A lot of folks already call Times Square a circus. But as the vibrant setting of the Big Apple Circus' brand-new show Luminocity, it becomes one, literally. It's a cute concept: The set is all bright lights and Broadway marquees, and the live band plays snippets of iconic NYC tunes. The main attraction is, as always, the wonderful lineup of traditional circus acts like trapeze, high-wire and juggling showcased in an intimate setting.

As I've said in the past, the Big Apple Circus puts on particularly great shows for kids because they're less over-the-top than Cirque du Soleil and less overwhelming than Ringling Bros. At a tight two hours full of eye-popping feats and lowbrow humor, plus adorable dogs (all rescues) and horses, Luminocity delights circus-loving audiences of all ages.

My daughter and I really only thought one act was a dud: Flimflam Man Pierre Ginet. (A pickpocket artist in Times Square should be genius but somehow he fell flat.) But we enjoyed all the rest. Our favorites were Ty Tojo, a 15-year-old juggling prodigy who keeps as many as seven balls aloft at once. He was adorable: Every time he finished a trick he would beam with pride. We also loved Daniel Cyr. Though he's best known for his prowess on the Cyr wheel (which he invented), this time around he did a ladder dance and balancing act that reminded me of Gene Kelly. Vaudeville-style clown Rob Torres amused with his shenanigans and audience interaction (though if you're a long-time Big Apple Circus goer, you've probably seen him and his bits before). And the Dosov acrobatic troupe performed incredible teeterboard tumbles while on pogo sticks and stilts.

But Duo Guerrero was the audience favorite hands-down, and with good reason. The husband-and-wife high-wire team are on the older side but somehow they seem to have more energy than their younger counterparts. She belted out Spanish songs while carrying her spouse across the wire on her shoulders! I think we would have given them a standing ovation if we hadn't all been glued to our seats.

The show does a great job of channeling the energy of New York City, and Times Square in particular. The setting is used creatively throughout the show. The performers, all dressed as tourists, hot dog vendors, construction workers and business people, throw off those outfits to reveal their real circus costumes underneath. The stage looks like a subway map. A miniature horse "taxi" gives rides to small dogs on its back. There's even a New Year's Eve-style countdown to midnight. And since every seat is within 50 feet of the stage, you don't need to be ringside to get a good thrill. To be honest, we were sitting in the front row and I worried that some of the performers, especially the horses, were going to end up in our laps.

Big Apple Circus: Luminocity is playing through Sunday, January 12, 2014 at Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, 62nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Tickets are $25-$175 but you can save on tickets through our affiliate Goldstar.

Find out about other fun things to do this season in our Fall Fun Guide.

All photos courtesy of Big Apple Circus.