The pumping African music emanating from Jarman Auditorium Tuesday night seemed wildly out of place with the snow coming down outside and set the tone for the absurdity of the stunts that the troupe executed throughout the performance.
The evening began with the troupe hopping across the stage, inviting volunteers to join them as they prepared a limbo bar center stage. The dancers allowed the volunteers to try the limbo at four varying levels, most seemingly impossible for anyone with a spine. After the crowd attempts, the dancers displayed their inhuman athleticism by folding themselves under all four of the limbo levels to the roar of an impressed audience.
The energy continued as two of the dancers produced a small neon hoop. After a brief comedic act, they squeezed their bodies through the small ring, once again to the horrified delight of the spectators. Following this feat, one of the dancers broke away to formally introduce the troupe. Hailing from Kenya, the dancers offered a brief bit of cultural education as they explained they spoke both Swahili and English and asked if anyone in attendance was familiar with any Swahili. Seeing little response, the dancer then asked if anyone was familiar with “The Lion King,” and the audience roared back to life.
After explaining how the names of the main characters of the film are actually Swahili words, the troupe once again astounded the crowd by preforming stunts in which the acrobats positioned chairs at angles on top of one another.
At the top of the unstable tower was a man performing a handstand. High above the seats below, he emanated self-assured strength, though this did little to ease the nerves of those holding their breath in the auditorium. In continuing with their kooky interludes, two dancers invited two audience members to the stage to try and juggle hats while always maintaining one of the hats on their head. While the troupe made it look effortless, it was clear the task was not easily executed.
The evening concluded with the men offering their most impressive display of strength, building human pyramids off of a single dancer’s shoulders and creating hoops with their bodies which other dancers jumped through. Never seeming to tire, the dancers left the stage brimming with energy and their audience buzzing with appreciation.
