70 Years of Gymkana

By Maryland Today Staff May 03, 2016

If you’ve ever wondered how Gymkana’s gravity- and fire-defying acrobatic stunts and tricks came to be, the answer is practice: 70 years of it. The troupe, which thrills crowds at Maryland Madness, local schools, military bases and even “America’s Got Talent,” is celebrating its anniversary with a new exhibit at McKeldin Library, which runs until August. Here’s a peek at some of the archival images:

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Gymkana, founded in 1946, is one of the oldest student organizations on campus. Its first performance was in Ritchie Coliseum on Jan. 10, 1947, during halftime of the Maryland vs. George Washington University basketball game. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

Members perform the “Master Builder” act in 1948. The troupe's goals are to provide healthful recreational activities to students, promote the sport of gymnastics, provide entertainment for its audiences and act as ambassadors of goodwill. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

Starting in 1951, the troupe began visiting U.S. military bases around the country and internationally each year. In 1955, the troupe made its final stop in the Azores (pictured), providing entertainment for troops stationed at Lajes Field on the island of Terceira. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

One part of the troupe’s show included “living statuary,” like in this 1966 photo, in which the students would paint themselves bronze and slowly move through poses, holding them for about 30 seconds each. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

Chair balancing was one of Gymkana’s original acts from the late 1940s and continues to be a staple in its shows, including in this photo from the 1990s. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

In 1985 the troupe began to serve as an official outreach program for the School of Public Health (formerly known as the College of Health and Human Performance). This was when the troupe first instituted the Gymkana pledge to live drug-, alcohol- and tobacco-free. Photo courtesy of University Archives.

Gymkhana held its 70th annual Home Show April 15–16, featuring men's and women's gymnastics apparatus routines, as well as novelty circus acts that incorporate the use of chairs, ladders and trampolines. Photo courtesy of Gymkana.

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