Elon University has several courses and study abroad programs that focus on sending students to experience Africa’s culture, politics and people. But Sept. 24 in McCrary Theatre, Africa came to Elon.
From the moment the lights dimmed and a disembodied voice announced “Welcome to Africa,” the sold-out audience was entranced with the Kenya Safari Acrobats.
The acrobat troupe is a family affair consisting of Karen and Jacob Kalama, their daughter, and Karen’s brother and two nephews. Each member of the troupe performs unique feats, such as limbo dancing, magic tricks and intense acrobatics during the show.
The performance’s premise was the story of the journey of an American woman traveling in Africa and meeting a local tribe. This story enabled the acrobats to perform something rarely seen in acrobatic performances — a show with an educational and spirited purpose.
[quote]As soon as they started cartwheeling and backflipping while jumping rope, I knew it would be cool. - Marissa Hom[/quote]
As the show began, all six acrobats played their silent roles energetically and comically as they pretended not to know how to jump rope. As the American woman shook her head in dismay, the acrobats tripped over the rope and fell humorously to the ground.
The illusion was soon shattered as the acrobats began to perform impressive flips as though the ropes weren’t even there.
“I was excited to see what the show would be like,” said freshman Marissa Hom. “As soon as they started cartwheeling and backflipping while jumping rope, I knew it would be cool.”
Throughout the 90-minute show, the tricks were interspersed with small skits and voice-overs directing the audience back to the story of the Kenyan tribe, with intent to inform the audience about Kenyan culture.
Even the simplest magic tricks were met with loud applause. But the audience seemed most enchanted by the mesmerizing contortionist tricks. At one point, Jacob turned himself into a human pretzel. He was so flexible that his legs and arms seemed to move independently from the rest of his body as his legs wrapped into inhuman positions.
Jacob Kalama held the crowd on the edge of their seats many times throughout the performance, including when he used chairs as building blocks to climb toward the ceiling. Then, in a feat of amazing strength, he held himself horizontal to the stage with a single hand as the chair structure visibly shook beneath him.
Many of the acts required cat-like balance. One especially captivating trick was when an acrobat balanced on a thin platform on top of a large round pipe. While the platform rolled back and forth on top of the pipe, the performer set tall drinking glasses on the platform and set another platform on top.
Before the audience knew it, he had repeated this process five times and was balancing high above the ground. There were a few seemingly close calls when the glasses holding the platforms fell to the stage, causing the audience to cry out. But the acrobat simply climbed right back up the rising platforms. The audience watched with bated breath, and when he finally balanced at the very top, the room shook with cheers and applause.
This stunt was Hom’s favorite, as well.
“There were a few times I could barely watch as he climbed up the platforms,” she said. “It’s crazy that people can learn to do amazing tricks like that. There were people in every single seat. It was a really fun way to spend a Tuesday night.”