I love to watch all kinds of live shows, be it anything from opera to circus performance I am probably into it. Doesn’t mean that I would swallow any shit but it’s just something I get kicks from. I was especially impressed with an acrobatic performance in China, where the Beijing Acrobatic Troupe was busy making skillful feats that are designed to blow your mind. I think a lot of people know that China is famous for the acrobats, but really it is something unbelievable.

The funny things is, that you kind of feel bad at the same time if you go to see these spectacles. Because once you see them with your own eyes, you understand how much work has been put into it. I recently even saw a documentary from BBC I believe, about the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe which was pretty hard to watch. Everyone starts studying acrobatics when they are just a few years old, from then on your destiny has been pretty much decided. There is really no way to refuse at that point and the teaching is really strict and you might have guessed, even violent at times. It’s hardcore dicipline, Chinese style. There are many of these camps around China, where they cannot leave and have to practice every day military style.

But then again, if you wouldn’t go and watch these shows.. maybe they couldn’t make a living anymore. And for sure, a person that has been conditioned to becoming an acrobatic for their life will not know what else to do if that one method for livelihood is taken away.

When you go to Beijing, you kind of just have to accept that fact China needs acrobatic skill to keep their tourism business going. It has to be there, and you might as well “have to” enjoy it when you visit. For the best show performed by the world famous acrobatic troupe in Beijing, head on to Chaoyang Theatre. It’s like another world, that you have never seen before. Nothing like in LA, or Cirque du Soleil. Even though that is the show that it’s often compared to. I think the Chinese style is just something totally different. A little bit rustic, concentrated on pure skill and makes you go OMG every single time.

Don’t belive me. Go and see for yourself!

Chaoyang Theatre

36 North East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Web: http://www.chaoyangacrobaticshow.com

Phone: (+86) 18612359093

E-mail: tickets (at-sign) chaoyangacrobaticshow.com

Enjoy, David Manly, //Pienisieni