SANTA ANA, Calif.—“Oh my gosh!” a child said while jumping out of his seat in an attempt to grab a laser shining through thousands of bubbles.
“I can’t even believe this!”
Children and guardians watched Discovery Cube’s Bubblefest March 31 performed by world-renowned bubble artist Melody Yang, 31, who has traveled the world displaying a vibrant display of bubble tricks mixed with bright and colorful lasers and fog machines.
Two days in, shows are selling out as people line up for a chance to see her perform.
“We didn’t know what to expect in terms of demand having the show returning to its historical timeslot of March to April. It’s been really great in that everybody’s ready to get out with their families again and enjoy that togetherness and then see the show,” Ryan LoRusso, director of marketing of Santa Ana’s Discovery Cube, told The Epoch Times.
“We’ve already sold-out shows yesterday, today, and even over the weekend.”
Yang, who was born in Serbia and grew up in Canada, has been returning to the Discovery Cube to perform for bubble shows since her childhood. But this year she is performing solo, as her family spreads their love for bubbles across the world.
“My dad brought me into working with bubbles right when I was able to communicate and walk,” Yang told Epoch Times.
“My dad was always coming up with things and then we came up with this smoke machine concept with the bubble and have been doing it for 20 years. This is my first year doing it alone as my brother is performing bubble shows on the East Coast.”
Yang credits her parents as being innovative performers as they came up with better bubble solutions to perform bigger tricks; some of which have earned the family multiple records in the Guinness World Records.
“We even have a record for putting the world’s largest land mammal in a bubble—an Elephant,” Yang said.
“There is also one for fitting the most people inside a bubble, along with the world’s biggest bubble.”
As the art of bubble making runs deep within the Yang family, her passion for connecting people of all ages with the joy of bubbles coincides with the science behind her spherical floating creations in her performances that are intimately subjected to weather and stage environments.
“The biggest challenge is finding the right technique for the theatre you are performing in, and it’s always different with bubbles. It’s science, right?” Yang said.
“So when you go to a different atmosphere and the air is too dry or if the theater is dusty, it’s going to pop the bubbles. So I have to figure out a technique of how to create the bubbles and make sure we mix the right solution because not every consistency of the solution is the same for the area that we’re in.”
Yang began the 12 p.m. Thursday performance; lights dimmed to almost full darkness within the full capacity of the Discovery Cube’s auditorium area.
Once the stage lights lit Yang front and center, she was creating a large, double-layered bubble which she blew toward the children, making them cheer with excitement. Through choreographed music, Yang continued to create bubbles of all sizes until she was invited to the stage in what would be the biggest bubble creation of the day.
A boy and girl aged 5 and 6 were then completely wrapped within the confines of Yang’s bubble creation.
For their help, she awarded them with their own bubble-making kits to take home to continue the fun.
Soon after, Yang began to infuse her performance with lasers, controlling their directions with her bare hands which were soon met with thousands of bubbles released from the ceiling.
Both parents and children were excitedly out of their seats reaching for the bubbles and lasers.
“The same innocent reaction you get as a child when you see something for the first time is something amazing,” Yang said.
And that same reaction you get even when you’re older; I see a lot of parents come with their kids, and they get the same excitement as them.”
The Discovery Cube of Santa Ana will be hosting Yang’s “Bubble Fest” show from now through April 17th.
With daily tickets selling out fast, it is recommended to purchase ahead of time online to which parents and children will also have full access to the Discovery Cube’s science exhibits along with the outdoor Bubble Zone Courtyard where kids can perform science experiences with their own bubble creations.
“We have people over 80 years old come watch the show and they said that they still feel like a kid again,” Yang said.
“When you think of bubbles, you think of happiness, and you think of everything beautiful because it’s something that is so unique in not being necessary liquid and not necessarily a solid.”
With April performances moving to four per day, all ages can plan on sharing the enjoyment of popping several thousand bubbles from the comfort of stadium-style seating.
“Everyone wants to pop bubbles because it’s like you just can’t help it,” Yang said.
“It’s just, natural.”
