Before they became famous for their appearance on America’s Got Talent, the acrobatic show group called Zurcaroh performed at amateur gymnastics competitions around the world.
And back in 2013, the audience at the 2nd World Gym For Life Challenge in Cape Town, South Africa, got to see their amazing skills.
Zurcaroh
The group was formed by Peterson da Cruz Hora, a choreographer from São Paulo, Brazil. And while Zurcaroh started there in 2007, he ended up starting fresh with a new troupe when he moved to Austria in 2009.
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Now the group is based in the town of Götzis, in Vorarlberg, Austria.
There is still a connection to Brazil, however, as the group not only seeks to inspire youngsters around the world to channel their energy into art and sport, but still supports social responsibility projects back in the tougher neighborhoods of Peterson da Cruz Hora’s home country.
World Gym for Life Challenge
Their first international competition was in 2011, but two years later, Zurcaroh was showing off some very unique acrobatics at the 2nd edition of the World Gym for Life Challenge.
The event is run by Gymnastics Canada and occurs every 4 years. It’s open to everyone, regardless of age, and offers gymnasts and acrobatic dance soloists and groups an opportunity to have their skills judged at an international level.
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The Performance
But let’s talk about this performance.
We’re at a loss to describe the costumes, other than to say the colorful, striped unitards with green mohawks certainly add some flair to the scene.
And it’s clear from the moment the gymnasts walk in that we’re about to get quite a spectacle.
The first few moments are very still and are followed by some moves that we daresay kind of feel as though we could do ourselves.
Arm raises? Head rolls? Maybe we can join!
Then things start to get real as a performer lifts a young woman off the ground and stands holding her in the middle of the floor.
The tension rises because you know something special is about to happen.
While it’s hard to explain how she gets there, the woman ends up lofted straight into the air and held by just one foot (and by one arm for the holder!) while she does a backbend.
This is clearly not the time to reflect on your own ability to balance.
Amazingly, this isn’t even the most impressive feat of strength, flexibility, and balance they’ve got up their sleeves.
There’s one tiny acrobat, in particular, who steals the show. And here she is being swung high and low through the air between the legs of another performer while HE’S also held up on the shoulders of others.
It’s like seeing how high you can go on the swing set – except the swing set is made of PEOPLE!
Then she ends up in a backbend. It might not look like much, but just think about how flexible you have to be to get into this position.
NOW, imagine that – from that position – you get used as a jump rope!
That’s right. Look closely, because she’s swung around and around over and under their heads as someone jumps over her.
Now we feel dizzy.
And the group performs many other feats, including tossing the tiny gymnast so high that she actually ends up leaving the field of view for a moment!
Finally, they end the performance in a flurry of ribbons and one more lift that has us wondering how that woman hasn’t lost her lunch yet.
We think it’s safe to say that even if you’ve seen this group on America’s Got Talent, it’s worth watching this performance.
Be sure to scroll down below for the video.
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