David Vidra is the ringmaster of Induction, a 40-member circus of pleasure and pain that's hosting a Kinky Halloween this weekend at Metropolis. On Friday, the group performs its Salem Witch Trial Suspension Exhibition -- a mock 17th-century court hearing, complete with convicted witches fastened to hooks and hoisted 15 feet into the air for 30 minutes. As DJ Gozinya spins tunes, the witches will endure 250 needles piercing their backs. "It's not like someone is running around with a needle and doing anything he wants," Vidra says. "You can't improv when you're playing with sharp, poky things." On Saturday, the troupe performs Voodoo Wedding, with Vidra choreographing the action on a stage adorned with caskets and tombstones. "And I'll put long skewers through my face," he says. The needlework happens from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday at Metropolis, 2325 Elm Street. Fetish attire or a Halloween costume is mandatory. Admission is $15; call 216-671-1160. -- Cris Glaser
Dance
Hot Feet
Despite its exotic-sounding name, the dance troupe Luna Negra doesn't hail from south of the border. Though it hails from the icy reaches of Chicago, its blend of traditional Latin footwork and modern moves is muy caliente. The limber group draws most of its influence from Latin folk dances and cultural tunes, but it fuses the history with contemporary (and very sexy) steps. Luna Negra Dance Theatre heats up the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (8501 Carnegie Avenue) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $10 and $15. They are available by calling 216-241-6000. -- Michael Gallucci
Journal Journey
11/1-1/3
Gertrude Seiberling had a thing for diaries. Good thing too: Her journals inspire Stan Hywet's Deck the Halls tour, a circa-1940 celebration of the Seiberling estate at Christmastime. The 65-room mansion is strung up with 350,000 lights and decorations, like those used by Goodyear founder F.A. Seiberling and wife Gertrude at their holiday parties. "She was quite the host," explains spokeswoman Kathleen Cuthrell. "Most of her recordings are about who was being invited, what they were serving for dinner, what set of dishes were going to be used." The grounds tour features model-train sets and a ballet of fountains. "It was really important to Gertrude and her husband, because they planned for Christmas for months," says Cuthrell. The tours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, starting Saturday and running through January 3 at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 North Portage Path in Akron. Admission is $3 to $12; call 330-836-5533. -- Cris Glaser
