Halftime Show

As the twentieth cannon fires, only a single tribute left standing on each boat, the slow circling of the ships widens until their hulls scrape the wall enclosing the arena. Coming to a stop, anchors are dropped with a dramatic splash. Suddenly the water begins to churn in a riot of shark activity. A pattern emerges as the smooth gray fins slice up from beneath the waves, dropping in and out of of view in an evenly spaced routine. The swimming synchronizes to form perfect circles and when they turn to change direction, each and every shark does so in harmony with the others.

A collective gasp arises from the audience, followed by a round of clapping and cheering. As if in response the sharks begin to change the pattern, sinking beneath the water's surface on one side of the circle and rising up higher on the other, like their flawless loop has been tilted. It's a simple display, but a mesmerizing one, as the pattern continues to flux and change like a silent melody. One circle becomes two, the smaller one tucked neatly within the larger one, and then there are three.

With a sudden twist of their bodies, the sharks peel off. Dropping beneath the water, the sharp line of motion bursts and ripples outward as they break into four groups and change course to menacingly circle the ships. The water in the center of the arena stills as if even the wind is holding its breath in anticipation...