rings

best act: 1972, 1974

Rings is an alluring apparatus that consistently recruits experienced and inexperienced troupers alike. Although the still rings are the standard today, Gymkana originally performed on the flying rings, a set of rings that swing back and forth. On still rings, strength skills are essential, with shoulder stands, handstands, and levers dominating the act. Women have also added a unique spin on the act, emphasizing eccentric flexibility skills. Gymkana’s emblem, the beloved M-Man, is a trouper holding the iron cross on the rings, a skill widely regarded as the embodiment of strength.