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Onyx Productions: 360 Allstars

360 Allstars is a fully-amped, family-friendly showcase of what the show calls ‘urban circus.’ If the X-Games made a family circus, this is probably what it would look like.

Boasting skills including break dancing, BMX flatlanding, basketball freestyling, and Roue Cyr (the lone traditional circus element in the show), each performer struts their stuff in a showcase-style setting that brings focus to their impressive skillsets. Simple gimmicks add a videogame tint to the show, but these play simply as backdrops. The show includes bits of humour, especially from Basketball Man (Rashaun Daniels) and B-Boy Leerok, who clowns around throughout the show.

The performers are strongest as individuals, and when they join together to blend their acts in the finale, it is evident that they are stretching outside their comfort zones, but still they have a blast experimenting, blending, and playing together. Rhys Miller (the Roue Cry artist), the only traditional circus artist in the bunch, weaves his skillsets most seamlessly. However, even in the mix with such physical virtuosity, the show belongs to live looping sensation Sam Perry, who DJs and acts as an emcee. Perry’s energy pumps the show along from beginning to end, and he leaves the audience amazed as he loops live vocal recordings into a single track.

 

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About Ezra LeBank

Ezra LeBank is the Head of Movement and Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at California State University, Long Beach. He is recognized internationally as a specialist in biomechanics, partner acrobatics, contact improvisation and clown. He is the editor of the national periodical for the Association for Theatre Movement Educators ATME News. His book CLOWNS: In Conversation With Modern Masters is available from Routledge Publishing, UK.