For over 25 years, Rhythms of the Night has enchanted audiences with a mesmerizing blend of culture, nature, and performance art set against the stunning backdrop of the tropical jungle at Las Caletas, Puerto Vallarta.
What began as an intimate candlelit dinner experience on the beach of Yelapa, accompanied by live percussion and traditional dancers, has since evolved into an acrobatics spectacle that combines elements of Mexico’s rich cultural heritage with the timeless allure of nature and the mystical. Now, with the latest iteration, titled "Alma", the visionary director Mukhtar Mukhtar takes this beloved show to new heights.
Alma isn’t just an update to the show—it’s a complete reimagination. Under the creative direction of Mukhtar, the production blends the spiritual and natural elements of the region with cutting-edge visual effects, a heart-pounding musical score, and performances that captivate the soul.
In this newest version, Alma is not only a reflection of the rhythms of nature but an exploration of the human spirit’s connection to the earth, to each other, and to the unseen forces that guide us.
The Evolution of a Legend: The Story of The Rhythms of the Night
Puerto Vallarta has long been a crossroads of cultures, a place where the Sierra Madre descends into the Pacific and tradition merges with reinvention. But among its many stories, one shines brighter than the rest: the story of Rhythms of the Night.
For more than three decades, this spectacle has carried the spirit of Puerto Vallarta to the world. What began as intimate dinners under the stars evolved into
an internationally acclaimed performance that embodies the mysticism of Mexico, the creativity of visionary artists, and the timeless romance of a night by the sea.
This is not just the history of a show. It is the chronicle of how a remote cove became a stage, how Puerto Vallarta’s essence was translated into movement, music, and firelight, and how one idea transformed into a living legend.
Yelapa Nights – The Origins (Early 1990s)
The journey begins over thirty years ago with Yelapa Nights, a humble yet magical experience. Guests would cross the bay by boat to the remote fishing village of Yelapa, where torchlight dinners on the sand unfolded beneath a canopy of stars.
There were no stages, no sets—only the ocean’s rhythm, the warmth of firelight, and the intimacy of sharing stories by the shore. Yet, in these simple evenings lay the seed of something extraordinary. Yelapa Nights captured the raw authenticity of Puerto Vallarta: nature as theater, the night as curtain.
Rhythms of the Night, a legend is born – By Debbie Brown and René Dupéré
The idea of turning these intimate gatherings into a true performance gained momentum when Deborah Brown, a renowned choreographer who shaped 13 Cirque du Soleil productions—including Alegría, O, Mystère, and La Nouba—joined forces with René Dupéré, the celebrated composer best known for Saltimbanco and Alegría (for which he earned an Academy Award nomination). Together, these visionaries, whose work had already defined Cirque’s golden era, were invited to create the first official version of Rhythms of the Night, bringing world-class artistry to the shores of Puerto Vallarta.
Together, they gave form to the vision: a fusion of contemporary dance, acrobatics, and live music rooted in ancient myth. Their creation transformed Las Caletas—a secluded cove accessible only by sea—into a sacred stage where nature itself became part of the performance.
For the first time, visitors crossed the bay not only for dinner, but for a journey into ritual, movement, and music.
SAVIA by Gilles Ste-Croix
As the show grew, so did its ambitions. Gilles Ste-Croix, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, and with scenography by Academy Award-winner Eugenio Caballero for Pan's Labyrinth, took the reins for a second reinvention. His vision brought theatrical scale and narrative depth, expanding the production into a world-class spectacle.
Under his direction, SAVIA evolved into a seamless blend of myth and artistry. Fire dances mirrored ancient rituals, acrobats became the spirits of the jungle, and the natural setting of Las Caletas was elevated into something both timeless and universal.
Ste-Croix’s version ensured that SAVIA by Rhythms of the Night was no longer just a show in Puerto Vallarta—it became a cultural landmark recognized on the global stage.
Gaining Inertia – Becoming a Global Success
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Rhythms of the Night had become synonymous with Puerto Vallarta itself. Word spread through travel magazines, international media, and most of all, the travelers who carried the memory of their night across the bay back home.
For many, Rhythms became the definitive Puerto Vallarta experience: a night where the ocean was a mirror, the jungle a backdrop, and the performers a living embodiment of Mexico’s spirit. Each season added new layers of artistry, while retaining the intimacy that made those first nights in Yelapa unforgettable.
It was no longer just a dinner show. It was a rite of passage.
Today – ALMA by Rhythms of the Night
The legend continues with ALMA, the current incarnation of Rhythms of the Night. Conceived by Mukhtar Mukhtar—renowned as artistic director of the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show and creator of Cirque du Soleil’s Messi10 and Echo—and brought to life through the scenography of Academy Award-winner Eugenio Caballero, ALMA unfolds as the mythical tale of a guardian guided by sacred peyote to awaken the soul of the jungle and restore harmony between humanity and nature.
But ALMA is not only about what happens on stage. It is a multi-sensory journey that begins the moment visitors step aboard a boat in Puerto Vallarta, sailing into the sunset toward a hidden cove. The jungle greets them with firelit paths and the sound of drums, immersing them in a world where myth and reality merge.
This new chapter also adds a culinary dimension. Guests who choose the VIP experience are welcomed with a gourmet menu designed by Chef Paco Ruano, one of Mexico’s most acclaimed culinary voices and the creative mind behind Alcalde, consistently ranked among the nation’s top 5 restaurants. Ruano’s cuisine becomes part of the storytelling, each dish echoing the natural beauty and cultural depth of Puerto Vallarta.
And yet, ALMA is more than spectacle or fine dining. It is an echo of those first torches lit on Yelapa’s beach, a reminder that wonder often begins with simplicity. Every evening, as boats cross the moonlit bay, travelers are not just audience members; they are pilgrims drawn to a ritual that has endured for three decades.
What began as rustic dinners has become a living legend, whispered by the sea and guarded by the jungle. Rhythms of the Night is more than Puerto Vallarta’s gift to the world—it is a promise: that enchantment still exists, that stories can still be told in firelight and waves, and that in the heart of the night, we can all rediscover our own.
