After two extremely successful seasons of Chinese acrobat productions at the Smoky Mountain Palace, the upcoming third edition of Cirque de Chine has been widely anticipated. As with past performances, the theater once again delivers what has been described as the best production east of Las Vegas. A combination of the old and new creates a remarkable presentation of the finest China has to offer.
By “old” they don’t mean “age,” but instead their returning acts, such as the fabulous Thunder Drums and the Flying Motorcycles. The Thunder Drums all-girl ensemble charmed audiences during the initial 2007 season, but were absent last year when they participated in the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Celebrity status is becoming standard for these ladies, as members of the group were featured in the Jet Li movie Fearless, and also have performed for selected military officials at the West Point Military Academy in New York. Altogether, the ladies have performed in eleven countries outside China and are in constant demand for road tours during the off-season.
Expect to bite your nails and feel your heart race as the Flying Motorcycles perform the act that landed them in Guinness World Records. Perhaps in the past you have seen one, two, or (if you were really lucky) three motorcycles performing at the same time encased in a large metal ball. These guys take it to the extreme by placing five motorcycles inside a 26-foot ball, all going in different directions at the same time.
By “new,” they don’t mean “new acts just created,” but rather the traditional Chinese cultural acrobatics performed by an award-winning troupe new to the Smoky Mountain Palace. The acrobatics include the men’s conventional hoop-diving, and ladies taking the hoop to a new level. Plate-spinning is included but with an entirely new twist. The diabolo (or Chinese yoyo), the favorite acrobatic act in China, demonstrates that gravity can be controlled. They guarantee that you’ll find yourself holding your breath with the surprises that are in store for you.
Another act that is new to this area is the Face Off (or Mask Changing). This is a form of Chinese expressionist theater documented to be at least 300 years old, in which performers change their masks in the blink of an eye. Even though there are nearly 1 1/2 billion people in China, less than 200 performers have mastered this skill and they are sworn to secrecy about the method behind it. It has to be seen to be believed, but even then you won’t believe your eyes. |
