Traces combines story telling and acrobatics

When hearing the word “circus,” many people think of elephants doing handstands and clowns in colorful costumes riding around on unicycles. But what might a circus look like if the performers had the final say?

Enter Traces.

On Friday and Saturday, Traces, a spectacle performance show, took over the IU Auditorium with its high-flying circus show.  

The 90-minute show was a product of 7 Fingers, a group of seven acrobats and circus performers which comprise the cast of Traces. All of their shows, including previous ones like “Loft,” “La Vie and “Psy,” abandon the traditional circus atmosphere in favor of a more intimate setting for the performers to connect with the audience.

Although not yet a household name, the show still drew a sizable crowd to the IU Auditorium. Bloomington resident Carla Chism, who attended the show with her daughter Taylor, said she heard about the show after seeing an advertisement at the IU Auditorium’s Rock of Ages show in December.

“We thought it might look neat,” Chism said. “It looked like a Cirque du Soleil kind of show.”

Like Chism, second-year graduate student Samantha McClellan said she was also drawn to the show’s spectacle.

“I’ve seen Stomp and it was amazing,” McClellan said. “I really came out of curiosity more than anything else.”

In Traces, the show started with a high-energy dance number in an abandoned warehouse setting before a microphone dropped down from the ceiling. With it, the performers were able to introduce themselves to the audience and share anecdotes about their lives.

The performers shared tales about everything from their grandfather’s smell to their love lives before transitioning into acrobatic stunts, including a balancing act on a giant ring, aerial routines and stunt performances involving basketballs, skateboards and
rollerblades.

The performers used the audience as well as their acts to share even more about themselves.

Performer Mathieu Cloutier revealed he was a romantic before pulling out an acoustic guitar to serenade the crowd. The only female in the cast, Valérie Benoît-
Charbonneau, told of her flirtatious nature before hopping on the lap of an audience
member.

The audience gave the performers a standing ovation both nights, IU Auditorium Associate Director Maria Talbert said. She said she was very pleased with the audience’s overall reception of the show.

“It’s not yet a household name, so people here were adventurous,” Talbert said. “Based on the standing ovation the show got both nights, I’d say the crowd was very pleased with the show.”

Talbert said the show exceeded her expectations and was able to both move and entertain her.

“I really appreciated the emotional element of it,” she said. “The humor behind a lot of what they were doing and saying was a lot of fun. I left the show feeling very out of shape, but I loved every aspect of it.”