We’ve been interested in Traces since it got rave reviews on NY1 a few months ago and tonight we took the plunge and went to see it. It’s part circus (a mix of acrobatics and Cirque du Soleil), part dance (contemporary mixed with some LXD-style flair), a little Stomp and even some parkour moves. It is 90 minutes of incredible movement on the stage.
Performed by the troupe Seven Fingers, made up of six guys and one girl, they use skateboards, a basketball, hoops large and small, a reading chair, an overhead projector, markers and chalk, two poles and a harness.
I loved the entire show, but there were couple of standout moments to point out. Mason Ames and Valerie Benoit-Charonneau performed a dance that seemed to chronicle the end a relationship. It was heartbreaking and beautiful. Bradley Henderson did some amazing work with a super-sized hula hoop. Philippe Normand-Jenny was catapulted into the rafters and did some dizzying stunts. To close out the show the entire cast did some work through various sizes of hoops that showed just how nimble and flexible they all were.
Here’s a look at the commercial for Traces to give you an idea what it all looks like.
And here’s a look behind the scene and the hoops piece that closes the show.
Traces was a great way to start up the holiday weekend!
