Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Inaugural U.S. Tour of THE NATIONAL ACROBATS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA in Philadelphia, Nov. 20

OCTOBER 21, 2011

As part of its inaugural 2011 U.S. and Canada tour, The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China makes their Philadelphia debut with a performance of adrenaline-charged, gravity-defying acrobatic acts in Verizon Hall on Sunday, November 20, 2011.  Founded in 1950, The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China has received prizes from the prestigious Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris and Festival International du Cirque de Monte-Carlo with performances of “China Soul,” “Reverie,” “Acrobatic Spectacular” and “Splendid,” among other acts.

 

Their program is a unique combination of both eastern and western art, including: “In the Moonlight,” breathtaking classical ballet dancing with acrobatic hand to hand balancing techniques; a rendition of “Swan Lake;” “Joyful Songs & Tunes” with festive singing, dancing, plates spinning, and backward bending on head technique; “Flying Meteors,” one of the oldest Chinese acrobat acts at least 2,000 years old, modernized with mastered tumbling skill; “Crystal of White Snow,” spectacular waist and leg contortion skills; “Hand in Hand,” signifying the importance of families and brotherly harmony; “Gorgeous Girls,” a combination of skipping and catching diabolo techniques and Peking Opera Huadan.

 

After a brief intermission, the program continues with “Marching and Arraying,” challenging, gravity defying tumbling through hoops at various speeds with dazzling somersaults; “Soaring,” with three person pyramid on ladder jumping stairs; “Drizzling Evenfall,” with actresses simultaneously juggling five umbrellas on acrobats’ backs; “Buffoonery with Fly Knife Skill;” “Wings of the Wind,” a unique balancing act on fast moving bicycles including fantastic 24 person “peacock’s spreading tail;” “The Five Musical Elements” with “King of Nine Balls” hand juggling act while climbing down and up  stairs; “Buckjumps and Rhythm” with breathtaking throwing and catching of traditional bowl skills including Chinese characteristic movements with acrobats throwing an actress to the top of a human pagoda with three persons standing vertically.

 

Tickets for The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China are available from $15 to $45 by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office located on Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (open daily from 10am to 6pm, later on performance evenings.)

 

Direct from Beijing, The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China was the first national performing arts troupe established by the government of the People’s Republic of China and has performed intensively throughout the world. The company owns a large Institution for Acrobatic Schooling, Training and Repertoire in Beijing, China with over 150 acrobatic resident performers and over 500 acrobatic students of all ages. The company's repertoire includes a myriad of international and national gold prize winning acts, such as "Slack Wire" (Presidential Gold Award at the 24th Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris), "Diabolo" (Presidential Gold Award at the 26th Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris), "Pagoda of Bowls" (Golden Clown Award at the 28th Monte Carlo International Circus Festival), among others.

 

Funded by a special grant from the Beijing Municipality, the company invests each year in new productions as well as acrobatic science research and creation in addition to the training facilities of the center, which with its dedication to improvement of and renewing of Acrobatic standards has become one of the largest acrobatic and circus arts center's in China and the world. The company has toured abroad to over forty countries including Switzerland, Israel, Finland, Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, India, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Costa Rica, Dominica Republic, Sweden, Mexico, Russia, Portugal and Spain.

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Kimmel Center, Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit organization, owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center.  Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and the University of the Arts’ Merriam Theater. Our mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience from throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. The 2011/2012 season is sponsored by Citi.  For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org. 

 

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