The show gets under way with Vince Bruce, a British-born “cowboy” who rides into the ring astride two horses and proceeds to demonstrate his prowess with the rope and his whip (best trick is the one where he slashes a newspaper into progressively smaller strips, with cool precision). Like juggler Casey Boehmer (who manages to do amazing things with just one arm), Bruce is a repeat performer here, but it’s been a while and the act doesn’t feel old.

Quick-change artist Martyn Chabry really is different; while we’ve all seen the magic of those lightning-like costume changes before, her act incorporates very different hairstyles and, more importantly, a variety of musical instruments she plays in between changes. The xylophone work here is especially impressive.

Impressive is also a good word for the foot juggling (or Risley) act of Fabio and Giuliano Anastasini. These brothers make it all look easy, as the younger one is tossed into the air by the older one’s feet alone, doing seemingly effortless somersaults and flips.

The circus also showcases the balancing feats of Almas Meirmanov, the poodles of Zhanna Alferova (watch out, they look like little lions here) and the aerial artistry of Dolly Jacobs and Yuri Rjkov (this time performing to a tango theme). But it’s only fitting that the show’s biggest applause comes with the high-wire work of the Wallenda troupe (which closes the performance). Yes, they do the seven-person pyramid; and yes, it alone is probably worth the price of admission for circus aficionados.