Forget the dancing bears, elephants and performing monkeys. For the first time ever, the original Canadian creation, Cirque du Soleil, comes to Sacramento to amaze, inspire and entertain with their newest production, “Dralion,” at Cal Expo now until Oct. 27.

“Dralion” proves that dreams can come true. Brought to life in a magical world, Cirque du Soleil puts on a theatrical celebration of human ability interwoven with a mythic tale of the search for harmony among the four elements as embodied by Azala (air), Gaya (earth), Oceane (water) and Yao (fire).

The namesake of the performance, the mythical half-dragon, half-lion, “Dralion” is a merging of the East, as symbolized by the dragon and the West, as symbolized by the lion. Featuring more than 55 artists from 10 countries, “Dralion” redefines the concept of a circus performance in the 21st century.

Cirque du Soleil began in 1984 by a group of street performers who wished to reinvent the circus by stripping away many of the ostentatious elements and return it to the core of human invention and imagination. Now, after 17 years, Cirque du Soleil has performed for nearly 33 million spectators worldwide.

“Dralion” combines elements of ancient Chinese acrobatics with modern interpretive dance, classical ballet and an avant-garde live musical score. The performance begins with a young girl balancing high above the stage on a cane with just one hand. Her fragile form masks the strength and agility that emerges from her movements. As she twists and turns it seems as though she is almost floating, suspended in the air.

The catlike seductiveness of ariel ballerina, played by Genevieve Bessette, brings to life the element of “fire.” As she is suspended high above the stage, she moves through and with the hoop to create the illusion of fusion between metal and flesh.

Judging from the roaring applause of the packed house, the showstopper was by far the hoop-diving act. The artists transformed themselves into human projectiles as they flew through hoops at inconceivable speed, all set to a driving tribal beat.

And of course, the clever clowns, unlike any other circus clowns you’ve seen, bring the audience into the thrill of the evening with their physical humor and their ageless, nationless, expressions of wit.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to experience postmodern entertainment for the whole family. Young and old alike will walk away with a smile on their face and a dream in their heart.

Dralion Performance schedule: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Performances are under the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau at Cal Expo. Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes including one intermission. Tickets: $31.50-$65. Information: (800) 678-5440 or online at cirquedusoleil.com