"Traces"

Nothing but treats so far in 2016. Every year my Xmas present to my handyman and dear friend John and his wife Sylvie and young daughter Emilie is to take them to a show; today we went to Traces, at the Panasonic. It's spectacular, non-stop action, seven incredible young performers who all can bend in two backwards, play the piano, skateboard, throw basketballs, throw themselves through flimsy hoops and suspend themselves upside-down in midair. What's different is that they're in street clothes, not in fanciful Cirque du Soleil gear - so they look like ordinary people, only they're athletes-acrobats-dancers made of rubber and steel. A wonderful show, funny too. We all loved it.

They each tell us their name and weight and later there are even baby pictures, so we come to know them individually. One is Chinese, two Australian, one American and one French; the other two are Quebecois, as is the troupe itself. No Anglo-Canadians. Why are the Quebecois so good at circus acts and feats of acrobatics? An article in the Globe today about Canadian directors making good in Hollywood - Denis Villeneuve, Xavier Dolan (who directed the evocative video for Adele's Hello), Jean-Marc Vallee - French-Canadians working at the highest level. Makes me want to move to Montreal. I salute our Quebecois countrymen, so uniquely talented.

I went afterwards to the Y and tried to move my ancient limbs in an approximation ... no go. Ah well. It was great to watch. It's cold out there - but luckily there's art to keep us warm.