In recent years bits and pieces of hip-hop have been artfully appropriated by circus performers, so it's refreshing to see the 360 ALLSTARS crew flipping the script by bringing traditional circus skills into a wildly energetic celebration of street culture.
The unifying motif for the show is the 360 degrees of a circle and in one way or another it is the self-propelling energy of spin that keeps the performers in motion.
There are electrifying twirls and head spins from a pair of break-dancers; freewheeling acrobatics from a BMX stunt rider; the finely balanced motion of a basketball suspended on the point of a finger; the centrifugal force generated by rotating inside a huge steel ring and densely layered sound loops that give texture to the live music.
Director Gene Peterson maintains a casual vibe with plenty of goofing around that draws the audience into an intimate relationship with the performers.
Basketball maestro Rashaun Daniels has a particularly engaging stage presence as he explains just how difficult it is keep 5 basket balls bouncing at the same time and he wins a big laugh with a clever line about New Zealand's national team.
