The New Shamu Show "Believe"
See Shamu Show pictures...and a slide show, too!
In the photo slide show of the Shamu Show "Believe" (above,) you're viewing pictures of Shamu and other killer whales in actual performances at SeaWorld San Diego. As you can see, Shamu and his trainer interact very closely during the show. You see pics of Shamu lifting his trainer into the air, hugging his trainer, and letting his trainer "go surfing" on his back! You can also see photos of Shamu's other tricks...such as spinning on his Shamu Shelf, holding his tail high in a favorite pose, and jumping in a formation with other whales.
Shamu Show Rule #1: Head to Shamu Stadium early!
Would you like to see the new Shamu Show, Believe? If so, you may enjoy reading this page. I attended the "Believe" show a number of times and have been able to get some photos which should give you a good idea about what to expect. On this page, you can see photos of Shamu's tricks and learn about what goes on during this popular killer whale show.You should get to Shamu Stadium a half hour early if you want a seat in the center section, because the "Believe" show is mega-popular. (In the picture below & to your right, you see an actual shot of the crowd about 25 minutes before showtime.) As you can see from this image, you'll need to get to Shamu Stadium plenty early if you don't want to sit "up in the rafters" or down in the infamous "soak zone" (where eager Shamu fans wait to be splashed!) Also, consider taking a hat; there's no roof at San Diego's Shamu Stadium.
And what if you DON'T get to the stadium early? Shamu Stadium is giant-sized, and if you don't mind sitting either to the side of the stage or down in the soak zone, you're quite likely to get a seat even if you arrive only 10 minutes before showtime. Actually, no matter where you sit in the stadium you'll be able to get a decent view. Shamu does his tricks facing several different directions throughout the Believe show (in order for everyone to get a good view of him.)
Even if you arrive early for the Shamu Show, you shouldn't be bored. You'll be able to catch a cute pre-show, which starts about 20 minutes before the "main event."
If you get hungry or thirsty while you wait, there's no problem! Roving vendors make the rounds of Shamu Stadium hawking drinks, snacks and souvenirs. If you've ended up sitting in the soak zone, these vendors may just well be your "salvation" from getting dowsed, as well! These handy salespeople carry supplies of hooded rain ponchos. Your kids can giggle with glee when Shamu swims by splashing them...and you can stay snug & dry beneath your protective covering!
After the pre-show, without much of a lull, the new Shamu Show, Believe, begins! Killer whales came bounding into the stadium, beginning the show with a display of lively leaping! It's a stunning beginning---and yet, the best is yet to come!
New Shamu Show Believe -- Trainers and Whales interact!
After the opening spectacle of whales and their trainers bounding into the stadium, the main part of the show begins. As it turns out, the fresh angle of the "Believe" show lies with the fact that the whales don't seem like they're on "display," with the humans as their "masters." Rather, the humans and the whales TOGETHER produce the show.A female trainer and her whale do tricks TOGETHER. A male trainer and his whale do tricks TOGETHER. And, the male and female trainers and their whales all do tricks TOGETHER. That is the most endearing part of the Believe show...whales and humans working TOGETHER as equal performers! Parts of the show seem more like a pas-de-deux from a very athletic ballet rather than a traditional orca show. Whale and human act "as one."
Many of the human-and-whale tricks are quite spectacular. As you can see in the photo to your left, at one point in the Believe show, Shamu rises out of the water with his trainer sitting on his nose!
And in the picture to your right, Shamu rises from the depths with his trainer standing on his back.
The Believe killer whale show proceeds at a "relaxed" pace. It is like observing a playtime between the whales and the trainers...showing that they are truly friends, instead of "master" and "obedient animal." I thoroughly enjoy this show; and the crowd at every performance I've attended obviously loves it, too. If you love killer whales, this is one Shamu show that you will NOT want to miss!
In still another spectacular trick, Shamu emerges from out of the water with his trainer hugging him...clinging to his nose.
There are 4 large screens at Shamu Stadium in San Diego. Often, the tricks being performed in the water are shown in giant-sized detail on the screens...just in case you have trouble viewing them from where you're sitting.
Watching the monitor screens move around is another interesting part of the show! The individual screens can also be positioned as 2 sets of 2...making two large screens for viewing the show. And, all 4 screens can merge into one to make a super-giant monitor. Throughout the rest of the show, the screens move apart and together again...appearing not only vertically, put also horizontally and diagonally as well!
Look carefully in the picture to your right---Shamu has propelled his trainer into the air, and the trainer is flying along in the sky several feet above Shamu's head! Along with tender moments just oozing with "togetherness" between humans and whales, the performance also showcases some very stunning athletics!
How does Shamu propel his trainer into the air? For that, both the killer whale and his trainer have to gather up some speed. Shamu first pushes his trainer along in the water gaining ever-increasing momentum. When the "time is right," Shamu and his trainer dive downwards into the water, disappearing into the depths for a moment. When they emerge together from the water, they're sailing like a rocket ship towards the sky!
In the image to your left, you can see that Shamu has once again launched his trainer into the sky. This time, his trainer spreads out the arms as if making a high-in-the-air swan dive, before plunging back into the Shamu Performance Pool.
These pics have only shown a male trainer. Don't forget---when you're attending the real performance of the new Shamu Show, Believe, you'll get to see female trainers performing with whales, also.
This show's display of "togetherness" is tender and touching...and takes up the bulk of "Believe" showtime at a relaxed pace. If you're like many fans of the show, you'll certainly be mesmerized by the performance. You may feel as if you could keep on watching the Believe show "forever!"
And don't be surprised if you find yourself feeling just a bit jealous of the trainers!
New Shamu Show Believe -- Time to get soaked!
A popular part of the Believe show---which gets the crowd roused and roaring---is the time when Shamu and his friends drench the spectators sitting in the soak zone!First, the Shamu trainers gather together on stage to teach the crowd how to give Shamu the "soak sign." Audience participation is encouraged, and soon the members of the audience around you will be waving their arms trying to mimic a tail fin, and shouting "Shamu! Shamu!" over and over again!
Shamu and other killer whales respond to the hubbub by appearing at the edges of the whale pool. As they swim to build up speed, children begin to jump up & down with the joy of anticipation---and many adults begin to hunker down into their plastic rain gear!
Then the dreaded moment arrives---the whales begin shoveling huge sprays of water over the edges of their swimming pool and into the crowd! Screaming follows...which can surely be heard as far as the parking lot! And yet, the bravest members of the audience can't get enough of it---and beg to be dowsed once more!
Shamu Show Believe -- Shamu Meets Child from Audience
In another segment of the performance, Shamu meets a youngster selected from the audience. No toddlers are chosen; older children with calm and predictable behavior are selected for this time in the spotlight. The 'tween who is chosen will be one who has a deep desire to meet Shamu...and isn't afraid to tell the crowd of thousands of visitors about this desire. For families who don't have a child in the target age group that wants to meet Shamu, this can be a touching part of the Believe performance.
On the other hand, there are dozens of families in the audience who have children who would like to meet Shamu and are the right age for being selected...yet, they're not. The fact that only ONE youngster gets to meet Shamu per show might cause some whining and envy amongst your OWN brood. It's a good idea to prepare yourself and your child mentally for the fact that someone else's child is going to fulfill a dream. Their good fortune will be your own bad luck; preparing your children (and yourself) ahead for the disappointment will help prevent some sad moments in an otherwise fun day at SeaWorld.
Nevertheless, attending killer whale shows is exactly what inspires young people to pursue careers dedicated to working with animals. And, if your youngster has this desire, you can inform him or her that a career at SeaWorld is certainly within the realm of possibility. Becoming a Shamu trainer is not just a matter of "pure luck." The young men and women who are fortunate enough to train the killer whales, dolphins, seals and other animals at SeaWorld have studied hard in school. They've made good grades. They've attended college, pursuing a course of study in a relevant field. They've taken "beginner" jobs at SeaWorld and worked their way up through the ranks. It's a course of action that not everyone is willing to undertake. And, for those young people willing to put in the study and gain the experience, the reward of a career at SeaWorld is entirely possible!
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