Beijing acrobats bring Chinese culture to Washington

Global Business

The Beijing Acrobatic Troupe is still thrilling crowds, more than 60 years after it was founded. Their latest performance was a special event in Washington.

CGTN’s Frances Kuo reports.

Zhou Lu is a performer with the Beijing acrobatic troupe.

“Before you perform you’re bound to feel a little nervous,” Lu said.

Lu was among the first performers on a stage thousands of miles away from her hometown of Beijing. But, being in the spotlight is where she also feels at home.

“After the program, when you hear the applause and the screams, I just don’t want to get off the stage,” she said.

She’s been with the Beijing acrobatic troupe for 19 years as a part of the drum tap dancing act. She performed with the famous Cirque du Soleil at the age of nine.

The 17 performers taking the stage are the most elite in their field, with physical abilities of all kinds. The competition is fierce and the training tough.

“We look at the physical condition of the kids. If they are chosen to be the acrobats, they will earn the basic skills of the acrobatic program,” Wang Xiaoying, the president of Beijing acrobatic troupe said.

For juggler Bao Dongwei, some aspects can be challenging.

“My juggling is a solo program and requires a lot of training, so it can feel very lonely,” said Dongwei.

The acrobats’ performance is part of a special event at the Kennedy Center which lets audiences get up close and personal with the traditions of the Lunar New Year and the Chinese culture.