
dralion was first performed in 1999 as a grand chapiteau ( big top ) show , but has recently been revised to take advantage of the added size and height of an arena .
cirque du soleil is pleased to announce that its newest arena show , dralion , will be performing in worcester from december 16 - 19 at the dcu center for seven performances only .
after 15 years performing around the world , dralion will make its finale curtain call in january 2015 . from october 22 - 26 , 2014 , charlottesville will have its final opportunity to experience this unique and colorful cirque du soleil signature production that has performed in more than 150 cities . dralion will be presented at the john paul jones arena for six performances only .
dralion’s cast and crew celebrated a wonderful milestone earlier last month , marking their 500th performance since the show’s arena tour premiered in trenton , new jersey on october 21 , 2011 . in honor of this achievement , and in keeping with fascination’s current series celebrating these specific milestones we explore dralion , one of the most polarizing shows in cirque’s repertoire , from a historical perspective .
there ' s so many elements to dralion . you could watch it and be inspired to go ,
i want to work here or i want to work for this company .
inviting the audience into an unforgettable world , dralion pays tribute to the four natural elements – air , water , fire and earth – and is inspired by mankind’s quest for harmony with nature . based on a clash between the east and the west , the name dralion is derived from its two main symbols – a dragon representing the east and a lion representing the west .
as soon as the first standing ovation had been given to dralion in the spring of 1999 , fans began to wonder what would follow and who would direct it . although from all accounts dralion was a box - office success , it was not always seen as a critical success . many commented that the show seemed more
off the shelf
than previous cirque productions , and as such did not feel immersed in the world of dralion . in fact much of dralion is an
off the shelf
chinese touring circus that was purchased wholesale by cirque du soleil , deconstructed , and re - constructed in the cirque - fashion . when cirque finally announced that it was launching a new live touring production for 2002 it was welcome news indeed .
dralion is the fusion of ancient chinese circus tradition and the avant - garde approach of cirque du soleil . the show ' s name is drawn from its two main symbols : the dragon , representing the east , and the lion , representing the west . dralion derives much of its inspiration from eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature . suspended in time between the past and the future , dralion is a celebration of life and the four elements that maintain the natural order : air , water , fire and earth . innovation soars to new heights as it defies the laws of nature . dralion is a dynamic performance that transcends the boundaries of the imagination and leads us into a dreamscape with a new and sparkling perspective .
each show has a loose storyline although not necessarily appreciable in dralion . in ancient eastern philosophy , there is an endless quest for harmony between humans and nature . thus , the story revolves around the four elements of air , water , fire , and earth depicted in human form . in dralion , “cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved . ”
thrilling more than 8 million people worldwide since the show premiered in 1999 , dralion is the fusion of ancient chinese circus traditions and the avant - garde style of cirque du soleil . the name dralion ( pronounced “drah - lee - on” ) is drawn from its two main symbols : the dragon , representing the east , and the lion , representing the west . dralion derives much of its inspiration from eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature . the international cast features 52 world - class acrobats , gymnasts , musicians , singers and comedic characters .
suspended in time between the past and the future , dralion is a celebration of life and the four elements that maintain the natural order : air , water , fire and earth . innovation soars to new heights as it defies the laws of nature . dralion is a dynamic performance that transcends the boundaries of the imagination and leads us into a dreamscape with a new and sparkling perspective .
such is the special significance of cirque du soleil ' s long - running show
dralion ,
playing wednesday through april 8 at the wolstein center at cleveland state university , downtown cleveland .
after dralion closes , arefiev said he’ll hopefully move onto a different cirque show . the company likes to keep their productions fresh , putting together new shows to tour the country , arefiev said .
on july 16 2008 , the curtain will rise in moore park’s entertainment quarter for the australian premier of dralion . tickets for the national tour are on sale now and can be purchased at urltoken
cirque du soleil is famous for its stunning performances , inspiring its audiences with a magical feeling that anything is possible . dralion , their latest program to tour in moscow , is no exception .
tickets for dralion can be purchased online at urltoken or by phone on 1300 130 300 . tickets range from $ 55 to $ 119 for adults and $ 35 to $ 95 for children .
dralion is a cirque du soleil classic and an internationally acclaimed production that has entertained more than 11 million people worldwide since its world premiere in montreal in 1999 . in may 2009 , dralion embarked on a new journey , performing the same mesmerizing production , but now in arenas around the world , giving more people the opportunity to enjoy a cirque du soleil show in their own town .
this entry was posted in best rated reviews , cirque du soleil and tagged best rated , best rated reviews , cirque du soleil dralion houston , top rated cypress tx . bookmark the permalink .
proudly presented by audi , dralion will open in auckland on 9 july 2009 , following a year - long , highly successful five city tour of australia . dralion will be performed under the trademark blue and yellow grand chapiteau ( big top ) at its new site located at alexandra park , greenlane , auckland . tickets to the general public will go on sale on monday , 16 february .
unlike the exercise in restraint and grace that was last year ' s quidam , dralion is a study in exuberance and dazzling verticality : a thematic melange that strings together one superlative performance after another .
dralion was performed at luzhniki stadium from march 6 to 16 . while their current run of performances has already ended , the excellent response from muscovites suggests a repeat tour may be in the works .
cirque will raise its trademark blue - and - yellow big top on the avenue of the arts at broad street and washington avenue and present its new circus - art spectacular ,
dralion .
cirque du soleil dralion amalgamates eastern and western circus together seamlessly . aerial hoops are performed as a tango and scottish bagpipes are combined with african melodies . the show features african dancers , south american clowns and chinese acrobats . such a wide range of performances is not to be found anywhere else and cirque du soleil dralion tickets take on a mesmerizing and thrilling journey that one never wants to stop .
in dralion , ( pronounced
dra - lee - on
) , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved .
dralion is a wonderful blend of amazing acrobatics , stunning choreography , live music with hilarious clowns . it ' s a feast of colour and emotions that will surely appeal to british audiences
.
the name dralion ( pronounced
dra - lee - on
) is drawn from its two main symbols : the dragon , representing the east , and the lion , representing the west . dralion derives much of its inspiration from eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature . the international cast features 52 world - class acrobats , gymnasts , musicians , singers and comedic characters .
thrilling more than 8 million people worldwide since the show premiered in 1999 , dralion is the fusion of ancient chinese circus traditions and the avant - garde style of cirque du soleil . in fall 2010 , dralion will embark on a new journey , performing the same captivating production , but now in arenas throughout north america , giving more people the opportunity to enjoy a cirque du soleil show in their own town .
1 . how many people have played the character of yao ( fire ) ? 2 . how many people have played the character of azala ( air ) ? 3 . how many people have played the character of gaia ( earth ) ? 4 . how many people have played the character of océanne ( water ) ? 5 . how many people have played the character of mini - empereur / little buddha ? 6 . how many clowns have performed in dralion ? 7 . how many male singers have performed in dralion ( on / off stage ) ? 8 . how many female singers have performed in dralion ( on / off stage ) ? 9 . how many musicians have there been on dralion ? 10 . what acrobatic acts have been presented 3 , 000 times ? 11 . what act has been the least performed ?
dralion is cirque du soleil ' s thirteenth production . the original tent tour launched in 1999 , and was directed by guy caron , who had worked with cirque in its formative era back in the eighties .
cirque du soleil ' s ' ' dralion ' ' remains a first - rank show unlike any other , and perhaps it is only in the metropolitan area amid fierce competition that its laurels can be challenged .
since it ' s last stop in north america , which was in 2003 , elements of the show have evolved . to keep you on the edge of your seat , cds has improved dralion ' s artist ' s acts , costume designs and scenery . unfortunately , dralion won ' t be mystifying the dallas - fort worth area until july 27 . but , we can offer a sneak peek to tide you over .
the cirque du soleil production of dralion should be the most fun for audiences unfamiliar with the cirque’s unique blend of spectacle and variety acts . for veteran observers , the law of diminishing returns may be setting in .
all that said , ' ' dralion , ' ' a coinage that suggests dragon and lion , is not devoid of pleasure , and several of its opening - night acts drew an enthusiastic response from the audience .
synopsis : fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach ofcirque du soleil® , dralion™ draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and it’s never ending quest for harmony between man and nature .
learn more about dralion here : urltoken fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature . the show ' s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures : the dragon , symbolizing the east , and the lion , symbolizing the west . in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . thus embodied , each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved . apprenez en plus sur dralion ici : urltoken fusion de la tradition des arts acrobatiques chinois - - vieille de plus de 3 000 ans - - et de l ' approche multidisciplinaire du cirque du soleil , dralion puise son inspiration dans la philosophie orientale caractérisée par la quête perpétuelle de l ' harmonie entre l ' humain et la nature . le nom du spectacle provient de ses deux symboles emblématiques : le dragon , représentant l ' orient , et le lion , l ' occident . dans dralion , les quatre éléments qui régissent l ' ordre naturel prennent une forme humaine . chacun des éléments incarnés par des personnages est représenté par une couleur qui lui est propre : le bleu évoque l ' air ; le vert , l ' eau ; le rouge , le feu ; et l ' ocre , la terre . dans le monde de dralion , les cultures se côtoient , l ' homme et la nature ne font qu ' un , et l ' équilibre règne .
fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and it ' s never ending quest for harmony between man and nature .
' dralion ' is a signature show from cirque du soleil ,
julie desmarais , publicist for cirque du soleil , said .
it is filled with acrobatics , high flying acts and tricks that defy gravity .
i saw quidam when it was in town , and it was fantastic . i ' ve been toying with the idea of seeing dralion and i think you ' ve convinced me to go . thanks for the review .
cirque du soleil ' s critically - acclaimed touring production of dralion will be performing right here in southwest florida , at germain arena , 11000 everblades parkway estero , aug . 1 to 5 , for seven spectacular shows .
prices for dralion range from $ 85 - $ 43 . 75 with a special vip package available for $ 190 - $ 130 . for reservations , call ( 800 ) 678 - 5440 or order online at urltoken .
no , as per the company policy , you don ' t need to be the member for getting the promo code for cirque du soleil dralion tickets . check the directions and place the order as soon as possible .
the sse hydro in glasgow is to host a week - long visit from the world - famous cirque du soleil next year , with their production of dralion undertaking its first uk arena tour to mark its 15th anniversary .
cirque du soleil ' s dralion is at cape town ' s grandwest casino until 17 march and at joburg ' s coca - cola dome from 21 march . tickets are available from computicket . for more information , go to
the title of the show , dralion , is a linguistic blend of “dragon” and “lion” each of which respectively represent the east and the west . this merging of eastern and western cultures is a dominant theme throughout the show .
the first performance of dralion by cirque du soleil is on new year’s eve – and is the extraordinary kick - off to an extraordinary year , as prince george celebrates its 100th birthday , including the 2015 canada winter games .
late in the afternoon we ' re kicking off our celebration at dralion ' s white grand chapiteau with a unique chance to see artists training on a new act since the show was last in country - the trampo wall ! while we wait at the gates , we ' ll have an opportunity to talk with la nouba silk artist ana cuellar , native of monterrey . we ' ll also meet with bruce mather , dralion ' s artistic director and with 2 artists for a 30 - minute q & a . ; although fast - paced , we ' ll also have the opportunity to take a group foto with bruce and the artists in front of the dralion stage ! wow !
fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature . the show ' s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures : the dragon , symbolizing the east , and the lion , symbolizing the west . in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . thus embodied , each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved .
“dralion” has four - person wardrobe team . two more people will be hired locally . the team does the washing , steaming , repairing and alterations of the costumes , which are initially designed for the cast and modified frequently during a tour .
dralion visits glasgow ( 8 - 11 may ) , sheffield ( 14 - 18 may ) , birmingham ( 22 - 25 may ) , london ' s o2 ( 4 - 8 june ) and manchester ( 11 - 15 june ) .
in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . thus embodied , each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved . the elements are shown through the use of unique costumes – some 3000 pieces that comprise 58 road cases when packed for the road .
after 15 years , # dralion has enchanted close to 11 million fans while visiting more than 150 cities in 30 countries in north america , central america , south africa , europe , japan , russia , middle east , australia and new zealand .
wednesday night was opening night for the minneapolis stop on cirque du soleil’s dralion tour . the show , which premiered in canada back in 1999 and makes an appearance every now and then , “draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature . ” directed by guy caron , choreographed by julie lachance , and outfitted by costume designer francois barbeau , dralion is an insane spectacle , though a little differently insane than i had imagined it would be .
melody wood , costume director , took some time to speak with us on what it ' s been like touring with cirque ' s dralion for the past 11 weeks . we asked her about the show and what goes on behind the curtain .
dralion is the cirque du soleil ' s 12th touring production . it started as a tour show under the grand chapiteau in 1999 , but in 2010 it was converted to be suitable for arenas and began a tour of eastern europe in 2014 . this region is somewhat appropriate for the themes of the show , as dralion attempts to combine traditions and symbols of ancient cultures of the east and west , as the title of the show suggests , combining an eastern dragon with a western lion .
the dralion is an apt symbol as each performer is a versatile fusion of different skills . acrobats are as much dancers as anything else , the clowns are humourous athletes , while the juggler is as fluid and lithe as any of the dancers .
although in the beginning the internal reaction to dralion was , as cirque put it , “less than generous” – as the change from the old order was too much for some – dralion quickly found its audience and became one of cirque du soleil’s top - grossing touring shows . even the 2000 filming of the show became the recipient of three primetime emmy awards : outstanding variety , music or comedy special ; outstanding directing for a variety or musical ; and outstanding costumes for a variety or music program .
advance discounted tickets for dralion are available now online exclusively to cirque club members through april 12 . cirque club membership is free and benefits includes access to advance tickets , special offers and exclusive behind the scenes information . to join , go to urltoken .
cirque du soleil dralion tickets can be bought from the venue but they may not be selling for very cheap rates . you can easily order them on our website and have them delivered to our doorstep or opt to have them picked up from the venue
dralion tickets for the general public will be available starting june 13 , 2011 at urltoken or by calling 1 - 888 - 695 - 0888 ( cypress – berry center ) or 1 - 866 - 446 - 8849 ( houston – toyota center ) .
this idea generated the concept of dralion ,
explained publicist julie desmarais .
fusing the 3000 - year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multi - disciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature . the show ' s name ( pronounced ' dra - lee - on ' ) is derived from its two emblematic creatures : the dragon symbolising the east and the lion symbolising the west .
about the show fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion ( pronounced “dra - lee - on” ) draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature . the show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures : the dragon , symbolizing the east , and the lion , symbolizing the west . in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . thus embodied , each element is represented by its own evocative colour : air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; earth is ochre . in the world of dralion , cultures blend , man and nature are one , and balance is achieved .
we incorporate a wide variety of acrobatics , contortionists , jugglers , trampolinists - - and the list could go on with what we bring to transform the arena atmosphere into a cirque experience , and in this case the experience of ' dralion . '
dralion draws on the 3 , 000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts and eastern philosophy , specifically the quest for harmony between humans and nature . the show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures — the dragon , symbolizing the east , and the lion , symbolizing the west . in dralion , the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form . each is represented by a color — air is blue ; water is green ; fire is red ; and earth is ochre .
trampoline artists practice ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will . . .
dralion fuses 3000 - year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil . the show ' s name is derived from its two creatures : the dragon , symbolising the east , and the lion , symbolising the west .
it ' s back to work for the cast of # dralion . here ' s a short video of the crossed wheel training that occurred earlier today . did you know that the crossed wheel was invited by it ' s performer 6 years ago ? # backstagecirque
of course , no circus is complete without clowns , and dralion ' s crew of italian misfits - vincenti , alberti and giovanni , played respectively by gonzalo munoz , michael edward hugues and facundo gimenez - happily eschew the tired red nose and comically oversized shoes .
uuve jansson prepares backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will . . .
artists prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue . . .
the ballet on lights girls prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , . . .
costumes are prepared backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will . . .
what audiences will likely remember after the close of the show are dralion’s stunning , jaw - dropping performances . no two shows are alike , so while you may have seen a performance where an artist juggles , it will be very different from show to show .
cirque du soleil opened their arms and hearts as passionates embraced all things dralion . we kicked off our first activity thursday afternoon down at the gates of the big top . we met ana cuellar , la nouba silk artist , for an impromptu chat then took our seats inside the grand chapiteau to watch an amazing training session featuring double trapeze and trampoline , an act added to the show in recent times . after training concluded , bruce mather , artistic director for dralion , and a couple of trampoline artists joined us for a question an answer session . before long our time with dralion had come to an end , but not before bruce announced a surprise - we were to join them saturday evening between shows for a back - stage group photograph with a few of the artists ! wow !
the music in dralion has a lot of middle - eastern elements and percussion in it . that dictated how we designed the sound for the whole show . as soon as you walk into the big top , you ' re in that atmosphere , in that environment .
“the sales for dralion tickets in brisbane have already exceeded our expectations , telling us that once again queenslanders will step up to the mark and embrace the cirque du soleil experience , ” said cirque du soleil vice - president of marketing for asia pacific , milan rokic .
but the dancing lions of ' ' dralion ' ' are not nearly as ornate , adroit and endearing as those of the peking acrobats , and the hoop - diving young men do not eclipse their counterparts in times square . the hard - working , clever clowns , who sometimes overstay their welcome ( although they are never better than when sending up ' ' dralion ' ' itself ) cannot compare with the brilliant david shiner of the 1991 cirque or with ringling ' s current bello nock or the assured veterans of the peking ensemble .
from december 31 , 2014 to january 4 , 2015 , prince george will experience for the first time the magic of a cirque du soleil signature production that has performed in more than 150 cities . dralion will be presented at the cn centre for only seven performances .
fusing the 3000 year - old tradition of chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of cirque du soleil , dralion ( pronounced
dra - lee - on
) draws its inspiration from eastern philosophy and its never - ending quest for harmony between humans and nature .
“the music in dralion has a lot of middle - eastern elements and percussion in it . that dictated how we designed the sound for the whole show . as soon as you walk into the theatre , you’re in that atmosphere , in that environment . ” – guy desrochers
the idea for
dralion
had been bouncing around in cirque ' s collective unconscious for a dozen years or so , caron says , before he and guy laliberte began fleshing out the concept . but dralion ' s development was difficult from the start . several months into pre - production , original director philppe decoufflé abandoned ship , suggesting the project was too big for him . faced with the challenge of mounting a new show , with a new team , in a compressed period of time , guy laliberté turned to an old friend : guy caron . caron ' s job on dralion wasn ' t easy , though . he ' d have to pick up the pieces and mold them into a show to meet or exceed the exceptions laid down by the likes of quidam ,
o
and la nouba .
artists prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue on tour to mexico .
uuve jansson applies her make - up backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when . . .
trampoline artists practice ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue on tour to mexico .
i ' m going to make a show around my happiness to be alive ,
said guy charon , cirque du soleil director and its first artistic director , describing the theatrical circus company ' s latest production , dralion .
it is a celebration of life .
ing or hear stella errans , but i was thrilled when agnes and cristian performed spiritual sprial . sad to see another classic cirque show end , but dralion is going out with a bang ! congrats on 15 years of touring and best of luck to everyone with future endeavors .
today’s dralion is much different from the show that premiered under cirque’s trademarked blue - and - yellow big top , raised on the grounds adjacent to cirque du soleil studio at 8400 , 2e avenue in the st - michel district ( the only show to have done so ) .
several of cirque du soleil’s nine touring shows play under a big top . two more are staged permanently in orlando and las vegas . “dralion” will be retired at the end of january . “other projects are coming . it’s a good time to retire it , ” desmarais said .
uuve jansson prepares backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue on tour to mexico .
costumes are prepared backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue on tour to mexico .
dralion has been traveling the united states and canada for the past three years . stops have included montreal , toronto , san francisco , san jose , denver , minneapolis / st - paul and atlanta with chicago , houston and boston to follow after new york / new jersey .
the cirque , last in new york three years ago with quidam , arrives april 4 with dralion , an all - new spectacle combining ancient chinese acrobatic arts with the cirque ' s typical style , at liberty state park in jersey city . opening night is set for april 12 .
advance discounted tickets for dralion are available now online exclusively to cirque club members through june 12 , 2011 . cirque club membership is free and benefits includes access to advance tickets , special offers and exclusive behind the scenes information . to join , go to www . cirqueclub . com .
tickets for dralion go on sale to the general public monday 16 february and can be purchased online at urltoken or by phone on 09 3570133 . tickets range from $ 55 . 00 to $ 119 . 00 for adults and $ 35 . 00 to $ 95 . 00 for children .
although the machinery of ' ' dralion ' ' is modern , the performances are rooted in the same tradition visible in the splendid and broader palette of the peking acrobats . and these days , the ringling brothers circus has adopted some of the avant - garde approach of cirque du soleil .
dralion tickets go on sale friday , june 20 , at 10 : 00 am for all performances and can be purchased online at urltoken urltoken or by calling 1 - 855 - 985 - 5000 , or in person at the cn centre box office , or studio 2880 in prince george .
dralion will be the first tour where new zealanders will have access to the new revolutionary cirque du soleil ticketing system , which has been enormously successful in north america , europe and australia . cirque du soleil vice - president of marketing for asia - pacific , milan rokic said : “cirque du soleil fans demand innovation . with this new state - of - the - art booking tool , they will receive unparalleled access to their choice of viewing experience under the grand chapiteau . on stage , dralion continues our tradition of setting the benchmark for live theatrical productions combined with explosive acrobatic talent” .
* dralions - - a blend of traditional chinese dragon and lion dances takes on new scope when re - imagined by cirque du soleil . the artists perform acrobatic moves while balancing on large wooden balls as the
dralion
( dragon - lion ) characters surround them with a spirited dance .
the ballet on lights girls prepare backstage ahead of cirque du soleil ' s ' dralion ' production at the grand chapiteau at alexandra park on july 17 , 2009 in auckland , new zealand . the production will play new zealand until august 23 , when it will continue on tour to mexico .
created and directed by guy caron , dralion has been touring the world since april 1999 and is currently wowing audiences in sydney , and will be moving to canberra in mid - october . it is a fusion of ancient chinese circus traditions and the avant - garde approach of cirque du soleil .


urltoken is a public corporation headquartered in waltham , massachusetts , that helps families find child care , senior care , special needs care , tutoring , pet care , housekeeping , etc .

the site has 22 million members across 19 countries , and attracts 6.4 million unique visitors a month , with a new job posted every 30 seconds .

it has raised $ 111 million in venture funding and went public on january 24 , 2014 .

care . com

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are service marks or registered service marks of urltoken , inc . © 2007 - 2017 urltoken , inc . all rights reserved .
urltoken and
there for you
are service marks or registered service marks of urltoken , inc . © 2007 -
the deal gives urltoken additional services to offer to such corporate clients as google inc . and facebook inc . , a urltoken spokeswoman said .
details of the financial impact of the transaction on urltoken will be discussed as part of urltoken ’s second quarter earnings conference call on july 31 , 2014 .
as a wholly owned subsidiary of urltoken , parents in a pinch will continue to be run by co - founders barbara siegel and davida manon , urltoken said .
here ' s a graph comparing the traffic of care . com , sittercity . com , and urltoken over the last year , from boston - based urltoken :
reach silverhawk at info @ urltoken or call ( 203 ) 861 - 2905 .
glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at urltoken , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the urltoken company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at urltoken .
to suggest a subject for the people column , e - mail lebovits @ urltoken .
best housekeepers near me ( starting at $ 12 . 75 / hr ) - urltoken
urltoken acquires subscription kids’ goods startup citrus lane in up to $ 48 . 6m deal
urltoken reported a 23 % rise in q1 revenue , to $ 39 . . .
i wanted to write a column about the rivalry between urltoken and sittercity , two web sites with boston connections that aim to be to home - based care services what urltoken has been to dating , or urltoken has been to jobs . all i knew was that sittercity at one point had spoken with matrix partners , the waltham venture capital firm that eventually funded urltoken . urltoken founder sheila marcelo had been an entrepreneur - in - residence at matrix .
sandy miller , general partner of ivp will now serve on the urltoken board of directors .
the best babysitters near me ( starting at $ 11 . 50 / hr ) - urltoken
if you have an existing urltoken account , please enter your screen name and password below .
the acquisition also offers urltoken an opportunity to offer its services to parents in a pinch clients .
investor relations : icr , inc . denise garcia , 781 - 795 - 7244 investors @ urltoken
urltoken acquires subscription kids’ goods startup citrus lane in up to $ 48 . 6m deal – techcrunch
urltoken had previously said it expected shares to price at between $ 14 and $ 16 a piece .
the best child care options near me ( starting at $ 11 . 75 / hr ) - urltoken
founded in 2006 by ceo sheila lirio marcelo , urltoken raised a total of $ 111 million in funding .
the offering gives urltoken a market capitalization of $ 740 million at the moment of writing . however , this may be just the beginning for urltoken , which has bigger ambitions . the company ' s ceo and founder , sheila marcelo , plans to use some of the new capital raised to invest in marketing and strategic acquisitions , aimed at broadening urltoken ' s audience . but what makes urltoken different from other online marketplaces , such as
caregiver search portal urltoken has raised $ 20 million in funding from new enterprise associates with participation from existing investors , matrix partners and trinity ventures . this latest investment brings urltoken ’s total funding up to over $ 36 million .
steve played an integral role in building urltoken and has remained a trusted advisor to the company . our board of directors , management team and i look forward to working closely with him again as we seek to manage urltoken ’s continued growth , ” said sheila lirio marcelo , founder , chairwoman and ceo of urltoken . “i want to thank john for his many contributions to urltoken . we all wish him well in the next phase of his career . ”
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urltoken , an online marketplace for childcare , tutoring , and other personal services , has made its ipo paperwork public .
urltoken provides families with the necessary information and support to care for their parents , spouses or other elderly loved ones .
employees . urltoken employs 357 full - time and also has 186 part - time employees , according to the sec filing .
the backstory : on care . com , sittercity , entrepreneurs , and entrepreneurs - in - residence - innovation economy - urltoken
5 / 2007 – urltoken launches in the u . s . with child care , senior care , pet care and tutoring
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urltoken reported a 23 % rise in q1 revenue , to $ 39 million , while swinging to a penny profit minus items .
for those thinking of jumping on the urltoken bandwagon , however , take heed of the company’s financial situation . losses have been accelerating at the company , and urltoken says in its prospectus that it expects to continue losing money as it tries to grow its business .
waltham , ma , november 12 , 2014 – urltoken ( nyse : crcm ) , the world’s largest online destination for finding and managing family care , today announced that the company’s cfo , john leahy , is leaving urltoken to pursue another opportunity . urltoken ’s former cfo , steve boulanger , has returned to the management team as the interim cfo , while the company searches for a permanent cfo .
urltoken is a new site in waltham , ma , that lets you find a babysitter , tutor , petsitter , or elderly caregiver .
log into your urltoken account and click the
edit / view profile
link on the left hand side just below your photo .
i applied through a recruiter . the process took 3 days . i interviewed at urltoken ( waltham , ma ) in january 2011 .
urltoken is seeking $ 80 million in the offering . the company was founded in 2006 by sheila marcelo , who had previously been an entrepreneur in residence at matrix partners—check out this excellent 2009 report by the boston globe’s scott kirsner detailing the controversial history of urltoken ’s founding .
citrus lane will be run as a wholly - owned subsidiary of urltoken going forward , led by finley , who will serve as an svp of the company . urltoken , which is listed on the new york stock exchange , has a market cap of $ 320 million .
urltoken enables those who need to arrange for care to search for care providers in their area , and to review the care givers’ profiles .
urltoken does not share this information or keep it permanently , as it is for the sole purpose of sending this one time e - mail .
urltoken completed its initial public offering of stock thursday by selling shares at $ 17 a piece , 6 percent above the previously expected maximum price .
weight watchers ( wtw ) in focus : stock moves 6 . 5 % higher 12 / 26 / 2017 9 : 41 : 00 am - urltoken
“i think there’s always tweaking with these business models , ” said rice , who has stuck by his “buy recommendation” since initiating coverage of urltoken in october .
urltoken is the world ' s largest online destination for care . we connect families with caregivers and caring companies to help you be there for the ones you love .
the amazon of caregiving services urltoken is the world ' s largest online marketplace for finding family care , with more than 9 . 7 million members over 16 countries .
when urltoken came public , its total shares sold were 6 . 152 million , if you include the overallotment option . it priced at $ 17 per share . on its first trading day of january 24 , urltoken traded initially up at $ 21 . 21 , and then it rose to $ 24 . 30 by the close .
founded in 2006 , the firm has raised $ 61 million in previous rounds of financing . earlier this year , urltoken embarked upon an international expansion campaign . in april , a uk office was established , the first venture outside of the us for the boston - based company . this was followed by the launch of urltoken in canada .
urltoken has its loyalists . as recently as april , its largest shareholders had barely touched the ownership stakes they initially reported in early 2014 . among those backers is boston venture giant matrix partners , which has held steady at about 5 . 4 million urltoken shares even as the company’s stock price has slumped . key insiders , including the company’s marketing savvy founder and ceo , sheila lirio marcelo , have shown little inclination to cash out . in fact , many have increased their ownership in urltoken since the ipo .
the company was founded by ceo sheila lirio marcelo in 2006 after she went through a difficult time finding care during a family issue . she previously worked with upromise and urltoken
the operations manager at urltoken , donna levin , met marcelo as a colleague at upromise . levin said she remembers their first group meeting about information tracing and data exchange .
urltoken also offers workers free ways to promote themselves and their service , so the site seems to be equally useful to both worker and the person that’s doing the hiring .
consumeraffairs ' culture and lifestyle reporter , daryl nelson has written for readers digest , townsquare media , urltoken and a number of other online and print publications . read full bio→
advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks . urltoken does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised . see the faq for more information .
urltoken is the world ' s largest online destination for care . we connect families with great caregivers and caring companies to help you be there for the ones you love .
h & r ; block ( hrb ) looks good : stock adds 10 . 3 % in session 12 / 7 / 2017 9 : 53 : 00 am - urltoken
urltoken does not employ any care provider or care seeker nor is it responsible for the conduct of any care provider or care seeker . urltoken provides information and tools to help care seekers and care providers connect and make informed decisions . however , each individual is solely responsible for selecting an appropriate care provider or care seeker for themselves or their families and for complying with all applicable laws in connection with any employment relationship they establish . the information contained in member profiles , job posts and applications are supplied by care providers and care seekers themselves and is not information generated or verified by urltoken . urltoken does not provide medical advice , diagnosis or treatment or engage in any conduct that requires a professional license .
the first hour of trading for urltoken was a profitable one friday , as shares of the boston - based clearinghouse for caregivers jumped by a third upwards from its initial pricing .
for the first time in the company ' s decade - long history , boston - based online caregiver services company urltoken posted a profit for the fourth quarter of last year .
urltoken inc . raised $ 91 million in an initial public stock offering and will begin its first day of trading as a public company friday on the new york stock exchange .
marcelo is pleased that urltoken is viewed not only as a technology site but a service portal . “the emphasis is on care , not the dot - com , ” she says .
mauria finley , founder and ceo of citrus lane , said “at citrus lane , we share the same passion for and commitment to helping families as urltoken does , which is why we couldn’t be more excited about joining sheila and team . with the breadth and reach of urltoken , we’ll be able to connect with even more parents and children around the world . ”
more importantly , the company wants to go beyond
just matching ,
and it now provides online payroll and tax product for families that employ a household worker . urltoken also provides convenient payment products that enable families to make electronic payments to caregivers from a mobile device . in this way , urltoken tries to maintain long - term business relationships with its recurring users .
the new funding included texas - based financial services and insurance provider usaa , which focuses on military families and veterans . in june the two organizations announced a content relationship through which urltoken added site features aimed at delivering care services to military families dealing with issues such as deployments and relocations . usaa managing director for corporate development victor pascucci has taken a board seat with urltoken .
revenue . urltoken saw $ 59 million in revenue during the first nine months of 2013 , up 81 percent from the $ 32 . 6 million generated during the same period a year earlier
cravens ' site , sitters . com , launched in 2000 ; sittercity launched in 2001 in boston , and later moved with thiers to chicago ; urltoken launched in 2006 . of the three , urltoken has received the most money from investors : north of $ 16 million , from matrix , trinity ventures , and individuals like linkedin founder reid hoffman and tripadvisor founder steve kaufer .
urltoken does not employ , recommend or endorse any care provider or care seeker nor is it responsible for the conduct of any care provider or care seeker . urltoken provides information and tools to help care seekers and care providers connect and make informed decisions . however , each individual is solely responsible for selecting an appropriate care provider or care seeker for themselves or their families and for complying with all applicable laws in connection with any employment relationship they establish . urltoken does not provide medical advice , diagnosis or treatment or engage in any conduct that requires a professional license .
as reported last week , urltoken ' s stock price has declined by more than 70 percent since its public launch , resulting in a reduction in shareholder value of about $ 600 million .
a great stock to own in an aging society perhaps the most attractive part of urltoken ' s story is the company ' s market opportunity . unlike angie ' s list or yelp - - which provide reviews of any local businesses , such as plumbers , painters , and dentists - - urltoken specializes only in the promising market for care , which is large and highly fragmented .
portland - based knowledge universe , the operator of kindercare child care centers , and boston - based urltoken offer back - up care as a benefit that corporate clients can provide to their employees .
urltoken is in an expensive business . it lost about $ 12 . 2 million on some $ 26 million in sales in 2011 , and saw that loss hit about $ 20 . 5 million on about $ 48 . 5 million in revenue last year . in the first nine months of 2013 , urltoken lost nearly $ 24 . 7 million on about $ 59 million in sales .
urltoken has more in the works : in about a month , it will launch a daycare directory , and follow with a nanny pairing service . instead of simply listing elder “sitters , ” it will partner with assisted living facilities and nursing homes to let users find the best - rated among those as well . urltoken will rely on its users to rate and comment on the care providers .
the day marcelo , worn out by the commute , gave her notice in new york , matrix partners , an investor in urltoken , invited her to put her entrepreneurial instincts to work for them .
innovation at urltoken is fed by diversity of people , styles and thoughts - we attribute some of our product innovation and growth to our diverse leadership and employees , and to living our core values .
born from diverse perspectives and cultures , urltoken supports families of all types and employs people who are just as diverse . what you¹ll find here is a passionate culture focused on mutual respect and community .
urltoken ( crcm ) stock popped 35 % in its initial public offering friday , with the company raising $ 91 million by selling 5 . 4 million shares at $ 17 , above its expected range of $ 14 to $ 16 . urltoken stock was near 23 in early afternoon trading in the stock market today . the company describes itself as the world ' s largest online marketplace for finding and managing…
one of the newer sites that takes this approach is urltoken , as it helps people connect with all kinds of workers who provide a wide range of services like babysitting , pet care and fulltime nannies .
founder and chief executive , sheila marcelo , says that new investors , including linkedin’s hoffman , and executives from ebay and user review site tripadvisor , have the right blend of savvy to give urltoken an edge .
it was january 2014 when urltoken went public . the event was well - received in boston , where it ' s based , and on wall street , as the company’s shares rose swiftly following the ipo .
economic moat urltoken benefits from scale advantages and network effects due to its more than 9 . 7 million engaged members , who , on average , posted a new job every 30 seconds , and applied for a new job every two seconds in 2013 . it also benefits from inexpensive worth - of - mouth marketing , as since the launch of the marketplace in 2008 , over half a million families have found caregivers through urltoken .
most of that spending goes to sales and marketing , which cost urltoken $ 43 . 9 million in the first nine months of this year , compared to $ 27 . 9 million in the same period last year .
even with revenue growth of close to 35 % projected in 2014 , urltoken still will lose money for the whole year . maybe investors will only buy top quality stocks with the stock market at all - time highs .
urltoken grew from the very sort of personal crisis that has made it a go - to for families in need of a caregiver . formally founded in 2006 , urltoken ’s roots stem to the early 1990s , when marcelo was desperate for quality child care as she finished up her college coursework . with two degrees from harvard university , she went on to raise $ 111 million in venture capital before leading the company through its successful ipo .
urltoken also had early stumbles in meeting financial targets . in the first quarterly earnings report after going public , the company fell short of revenue and earnings forecasts —only to then beat expectations on both fronts the subsequent quarter .
when you hire someone to perform services in your home and you have control over how the work is performed , the irs deems you a household employer . if your employee earns more than $ 1 , 800 a year from you , you have certain tax and compliance obligations as their employer . urltoken homepay sm , managed by breedlove & associates , handles these obligations for tens of thousands of busy families . the largest comprehensive household payroll , tax and compliance service in the u . s . , the homepay team is the expert in the tax , legal and hr aspects of being a household employer . our august 2012 acquisition of breedlove brought this service and its experts to our online membership . urltoken homepay sm is available to all urltoken members , excluding corporate clients . additionally , families who are not members of urltoken are and can continue to become clients of breedlove . learn more
after subscribing , you can search for caregivers in your area , and then filter the results along a number of criteria . we searched both sites for philadelphia - based non - smoking babysitters between the ages of 20 and 25 who were available on short notice , could handle babies and toddlers , and billed at under $ 20 hour . we got two results on urltoken and 29 on sittercity — not bad for urltoken , considering it’s only three months old .
as a provider on urltoken , you are able to list up to 3 former or current employers to your work history . to add work history to your profile , simply log into your account , click on my urltoken in the top , right hand corner and select my profile from the drop down menu . scroll down to the work history heading and click on the
add a position
button . to edit this feature please follow the instructions below :
she came up with the business plan for her company while working as entrepreneur - in - residence at matrix partners , a venture capital firm with offices in waltham and india . it has invested $ 3 . 5 million in urltoken .
© 2018 agingcare . all rights reserved . the material of this web site is provided for informational purposes only . urltoken does not provide medical advice , diagnosis or treatment ; or legal , or financial or any other professional services advice .
urltoken has reported quarterly revenue increases , but it’s still losing money . its net loss was $ 7 . 2 million in this year’s q2 , versus a net loss of $ 9 . 9 million for the same period in 2014 .
to be sure , the company attributed much of its recent losses to $ 36 million in costs incurred from the citrus lane acquisition . without the acquisition , urltoken said it would have booked a net profit of $ 500 , 000 .
the company plans to use the funding towards growing its network . for example , urltoken will expand its network via corporate and government partnerships ; customized senior care service offerings ; and , new vertical expansion into pet care , tutoring and housekeeping .
notice that unlike yelp , which generates the majority of its revenue from advertising , urltoken earns most of its revenue through subscription fees by care - seekers . in this way , the company avoids fierce competition in the market for digital ads .
interestingly enough , urltoken ' s consensus price target is listed as $ 25 . 00 , but the number of analysts is fewer than five so we do not count it as a genuine consensus figure , compared to more widely followed stocks .
they were interested in my pursuing opportunities in the family space , given my background at upromise ,
said marcelo . her job included looking at potential companies to purchase , assessing deals , and writing business plans like the one for urltoken .
here ' s some of the e - mail correspondence behind the story , along with traffic data comparing care . com , sittercity , and urltoken ( a virginia based start - up that also spoke with marcelo and matrix about a deal . )
ipos are on the rise . the number last year was at the highest point since 2000 . in the coming year , more than a dozen massachusetts computer technology , internet , and life sciences companies are poised to follow urltoken with initial offerings .
usaa said in a statement ,
usaa recently made a strategic investment in urltoken . earlier this year , usaa and urltoken announced a relationship to jointly develop integrated online solutions for managing unique military lifestyle changes , such as deployments or a military moves , with a focus on facilitating the management of care - related issues . the new solutions will enable a more seamless way for individuals and their families to deal with the physical , logistical , and financial impacts of everyday and emergency care needs .
waltham , mass . - - ( business wire ) - - urltoken ( nyse : crcm ) , the world ' s largest online destination for finding and managing family care , today announced financial results for the first quarter ended march 26 , 2016 .
urltoken , a waltham company that helps both consumers and employees of corporate clients get access to child care and other services , said it has bought parents in a pinch in an acquisition that will allow it to offer additional services and broaden its customer base .
the information on our website is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice . urltoken makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof .
still , urltoken has become an example of why some online subscription - based companies are shying away from the public markets . zoosk , a san francisco - based online dating website that makes money through subscriptions , detailed plans last year to raise $ 100 million through an ipo . those plans were shelved later that year after seeing how comparable public companies were performing . it specifically cited urltoken as well as online classifieds service angie’s list for its cold feet . since january 2014 , angie’s list shares are down around 65 percent .
that $ 17 strike price came in higher than earlier estimates of $ 14 to $ 16 for company , an online finder of caregivers for children , seniors , pets , special needs individuals and the like . urltoken is offering 5 . 35 million shares of stock .
on average , families in the u . s . pay child care workers $ 556 each week — nearly $ 29 , 000 a year , according to urltoken . more than half of families report spending at least 10 percent of their household income on child care .
this is a great overview of important points to consider , and tips for approaching the touchy topic . learn from and lead by example though - all of us with parents that we are considering these items , we should be planning ahead for ourselves . as @ urltoken
particularly worrisome for some analysts : urltoken is burning cash — and fast . in 2014 , the company ended the year with $ 71 . 9 million in cash and marcelo said she expects to end 2015 with $ 50 million in cash — a 30 percent decrease .
honored and humbled to be one of carnegie corporation of new york ' s # greatimmigrants alongside adriano espaillat , bernard cherkasov , dara khosrowshahi , kumail nanjiani , pramila jayapal and so many others . help us celebrate the contributions of naturalized u . s . citizens # july4th urltoken
google capital is excited to support urltoken in building on their market leadership by giving them access to our biggest asset—some of the world’s leading experts in a range of topics at google and alphabet – as they continue to deliver delightful and seamless solutions to consumers and enterprises . ”
the company’s growing pains aside , urltoken has made marcelo a wealthy woman . as of april , she owned 2 . 1 million company shares — up from 1 . 8 million a year earlier . her combined compensation in 2013 and 2014 was $ 4 . 3 million .
this press release contains
forward - looking statements
within the meaning of the
safe harbor
provisions of the private securities litigation reform act of 1995 , including but not limited to , statements regarding the expected benefits to urltoken and citrus lane from completing the acquisition , the expected impact the acquisition will have on urltoken ’s financial performance , and citrus lane’s anticipated revenue growth . these forward - looking statements are made as of the date they were first issued and were based on current expectations , estimates , forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management . forward - looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties , many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond urltoken ’s control . urltoken ’s and citrus lane’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward - looking statements due to a number of factors , including but not limited to : market acceptance of citrus lane’s products and services , urltoken ’s ability to grow citrus lane’s business , urltoken ’s ability to retain citrus lane employees following any closing of the acquisition , the ability of citrus lane to achieve the earnouts , the potential impact on the business of urltoken or citrus lane due to the announcement of the acquisition , and other risks detailed in the company ' s other publicly available filings with the securities and exchange commission . past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results . the forward - looking statements included in this press release represent the company ' s views as of the date of this press release . the company anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change . the company undertakes no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward - looking statements , whether as a result of new information , future events or otherwise . these forward - looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company ' s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release .
urltoken one of the largest online care services in the world , has announced the closing of $ 50 million in new funding . the financing was led by institutional venture partners ( ivp ) and joined by existing investors matrix partners , trinity ventures , new enterprise associates and others .
urltoken ' s premise is simple : our consumer matching solutions allow families to search for , qualify , vet , connect with , and ultimately select caregivers in a low - cost , reliable and easy way . our platform also provides caregivers with solutions to create personal . . .
in a statement , sheila lirio marcelo , founder and chief executive of urltoken , said : “through our existing business serving employers , we are acutely aware of the needs companies face in addressing the growing care challenges faced by their employees and their desire to do so via one provider who can offer a full scope of services . back - up care is a critical component in that mix , and with parents in a pinch , urltoken is now uniquely positioned to provide professional in - home back - up care assistance as an adjacency to our existing services . ’’
urltoken connects families to caregivers , giving them easy access to people who can help them take care of their kids , elders , pets , and homes . caregiver profiles contain basic information about credentials , as well as options to request background checks , contact references , and interview candidates .
urltoken , the listed massachusetts - based company that runs an online marketplace for finding and managing family care resources such as babysitters and elder caregivers , announced today that it has acquired citrus lane , the e - commerce startup that sells monthly subscription boxes of products aimed at babies and kids .
she also had stints at upromise , a college savings network for parents , and urltoken , a corporate online job resource company in new york ; for that job , with her husband in agreement , she lived in a manhattan apartment during the week and saw her family in weston on weekends .
in making the announcement , urltoken founder and ceo sheila lirio marcelo said , “ urltoken ’s mission is to be there for families , providing the best care solutions , services , advice and support . citrus lane is a natural extension of that mission , providing the best products for families with children , and creating a social community in which moms can share . both companies have an overwhelmingly female membership so by adding this new dimension to our business , we’ll be helping moms in a new way , engaging with them on an even more frequent basis , and building on our robust mom - community .
urltoken also today announced that it repurchased 3 . 7 million shares of its common stock from matrix partners at a price of $ 8 . 25 per share , representing a 5 % discount to the 30 - day volume - weighted average trading price ended june 27 , 2016 of $ 8 . 68 .
urltoken is supposed to be a great company , linking up those in need or personal services with providers and caregivers . this includes child and senior care needs , pet care and housekeeping services . simultaneously , it allows those caregivers who offer those services a venue to provide those services to those in need .
for the quarter ending june 27 , the company beat wall street expectations slightly , with revenue of $ 35 . 7 million . for the third quarter , urltoken estimates revenue between $ 36 . 5 million and $ 39 . 5 million — less than what the company had anticipated earlier in the year .
final foolish takeaway with more than 9 . 7 million members over 16 countries , urltoken has successfully built an online matching platform in the promising market for care . after a successful ipo , the company is now trading at roughly 12 times annual sales , well below yelp ' s 25 . 5 price - to - sales ratio , but above angie ' s list . as urltoken continues expanding its user growth and adding new features to its marketplace , the company will likely experience steady top line improvement in the next years , which will be partially supported by demographic trends favorable to the company , such as aging .
as urltoken has grown , so has the scope of the products and services we offer . our consumer payments solutions enable families to not only electronically pay a caregiver but also subscribe for tax preparation services through our urltoken homepay product . we have also expanded our marketplace beyond the direct family - to - caregiver interaction . we currently serve employers by providing access to our platform to more than 600 , 000 employer - sponsored families , and we enable care - related businesses , such as daycare centers , nanny agencies and home care agencies , to market their services to our care - seeking families and recruit our caregiver members .
as urltoken has grown , so has the scope of the products and services we offer . through our workplace solutions business , approximately 150 companies and institutions , including fortune 500 companies and businesses spanning a variety of industries , currently offer our services to employees as part of their benefit packages . urltoken homepay sm , offered by breedlove & associates , which we acquired in 2012 , allows our members to access the nation’s largest provider of comprehensive household payroll services . in - home back - up care – a growing segment of the care space for consumers and for employers corporations as an employee benefit through our workplace solutions business – is now available on our site through the experts at parents in a pinch , which we also acquired in 2012 . and , ever mindful of the businesses that employ care professionals , in 2012 , we launched urltoken recruiting solutions , a first - of - its - kind recruiting platform for the care industry .
urltoken has approximately 7 million members in more than 15 countries . it allows families to connect with millions of caregivers to help manage the life - cycle of care challenges . it provides matches for families looking for childcare , including special needs , senior care , pet care , housekeeping , tutoring , and other services .
the 37 - year - old mother of two - with an mba and law degree from harvard - opened the virtual doors of urltoken in may in 20 cities ; since then it has grown to cover 50 metropolitan markets and doubled its staff . the web - based clearinghouse , based in waltham , connects caregivers with employers .
in the other corner is chicago’s six - year - old sittercity . sittercity , which helps people find babysitters and petsitters , boasts around 500 , 000 paying customers and as many as 150 , 000 babysitters and petsitters looking for jobs . urltoken is small , because it has just launched , but its breadth is ambitious : it aims to be a one - stop shop for all care - related needs . since entering the ring in may , urltoken has attracted more than 200 , 000 unique visitors and raised $ 3 . 5 million from matrix partners and a handful of notable angel investors , including reid hoffman , ceo of linkedin . ( see gigaom )
under the new agreement , knowledge universe and urltoken will offer a unified platform that allows users access to both companies’ resources . in addition to child care , the service enables families to secure back - up adult and senior care for themselves or a loved one , as well as pet sitting services to support work - related travel .
under the terms of the agreement , urltoken has issued a newly authorized series of convertible preferred stock to google capital , at an initial conversion price of $ 10 . 50 per share , representing a 21 % premium to the 30 - day volume - weighted average trading price ended june 27 , 2016 of $ 8 . 68 .
terms of the acquisition were not disclosed . the primary business of urltoken is to connect families with caregivers . the company offers a suite of online tools that list and sort providers of child care , senior care , pet care , housekeeping , tutoring , and other services . it has approximately 7 million users in more than 15 countries .
it seems that urltoken has done a good job of covering many areas of our daily lives and although the site is mainly associated with baby sitters and nannies because of the recent commercials , it still allows people to seek help in a number of areas , like special needs providers , tutors or someone who’s able to give private lessons .
founder and ceo sheila lirio marcelo had a goal of transforming the way families and businesses around the world address their care needs . urltoken launched in the u . s . in 2007 and today , as the largest online care destination in the world with more than 8 million members across 16 countries , we are making that goal achievable .
founder and ceo sheila lirio marcelo wanted to transform the way families and businesses around the world address their care needs . urltoken launched in the u . s . in 2007 and today , we are the world ' s largest online marketplace for finding and managing family care , with more than 28 . 4 million members , spanning 20 countries .
both sites let caregivers post their profiles for free , and both make money charging their potential employers subscription fees to see them . urltoken checks each caregiver’s references and includes free background checks in its subscription . sittercity exercises less editorial control and charges $ 10 for a background check — though many potential babysitters pay to get background checks on themselves .
please note that once you make your selection , it will apply to all future visits to nasdaq . com . if , at any time , you are interested in reverting to our default settings , please select default setting above . if you have any questions or encounter any issues in changing your default settings , please email isfeedback @ urltoken .
urltoken ' s global footprint began to expand in 2012 when we launched in the uk and canada , followed by the acquisition of berlin - based besser betreut , the largest online care portal in europe . in every territory in which we operate , the fundamental service remains the same but is tailored to meet the unique cultural needs of its membership .
urltoken declined to comment for this story , but in a conference call with analysts aug . 4 , new chief financial officer michael echenberg hinted at cost - cutting , new pricing methods to attract more paying customers , and partnerships with dining reservation service opentable and online movie ticket service fandango for a
date night
offering , debuting in september .
perhaps the biggest issue is that investors are smartening up and shying away from companies losing money with high valuations . the market cap only recently fell under $ 500 million . with its earnings report in february , urltoken posted a loss of $ 3 . 6 million , and it forecast losses for all of 2014 in excess of $ 1 per share .
urltoken ' s premise is simple : our consumer matching solutions allow families to search for , qualify , vet , connect with , and ultimately select caregivers in a low - cost , reliable and easy way . our platform also provides caregivers with solutions to create personal profiles , describe their unique skills and experience , and otherwise differentiate themselves in a highly fragmented marketplace .
until , talking to marcelo last monday , she brought up out of the blue the discussion on urltoken , in which several anonymous posters allege that marcelo met with them while at matrix , got an in - depth look at their businesses , chose not to invest , and then went off and started care . marcelo posts a lengthy rebuttal under her own name .
health exchange guides investors to the crucial market intelligence they need to keep up with the health care industry , which makes up one - sixth of the u . s . economy . anchored by russ britt , health exchange is the essential site for those looking for the most important news , data and analysis on the sector . you can reach russ at rbritt @ urltoken .
to sign up with her company , potential providers submit information on the services they can offer , along with their credentials , where they ' re located , and their fee . after passing a background check done through lexisnexis ( which searches sex - offender registries , criminal records , and validates identity by social security number and address ) , they are added to the urltoken database .
funding for live - in services can come from various sources , you may be able to fund the service privately , or maybe this can be provided by social services or split through a personal budget , it may be that you are able to approach the nhs primary care trust’s , continuous health care budget . please see guidelines below or for more assistance please follow the link urltoken
urltoken inc . , a waltham , mass . company that offers a website that matches care givers with clients who need care for children , the elderly , pets and other purposes , today reported a $ 25 million round of venture capital financing , according to a filing with the u . s . securities and exchange commission – just about a year after it raised $ 20 million .
some of the company’s bottom - line struggles have stemmed from its penchant for dealmaking . since late 2012 , urltoken has acquired at least six companies for an aggregate deal value of around $ 130 million . one of the largest of those deals , last year’s $ 49 million purchase of citrus lane , a subscription - based vendor of consumer products for kids , has proven costlier than expected .
net income for the three months ending dec . 26 , was $ 1 . 6 million compared to a net loss of $ 40 . 4 million for the same period in 2014 . urltoken ' s ( nyse : crcm ) income from continuing operations for the quarter was $ 3 . 7 million , compared to a loss of $ 1 . 9 million in the corresponding period in 2014 .
business model . urltoken ' s revenue primarily comes from subscription fees to its products and services ; users pay a monthly , quarterly or annual subscription fee to connect directly with caregivers and to use tools such as background checks . the fees range from $ 37 for a monthly subscription to $ 147 for an annual subscription . ( users can search , post a job and preview caregiver profiles for free . )
the total deal value is up to $ 48 . 6 million total , urltoken said in a press release published this afternoon . of that , $ 22 . 9 million is in cash , $ 8 . 1 million is in equity , and $ 17 . 6 million is available in earn out payments of cash and equity over the next two years , pursuant to the achievement of certain business milestones .
the company will discuss its first quarter 2016 financial results during a teleconference today , april 28 , 2016 , at 8 : 00 am et . the conference call can be accessed at ( 877 ) 407 - 4018 or ( 201 ) 689 - 8471 ( international ) , conference id # 13633646 . the call will also be broadcast simultaneously at urltoken . following the completion of the call , a recorded replay of the webcast will be available on care . com’s website . to listen to the telephone replay , call toll - free ( 877 ) 870 - 5176 or ( 858 ) 384 - 5517 ( international ) , conference id # 13633646 . the telephone replay will be available from 11 : 00 am et april 28 through 11 : 59 pm et may 5 , 2016 . additional investor information can be accessed at urltoken .
urltoken allows you to search prescreened profiles of hundreds of thousands of babysitters , nannies , tutors , housekeepers and senior caregivers , both locally and nationally ( the site provides local services in over 30 cities in the u . s . ) . you can also access user reviews of caregivers , background check reports of caregivers and recorded reference interviews . and families find advice from experts and toolsregarding care related issues and topics .
care - related businesses such as day care centers or senior living facilities compete for the same pool of talent , which can be hard to find . so in 2012 , we launched urltoken recruiting solutions , the first recruiting platform dedicated to the care industry . subscribing businesses in any aspect of the care space can post job opportunities and access our multi - million member care provider database to find top talent . learn more
by february 3 , this stock was above $ 29 briefly . that was then . as of thursday , urltoken ' s shares were down almost 6 % and were just under $ 15 at $ 14 . 98 . the stock had even seen a low of $ 14 . 72 on the day . that means that in two months it has effectively lost half of its value form the post - ipo peak .
she jokes that her proudest accomplishments of last year were that her son turned 21 — and also that urltoken expanded globally to more than 15 countries , beefed up online security and safety filters , and added payroll services . marcelo also led the company through a $ 50 million venture funding round last year , one of the five largest investments in a digital business in 2012 , according to rock health , a start - up incubator .
for example , urltoken ' s addressable market in the u . s . comprises 42 million households . moreover , $ 243 billion was spent in the u . s . on care in 2012 , according to ibis research . this figure is set to continue increasing in the next decades , as the percentage of peoples ages 65 and over is expected to increase by roughly 30 % between 2012 and 2020 , according to business monitor international .
we understand that care is an exceptionally personal matter and impacts the most important aspect of families ' lives which is why we provide an array of services and resources to help families make safer and more informed hiring decisions . the urltoken safety center offers a comprehensive safety guide , which details numerous tools , resources and tips to assist families through the search and hiring process . through third - parties , we also offer three tiers of background checks which vary in comprehensiveness .
we understand that care is an exceptionally personal matter and impacts the most important aspect of families’ lives which is why we provide an array of services and resources to help families make safer and more informed hiring decisions . the urltoken safety center offers a comprehensive safety guide , which details numerous tools , resources and tips to assist families through the search and hiring process . through a third - party , we also offer three tiers of background checks which vary in comprehensiveness .