Gymkana Performances

Performers climb the suspended fabric without the use of safety lines and use the fabric to wrap, suspend, and drop their bodies. Routines demonstrate a great deal of grace, strength, and training.

This act showcases the balance beam apparatus. Whether incorporating individual sets, synchronized elements, comedy, or large choreographed routines, the beam act continues to offer audiences an entertaining and refreshing look at this difficult apparatus.

Troupers carefully construct their balancing act atop wooden chairs to create a unique and breathtaking routine. Relying solely on trust and the laws of physics, there is no trick to this amazing act.

Choreographed by our student-athletes, the Dance act is an act that continues to change and evolve from year to year. Dance has proved to be highly energetic and entertaining for both troupers and audiences of all ages.

The double mini trampoline, or DMT, combines the speed of a vaulting pass with the amplitude and energy of a trampoline sequence. DMT is an entertaining and exciting act that often proves to be a crowd favorite.

This new and exciting routine combines tricking, b-boying, and stunting.

This act showcases the high bar apparatus. Fast-paced and thrilling, high bar routines combine traditional swinging elements with difficult transitions and releases.

For most people, climbing a ladder to change a light bulb or clean the gutters is enough of a thrill. For members of Gymkana’s ladders act, that’s child’s play. In this act, a pair of 18-foot ladders are balanced and held together by three male troupers as six female troupers gracefully perform a dance routine along the sides.

Our troupers have taken this traditional gymnastic apparatus and created a unique group routine. Skills are performed on a pair of parallel rails including combinations of swinging elements, strength holds, release moves, flips, and twists.

Hand balancing represents one of the most consistently performed acts throughout Gymkana’s history. Troupers have experimented with composition, routine length, themes, poses and size. By adding novelty themes, dance, comedy, and individual costumes, troupers have made Gymkana partner balancing into something truly unique. Often performed multiple times in Gymkana shows, partner balancing requires each group to develop their own signature style.

This act showcases the pommel horse, an extremely difficult apparatus to master. Gliding seamlessly from one skill to the next with a fast-paced rhythm, the men on the pommel horse rely solely on the upper body and torso strength for support as they make the complicated skills they do look easy.

One of the original acts performed during Gymkana’s first Home Show, the Pyramids act remains a traditional part of Gymkana’s performances today. By combining smaller balancing poses and a range of difficulty into Gymkana’s largest group routine, this act has always encouraged team unity and group strength. For this reason, Pyramids is often the first act for new troupers.

This act showcases the still rings apparatus. On still rings, strength skills are an essential part of any routine. The iron cross, widely regarded as the embodiment of strength, is eternally held by Gymkana’s beloved M-Man symbol and is traditionally performed by troupers every year.

This act takes the playground see-saw to a whole new level. Using their body weight and perfectly timed jumps, troupers on the teeter-board combine flips and twists into difficult routines, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

The Trampoline act perhaps best demonstrates the range and diversity of Gymkana's troupers. Individual routines are performed by the troupers in this act to showcase a wide variety of acrobatic skills and styles.

Troupers in this act exhibit dynamic individual tumbling skills as well as synchronized group routines and passes.

This act showcases the uneven parallel bars. Though considered a traditional women's gymnastic apparatus, troupers on the uneven bars have often incorporated novelty skills and group routines as part of the act.

Using mini-trampolines, troupers vault over a vault box, a human stack-up, and over and through fire. Through the years, troupers have experimented with various criss-cross patterns and synchronized skills. Of all the acts Gymkana has to offer, Vaulting has grown to become the most widely recognized and anticipated. Showcasing at numerous high profile venues including professional and college basketball games and campus open houses, it is often referred to as Gymkana’s signature act.