With several permanent shows playing to more than 9,000 spectators a night, Cirque du Soleil has become a Las Vegas entertainment juggernaut. A highly theatrical, modern circus that swaps traditional animals for extremely athletic acrobats, contortionists and dancers—as well as singers, actors and jesters—Cirque du Soleil offers performances at multiple casino hotels, each with a distinct bizarre vision. It's as if Salvador Dalí were the ringmaster to this surreal circus.

The longest-running Cirque show in Vegas is Mystère at Treasure Island, which celebrates the cycle of life in a delightfully freakish extravaganza. The show is filled with colorfully costumed characters—including a ginormous slug—that spin, slide, and even slither, as they portray various mythical creatures and perform a number of jaw-dropping feats. The bendy acrobats on the tall, vertical Chinese poles demonstrate amazing upper-body strength as they do tricks on the thin pillars and effortlessly jump from pole to pole. Another standout act is "Hand-to-Hand," in which two brothers—one big and beefy, the other lithe and strong—use each other's body to do balancing stunts in a graceful show. A crowd favorite is "Bungee," where seemingly boneless aerialists take to the trapeze to do ballet in mid-air. But don't get too engrossed watching the performers; the notoriously mischievous clowns like to make unsuspecting audience members part of the show.

An aquatic show of epic proportions, O at the Bellagio takes the surreal Cirque formula and moves it to the water, creating something wholly new and incredibly entertaining. Taking place in, on and around a 1.5 million-gallon pool, O ("O" is the pronunciation of "eau," which is French for "water") is known for its constantly flowing movement as synchronized divers and swimmers flip and paddle. They make this show way better than your average pool party.

Cirque shows its steamy side in Zumanity at the New York-New York Hotel, the troupe's first adult-themed show. There is nudity, so the sensual show is only for those 18 and older. The European opera-house vibe of the theater hints at the more mature thematic material, which centers on erotic song, dance and acrobatic stunts. But instead of a single storyline, Zumanity offers multiple cabaret-style acts from various sexy-as-hell characters, some engaging in contortionist coupling that seems inspired by the Kama Sutra.

The company continues to create new resident shows. The MGM Grand debuted KÀ in 2004, delivering Cirque's most cohesive narrative show to date (most shows have an overarching storyline, but are a jumble of abstract and seemingly incongruous, albeit beautiful, parts), telling the story of a pair of lost twins on a journey to reunite and discover their joined destinies. Along the way, the characters battle in various martial arts-inspired spectacles that happen on a constantly changing—and at times rotating—mechanical stage. In 2006, Cirque launched its most recent creation, The Beatles LOVE at the Mirage, which honors the Beatles in a show of acrobatics and dance set to 30 classic songs from the four mop-topped Brits.

For details on tickets, call the individual hotel or visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.