January 19, 2000

Peking Acrobats Bring Daring Feats and Pageantry to the Stage at Ramapo College

(Mahwah) -- The Peking Acrobats, a troupe of 26 of China’s most gifted tumblers, contortionists, jugglers, bicyclists, gymnasts, and live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments will ring in the millennium by bringing their 2,000 year-old tradition of acrobatics to North America for an extensive 50-city tour. They will perform in the Sharp Theater at Ramapo College of New Jersey Sunday, February 20 at 3 p.m.

Daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs, treacherous wire walking, trick cycling, powerful precision tumbling and gymnastics showcase tremendous skill and ability and produce all the excitement and festive pageantry of a Chinese carnival. The Peking Acrobats played to sold-out houses and earned rave reviews during their previous tours from 1986 through 1999. A review in the Los Angeles Times stated, "The Peking Acrobats regularly passed from the seemingly impossible to the virtually unbelievable."

A performance by the Peking Acrobats presents the opportunity to view the epitome of a rich and ancient folk art tradition in addition to the pageantry and spectacle of a Chinese circus. The ability to perform the astounding is rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. Records of acrobatic acts can be found as early as the Ch’in Dynasty (225-207 B.C.). Acrobatics originated from the people’s daily life, drawing from their experiences in work, war and sacrificial rites. During the Warring States Period, acrobatics became widespread and during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.) acrobatics flourished and the wide variety of juggling, tumbling and magic acts came to be known as the "Hundred Entertainments." It was during this time that Emperor Wu Di presented the first grand acrobatic performance at the Imperial Court.

Today, professional acrobatic troupes travel throughout China bringing their own unique costumes, stage props and acrobatic styles to factories, villages, army units, remote areas and frontier outposts. As we enter the new millennium, the Chinese acrobatic tradition just gets stronger, due to the continued innovation of the artists and the endless enthusiasm from the public.

The Sharp Theater is located in the Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts. Tickets are: $15 general admission; $10 seniors, Ramapo faculty/staff and Friends of Ramapo; $5 students. For more information, please call (201) 684-7888.

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