Gravity & Other Myths
"Ten Thousand Hours"
June 10, 2021
Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 7:30 PM
Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre
This performance will last approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.*
This performance includes haze effects.
"This superhuman squad have put in the time to stun you … supreme levels of skill but also humour and audience participation."
— The Guardian
Everybody is a master of something.
Blink, step, jump, balance, flip, fly.
This is an ode to the countless hours needed to achieve great things. A tribute to the dedication required to realize physical ambitions. An acknowledgement of the backstory that is often more spectacular than the finished product.
Australian cirque company Gravity & Other Myths is celebrated worldwide for performances combining bold acrobatics with a playful, deeply human spirit. In Ten Thousand Hours, eight world-class acrobats and a live percussionist reveal the unseen labor behind breathtaking physical skill. With fearless precision, the performers launch into lifts, balances, and daring flights, exposing the trust, repetition, and relentless practice behind every moment. At its heart, the show is a love letter to our bodies and the remarkable things they allow us to do — an exuberant tribute to discipline, risk, and the pursuit of mastery.
The performers in Ten Thousand Hours investigate physical skill; how we obtain it, how we perfect it, and how it can transform our lives. Through highlighting the nuance of high level acrobatics, audiences experience a heightened appreciation of the countless hours required to master the skills they are witnessing. Set to a driving, dynamic and intricate musical score, Ten Thousand Hours is a revelry of the distinct physical language that defines Gravity & Other Myths.
This is a love letter to our bodies and the amazing things they let us do every day.
This is an invitation to watch us work.
This performance is supported in part by gifts from Mr. Edwin H. Talley and Mrs. Melinda P. Talley and Kathryn Clarke Albright.
This is Gravity & Other Myths' first performance at the center.
Photos by Millissa Martin, Darcy Grant, and Andy Phillipson
* Run times listed here are based on information provided at this time and are subject to change.
FAQs
About This Event
If you enjoy Cirque du Soleil, you'll likely enjoy Gravity & Other Myths' Ten Thousand Hours. Like Cirque du Soleil, it features extraordinary acrobatics that showcase incredible strength, balance, and athleticism, but Gravity & Other Myths has its own distinctive style. Instead of elaborate costumes and theatrical spectacle, the Australian cirque company emphasizes the performers, themselves, celebrating the trust, teamwork, humor, and thousands of hours of practice behind every breathtaking feat. The result is an intimate, energetic performance that's as much about the people as it is the acrobatics.
Gravity & Other Myths' Ten Thousand Hours features nine performers: eight world-class acrobats and one live percussionist. Together, they create an energetic, fast-paced performance that combines breathtaking acrobatics with live music, highlighting the teamwork, trust, and dedication behind every feat.
Yes. Gravity & Other Myths' Ten Thousand Hours is a family-friendly performance that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. While younger children will be captivated by the incredible acrobatics, older children and adults will also appreciate the athleticism, artistry, humor, and teamwork on display. The performance is approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.
Yes. Gravity & Other Myths' Ten Thousand Hours features live percussion performed on stage throughout the show. The music is an integral part of the performance, driving the energy and rhythm of the acrobatics while becoming part of the action itself.
Yes. Everyone experiences sound differently. Complimentary earplugs are available at the box office for any guest who would like to reduce the volume during the performance.
Attending a Performance at the Center
The most important thing is that you're comfortable. There is no dress code, so do what feels right for you. Do you want to get dressed to the nines for a special night out? You won't be the only one. Do you feel like keeping things casual? You won't be alone there, either.
All campus parking, including along Alumni Mall, requires a parking permit from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted by signage.
Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street at 300 Turner Street NW.
- For many Center for the Arts performances and large events, this garage will be staffed by an attendant and payment ($10, cash only) must be made at the time of entry. This event parking price is $2 higher than the garage’s daily rate to allow us to provide staffing to make both entering and exiting the garage more efficient for larger numbers of cars. You may exit at the Turner Street gate.
- All other times, visitors can take a ticket upon entrance and pay the $8 daily rate using Visa or Mastercard when exiting.
Convenient parking is also located in downtown Blacksburg. Town parking is free every day after 5:00 p.m.
Patrons are always welcome to drop off and pick up guests directly at the main doors of the Center for the Arts on Alumni Mall and Turner Street.
Allowing yourself extra time improves the experience for everyone! We recommend arriving at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the performance so you have plenty of time for the safety screening and to get settled in your seats. Our lobbies and galleries open 90 minutes before performances, and the theatre doors open 30 minutes before the performance start time. Ushers will direct you to your seat and are happy to answer any questions.
For the safety of our guests and performers, all patrons may be required to pass through a walk-through metal detector before entering the theatre. The process is quick and touchless, and you may keep your personal belongings with you. If you need an alternate screening method, please speak with a member of our security team.
A small or clutch-size purse or clear bag is recommended. Oversized bags, luggage, and backpacks will not be permitted inside the theatre. Coat check will be available to check these items.
Concessions from Blacksburg Wine Lab are available for most performances. Concessions availability and locations will be included in the What to Know email for ticket holders. Concessions are available beginning an hour before the performance, so arrive early to avoid the lines and enjoy a drink before the show.
Cameras and recording equipment are not permitted inside the theatre during performances. To avoid distracting the artists and those around you, please turn off or silence your cell phone and put away all electronic devices before the performance begins. Photography, video recording, and audio recording are not permitted unless otherwise announced.
If you’re late, you may hear the beginning of the performance from the lobby while you wait to take your seat — either until intermission or an appropriate break in the program as requested and advised by the artists. Admitting late arrivals into the theatre is timed to cause as little disruption as possible to other guests and the performers on stage. In some cases, you may be seated in an alternate location in the theatre.
You will receive a “What to Know” email approximately 48 hours before the performance with helpful information on approximate runtimes, pre- and post-show activities, and any other information you will need to know before you head out the door.
We are committed to being fully accessible to all patrons and their companions and strive to make our patrons’ experiences convenient and comfortable. In addition to our venue’s universal design features, we offer services and accommodations for parking, seating, listening, sensory support, courtesy wheelchair, elevators, restrooms, service animals, sign language, and visual aids. Find out more.
No. Mobile tickets displayed on your smartphone are welcome, though printed tickets are also accepted.
While all sales are final, tickets to most events may be exchanged for another Center for the Arts performance within the current season. Please contact the box office at artscenter@vt.edu or by phone at 540-231-5300 at least one hour in advance of the scheduled performance to request an exchange. Refunds may be offered in extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the box office manager.
Gravity & Other Myths is supported as an organization by Create SA. Ten Thousand Hours has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. Commissioned by Chamäleon Berlin; La Strada, Graz; and Gluttony, Adelaide. The Ten Thousand Hours creative development was supported by the Adelaide Festival Centre.