Dude, I'm flippin' out!

July 11, 2008 11:02 AM

I first saw Russian Barre at Cirque du Soleil's Alegria show. I find it an exciting display of acrobatics but the ending of this video is absolutely amazing to me.
posted by CuJoe (25 comments total)

oh.my.god. this is unbelievable.

the acrobatics I've seen at Cirque du Soleil never cease to amaze me.
posted by killy willy at 11:18 AM on July 11, 2008

I really love Cirque du Soleil, but I wish there were a condensed version. Not "just the acrobatics", but maybe a 5:1 ratio.
posted by DU at 11:22 AM on July 11, 2008

There was some video of a gymnast I saw years ago, and it was part of a montage, but it involved a gymnast who stood on top of the high bar on the parallel set and jumped backwards to catch it. I have never seen it since or anyone do it in competition.
posted by pieoverdone at 11:25 AM on July 11, 2008

As it happened, I had just started listening to a version of Teenage Riot by Sonic Youth that was the same length as that video, when I clicked through. They went great together.
posted by OmieWise at 11:26 AM on July 11, 2008

I literally just screamed "What the fuck!?!?" at my monitor.
Is it bad that I want to Rule 34 this and see all these people in a crazy gymnastic orgy?
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 11:33 AM on July 11, 2008

Remember this when you watch Olympic gymnastics this summer. In particular, remember how effortless these Russian Barre performers make all of this appear. Talent is an understatement.
posted by jabberjaw at 11:49 AM on July 11, 2008

Well, now. That was pretty incredible.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 11:56 AM on July 11, 2008

*picks jaw up from floor* Words fail me.
posted by Space Kitty at 12:19 PM on July 11, 2008

I want to know what the practice session was like the first time the pair in the last video tried that trick. Absolutely amazing.
posted by msali at 12:49 PM on July 11, 2008

At least when I'm sitting here at my desk watching video and listening to a printer run, I'm eating celery instead of potato chips. Lovely!
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:55 PM on July 11, 2008

There was some video of a gymnast I saw years ago, and it was part of a montage, but it involved a gymnast who stood on top of the high bar on the parallel set and jumped backwards to catch it.

It's Olga Korbut.
posted by thomas j wise at 2:31 PM on July 11, 2008

These athletes are amazing and dazzling, but there is a very dangerous side to this, as well.
posted by janetplanet at 2:38 PM on July 11, 2008

Metafilter: Is it bad that I want to rule 34 this?
posted by The White Hat at 2:51 PM on July 11, 2008

Yeah, so, pretty much I wasn't expecting that ending. Amazing.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:28 PM on July 11, 2008

Wow. The Russian Bar stuff was incredible, as was the Olga Korbut stuff.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 4:07 PM on July 11, 2008

Holy CRAP Olga represents for the Commies. Wow.
posted by prefpara at 4:37 PM on July 11, 2008

It's Olga Korbut.

Later, a Soviet athlete named Elena Mukhina added a full twist to the Korbut. Neither skill is performed today; the rules now prohibit standing on the high bar.

This is fantastic, CuJoe. Thanks.
posted by swerve at 8:29 PM on July 11, 2008

I just watched some of these videos with a friend who is a former gymnast, and she pointed out that the bars are much farther apart now. She felt that what today's gymnasts do is more difficult than what gymnasts were doing in the 70s. Here is a video she felt provided some good contrast. The speed is very different, the way the motion flows, everything. It's hard for me to understand how difficult different moves are, because I have never really studied gymnastics. Nevertheless, it's interesting to compare (1, 2).
posted by prefpara at 8:50 PM on July 11, 2008

I always feel awed and humbled when I watch amazing feats of acrobatics, but I also wonder about the sadism of the people who push the acrobats to perform ever more body-defying acts. Especially this sort of thing.
posted by Rora at 9:33 PM on July 11, 2008

Their bodies are beautiful.
posted by JujuB at 9:50 PM on July 11, 2008

Sad stories. Pro gymnatics/acrobatics is hardcore. And often inflicted on children.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:19 AM on July 12, 2008

Bloopers. Some very painful ones.

I have concluded that gymnasts are insane.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:36 AM on July 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Their bodies are beautiful.

God, no. What they do with their bodies is beautiful, but arresting your development at age 9 does not a beautiful woman's body make.
posted by goo at 8:33 AM on July 12, 2008

Brought a tear to my eye - that was totally amazing.
posted by redteam at 7:54 PM on July 12, 2008

OMG, FFF, those bloopers are awful! I kept wincing, gasping and looking away from the monitor! I had to admit I was laughing too, off-and-on, but I felt awful for it. I didn't get very far in watching it, in fact, because of my guilty conscience.
posted by PigAlien at 9:24 PM on July 12, 2008