parallel bars

best act: 1968 (comedy), 1971 (comedy), 2002, 2017 (comedy)

Parallel Bars was one of Gymkana’s original acts performed in 1947, and it was first performed during a Maryland basketball halftime show. Commonly referred to as the “p-bars”, this act is traditionally a men’s solo apparatus in artistic gymnastics, but Gymkana, as always, adds its own unique spin. Combining individual routines with group passes and poses, troupers utilize the bars in every possible way, from swinging elements and release moves to strength and flexibility holds, and have even been known to include partner balancing-inspired poses. Troupers and coaches alike have also exhibited comedy routines— in fact, comedy p-bars is the most often recreated comedy act in Gymkana performances. While comedy p-bars has won Best Act three times (1968, 1971, and 2017), the p-bars act without the comedy element has only received the award once.

Like many Gymkana acts that are traditionally separated by gender, women began to join in the parallel bars act in the 2010s, and it’s only become more and more common throughout the years.