Giddy up and get down!

The French have a way of celebrating the female form that is uniquely their own. From haute couture to ballet, the country's cultural contributions have shaped how women are perceived.

The cabaret Crazy Horse was conceived by Alain Bernardin and opened in Paris in 1951, and will gallop into Hong Kong this month for the first time. It has inspired designers, such as Christian Louboutin, who crafted shoes for the performance as its first guest creator.

Along with its original Paris venue in the city's eighth arrondissment, the show has become a permanent fixture at MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip. A touring version, Forever Crazy, has mesmerized audiences in Taiwan, Russia and Canada, among other countries and regions.

For its inaugural Hong Kong show, 10 girls will perform the best of the best of classic Crazy Horse numbers. Choreographer Philippe Decoufle has also tweaked the show by adding new pieces.

"One number is about the economic crisis," English Crazy Horse performer Taina de Bermudes says. "The show now brings events from the outside world while keeping its traditions."

The women are classically trained dancers selected for their similar appearances, so they're virtually indistinguishable onstage. But their individuality is reflected in provocative stage names selected to match their personalities.

The women keep in shape with yoga, pilates and dance routines on tour. Their show manager, whose stage name is Fuzzy Logic, weighs them weekly.

"We are very excited to be opening in Hong Kong," she says. "We hope to enter the Chinese mainland soon. It's one of our upcoming projects."

(China Daily 09/15/2013 page15)