Chinese State Circus: Dynasty

There are many moments in life that can inspire you to try new things and become more productive, watching the Chinese State Circus is one of those.

The Chinese State Circus is a show that will leave you in disbelief. From beginning to end the show is full of daunting athleticism, from acrobatic dancers to Shaolin Wu-Shu Warriors, moving from one end of the stage to another in a blink of an eye, there isn’t a dull second. Balancing acts that defy the rules of gravity and have been entertaining the public for thousands of years will make you forget how to breathe. The reaction from the crowd really confirms how great the show is exclamations of, “I can’t believe it” and “ incredible”, one gasp after the other. Even when there were no acts on stage the Chinese State Circus use traditional humor to keep the crowd happy. (In between acts, the Chinese State Circuses version of a ringmaster, The Monkey King, keeps the crowd laughing.)

Picking a highlight would be way too difficult although one act is imprinted in my mind, this act is the lady that balanced 9 or 10 umbrellas on her feet and flipped and kicked them using just her toes. It was truly a mind boggling experience.

Not only does the show provide incredible visuals it also gets the crowd involved by bringing members of the audience to the stage to take part in little tricks and games that made the whole crowd laugh and enjoy an intimate feeling.

The show would entertain the entire family with beautiful dancers, graceful acrobats, and powerful shaolin wu-shu warriors (otherwise known as “masters of the martial arts”). The warriors showcase their individual talents, one after the other, gracefully and at terrifyingly fast speeds dressed in their bright orange robes.
I could have lived without the balancing on tips of spears but, nevertheless, it was impressive.

The more sensitive side of the show were the wonderful dances with a very romantic acro dance that left me wondering what went wrong with my love life, the dance was full of lifts and flexibility seemingly beyond what is humanly possible.

I think the Chinese State Circus is something everyone should experience at least once. It’s not something that will be quickly forgotten.

Brighton Centre, 5 November 2016

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