Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Balancing Act

On any given day in China, approximately 100,000 acrobatic students attend schools dedicated to the craft. However, only the elite go on to tour with a professional troupe such as the Peking Acrobats, whose members symbolize the country's extreme dedication to an art form dating back thousands of years. While traditional instruments accompany the performers on their 27th North American tour, the entertainment is decidedly modern. Jaw-dropping acts include gifted tumblers bounding across the stage, contortionists who twist into seemingly impossible positions, and a bicyclist who stacks the group onto his shoulders and pedals around with ease.