Bohemian Bacchanalia
Feb. 24th, 2012 10:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidLast night I handled merch for ENSMB at the Bohemian Bacchanalia, a show of the Boston Circus Guild, at Oberon. The basic format was sets by live bands (twice by Emperor Norton's, once by Johnnie Blazes' band) in the interludes between a variety of circus acts. Johnnie Blazes MC'd.
The acts that 'popped' most for me: a dance by Valdana Tribal Belly Dance; a guy performing on single-point trapeze, using it sometimes almost like silks, doing some impressive rotations while suspended by his elbows, plus graceful strength moves (according to some of the people I was chatting with, he's also a freshman at Brandeis (!)); a Mario Bros.-themed juggling routine that was choreographed to work beautifully with the game's music; a female contortionist who had me amazed at what one can do with a really flexible torso, especially rib cage; and a guy who did amazing strength feats of pole not-really-dancing, slowly rotating himself or just holding sideways in impressive moves that showed off his muscles (I didn't think actual live people could look like that; the trapeze performer was just as strong, but didn't have that 'ripped' look).
There were also performances on silks and lyra, a stiltwalker, burlesque acts, and more.
Most of the audience was in the standing area, which encouraged people to get more drinks when they had to shift around for different acts, since they weren't always on stage. Oddly, to me, anyway, it felt like it took a while for the audience to get into the swing of the evening, acting more as if they were a more traditional seated audience watching things on stage, rather than something that was a bit more interactive. And I think it ran longer than most people expected (or had allowed time for). By the end, though, those who were left were happily dancing to the new songs by ENSB.
I remain impressed at the level of circus arts in Boston. I'm not sure how it ended up being such a watering hole for this kind of talent, but it is. There's another performance tonight (without the pole guy, alas); it's already sold out.
The acts that 'popped' most for me: a dance by Valdana Tribal Belly Dance; a guy performing on single-point trapeze, using it sometimes almost like silks, doing some impressive rotations while suspended by his elbows, plus graceful strength moves (according to some of the people I was chatting with, he's also a freshman at Brandeis (!)); a Mario Bros.-themed juggling routine that was choreographed to work beautifully with the game's music; a female contortionist who had me amazed at what one can do with a really flexible torso, especially rib cage; and a guy who did amazing strength feats of pole not-really-dancing, slowly rotating himself or just holding sideways in impressive moves that showed off his muscles (I didn't think actual live people could look like that; the trapeze performer was just as strong, but didn't have that 'ripped' look).
There were also performances on silks and lyra, a stiltwalker, burlesque acts, and more.
Most of the audience was in the standing area, which encouraged people to get more drinks when they had to shift around for different acts, since they weren't always on stage. Oddly, to me, anyway, it felt like it took a while for the audience to get into the swing of the evening, acting more as if they were a more traditional seated audience watching things on stage, rather than something that was a bit more interactive. And I think it ran longer than most people expected (or had allowed time for). By the end, though, those who were left were happily dancing to the new songs by ENSB.
I remain impressed at the level of circus arts in Boston. I'm not sure how it ended up being such a watering hole for this kind of talent, but it is. There's another performance tonight (without the pole guy, alas); it's already sold out.