Traces

These performers must have an extra finger or two, an extra limb, or both. The circus troupe 7 Fingers pulls off superhuman physical feats in "Traces," a heart-pumping, gritty twist on circus arts. Whether it's an extra digit or not, there is definitely something different about these artists, and Shana Carroll and Gypsy Snider, who have both directed and choreographed, wisely choose not to dress up the impeccable talent. Instead, the troupe members come across as seven kids goofing off in a broken-down garage while contemplating their purpose in life.

This streetwise circus asks the audience a question: What will you leave behind? Chalkboards line the lobby for attendees to leave their mark, and as people file into the theater, a camera captures everyone and a live feed is projected to a screen on stage. Some overly enthusiastic attendees partook in some pre-show enthusiastic waving and iPhone photo snapping once they discovered the camera. (For those who live the anonymous New York life, at least there will be proof that they attended this show.) Notions of time and legacy permeate the production as the artists trace chalk outlines on the stage floor and ticking clocks and roaring alarms motivate the acrobats to seize their moment.

Each performer has a time, some more than one, to showcase special skills. Florian Zumkehr's hand balancing defies the laws of physics as he handstands, headstands, and twirls on chair backs that should crumble under the force. He also woos the ladies on the piano with Billy Joel's "Piano Man." As if they weren't talented enough already, many of the performers are also musicians. The lone female, Valerié Benôit-Charbonneau, shows she's "flirtatious"—each performer chooses three adjectives of self-description—as she coyly reads a book while balancing in the splits on a disheveled arm chair. Every prop looks like it's about to break, despite what is certainly a sturdy structure. Benôit-Charbonneau also dons a fire-engine-red gown, echoing the real sirens on stage, while spinning through the air on a cable.

Philippe Normand-Jenny catapults into the air off a seesaw, flips as if he were diving into the deep end of a pool, then lands on a large mat. Mathieu Cloutier launches himself while wearing Rollerblades, and Mason Ames is the sturdy half of "Hand to Hand," a partnered number with Benôit-Charbonneau that includes him catching her about three inches off the ground, among many other heart-stopping acts. Bradley Henderson spins freely inside a silver hoop like an anti-gravity machine, and Xia Zhengqi juggles Chinese yo-yos, called diabolos, while simultaneously doing flips. For the finale, the entire troupe flips, kicks, and quite literally flies through a series of small Chinese hoops that ultimately tower six hoops high. This is the only number in which the mistakes are obvious, as the performers knocked down the hoops twice at the show I attended. It did not deter from the effect, however.

The energy coursing through this full-throttle 90 minutes doesn't let up for the duration. Each act is just as impressive as the next, and with credits ranging from the Vancouver Olympics to Cirque du Soleil, these seven performers are more than just modern acrobats. You have to see it to believe it.

Presented by Fox Theatricals, Tom Gabbard, Amanda Dubois, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Nassib El-Husseini, and Tom Lightburn at the Union Square Theatre, 100 E. 17th St., NYC. Aug. 8–Jan. 1. Schedule varies. (800) 982-2787 or www.ticketmaster.com.