Founded in 1950, the China Acrobatic Troupe is the largest in scale, most complete in variety, and greatest in artistic level of its kind in China. To date it has visited over 50 countries and regions and made significant contributions in boosting friendship between peoples of China and the world. Currently it has in its repertoire over 150 items including categories of stage, mid-air, animal taming, conjuring and funny performing among which some popular items have won awards in many competitions at home and abroad. While inheriting the essence from outstanding traditional items and carrying forward the characteristics of its own program, the troupe at the same time combines acrobatics with music, dance, drama and martial arts to present a number of thematic evenings of entertainment, which have been well received worldwide.

Time of Visiting Performance: July 15th ~ August 20th, 2002

Program: New acrobatics Universe in turmoil

Venue: Various places in Japan

Sponsor on Japan Side: Japanese Laughing Cat Corp

Time of Visiting Performance: July 20th ~September 2nd, 2002

Venue: Various places in Japan

Japanese sponsor: Asahi Business Firm

Program: rope walking, jumping through barrel, disc spinning, trick cycling, leather strap, pagoda of bowls, balancing act, rolling nails, single-hand balancing, kicking bowls by 4 performers, pyramid by 4 performers, twirling diabolo

Sent by: China External Performing Agency

Background information:

Acrobatics, a wonderful flower in the garden of arts in the world, has survived several thousand years in China.

Generally, Chinese acrobatics has the following artistic traits:

Attaching importance to basic training of waist, legs and balancing acts;

In possession of cool-headedness, ingenious and masterly skills through intensive training;

Residing marvel in ordinariness; revealing creative power of mankind with superb skills;

Skills soft and hard, light and heavy complementing each other;

A perfect combination of extraordinary strength and light-and-dexterous somersault skills;

Articles for daily use and tools for labor largely adopted as property of performance;

A splendid combination of simple industrial arts and bodily skills;

Adaptable to any places and different number of performers;

Strict in master-disciple relations while closely associated with companion arts.

Thanks to its long history and unique national style, Chinese acrobatics has enjoyed high reputation in world acrobatic circles. In several contests held at different time and different places, Chinese acrobatics has scored successive success, winning golden prize and other prizes. During the 40 years from 1957 to 1997, Chinese acrobatics had been awarded in international contests 85 gold medals and 63 silver medals, deservedly becoming a golden power in acrobatic world.

The remarkable achievements of contemporary Chinese acrobatics are the result of accumulation over long historical period as well as original creations of acrobatic artists. At the beginning of the 90s, Chinese Acrobats' Association set up the Hundred Flower Prize, the highest in Chinese acrobatic circles. The National Seedling Cup Acrobatic Contest was set up for training promising young talents. The Hebei Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival and China Wehan Acrobatic Festival held continuously for several times have created favorable conditions for young talents to grow up as well as for international exchanges.