11:11:38 ... Above a vast ocean, underwater creatures pirouette, bounce and rebound on a net that covers the entire stage. Their street-style performance is mixed with pure trampoline techniques. The net is tuned so that the artists standing on the surface can use their legs to modulate the amplitude of the bouncing motion, at times creating a slingshot effect that propels their teammates almost to the top of the big top.

The Seeker joins us briefly once again, riding a rocket-fueled version of his chair into the higher elevations. Where he (and we) will end up next is for discovery after Intermission!

Now up high above the ground, the Seeker (and by extension us) catch a glimpse of the mischievous behaviors that occur in the heavens of this retro-futuristic realm. On a sea of clouds, friendly rainbows cast fishing lines into a sea stocked with spirited fry. The “fish” creatures utilize specialized trampoline techniques, and double-bouncing skills to send members of their “school” sailing high. A play on the dynamics of a typical backyard trampoline, requiring two people-one person jumping, the other person(s) standing near the outer springs, ready to initiate the double bounce at the appropriate moment. At a certain point in the air (timing is crucial, but relative to the individuals taking part), the person standing off to the side stomps down near the landing area of the trampoline just as the jumper comes in. The initial stomp and landing results in more force being applied downward than the jumper is able to initiate on his/her own. When successful, the jumper will be propelled significantly higher than usual.

Exuberant, fun-filled leaps ensue, delighting the audience as these “fish” dance atop the cloud-waves. With a humorous nudge to modern technology, a few performers grab wakeboarding handles and leap into the air, appearing as if they are speeding through the surf behind a speedboat, flailing and kicking. Yet, as all fun beach days must, this winds down to an end, and the net begins to sag to the stage surface, and our new friends return to their other form as fish, flopping on dry land. Consequently, the costumes are an illusion to the way film director Georges Méliès imagined Martians; hence you’ll find a number of these performers – Victor Degtyarev (Russia), Arnaud Gaizergues (France), Nathan Dennis (Australia), Karl L’Ecuyer (Canada), Mathieu Hubener (France), Ryan Murray (USA) – with the scales as well as fin and fishtail grafts.