Peking Acrobats

The Peking Acrobats display the amazing grace and charisma of The history of Chinese acrobatics is rich in tradition and dates back more than 2000 years. It began with folk arts: tumbling, juggling ordinary household objects jugglers,cyclists daredevils, clowns and balancing.

Myth and religion also influenced the acrobatic performing arts. For instance, the Lion Dance is Buddhist in origin. The lion was seen as the reincarnation of a woman, and was often teased into revealing her true identity. This dance was a symbol of spiritual renewal and also revered for dispelling bad luck.
Originally, court entertainments involving acrobatics were formal and monotonous— quite the opposite of the lively, folk arts of the people. Eventually, however, the excitement of the acrobat’s amazing feats caught and held the attention of the ruling class, and acrobatic performers were routinely invited to the court to entertain and impress visiting dignitaries. The varied acts of tumbling, singing, dancing and juggling became known as The Hundred Entertainments during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). And of course, the acrobatic arts have always maintained their popularity with the people.

Today the acrobat in China is considered an artist. Generations of families carry on this highly acclaimed and popular tradition. Children begin training at a young age and adhere to a rigorous training schedule which they follow for the rest of their lives. The Peking Acrobats have traveled the world, sharing their special brand of enchantment with a global audience. They have played to sold-out houses and earned
rave reviews and have appeared on many television specials, and they set the world record for the Human Chair Stack on Fox’s Guinness Book Primetime show, where they astounded audiences with their bravery and dexterity as they balanced six people precariously atop six chairs—21 feet up in the air without safety lines. They have been featured in the hit film Ocean’s Eleven, directed by Steven Soderbergh, where they worked with such silver screen luminaries as Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and George Clooney. Company members also appear in that film’s sequel, Ocean’s Twelve. It is with much pride and pleasure that The Peking Acrobats embark on their nineteenth North American Tour. Sit back, relax and enjoy as our performers reveal to you their mastery of an ancient art form, thousands of years in the making.