Chinese Acrobats Will Dazzle You

If, when you think of acrobats, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to mind, you clearly haven’t seen the Imperial Chinese Acrobats and Magicians.

Unless, of course, you caught the 44-year-old troupe when it was with “The Greatest Show on Earth” in 1992 and 1993.

The acrobats, based in Kunming, capital of China’s Yunnan province, return to Spokane for two performances at The Met today.

Last year, the Imperial Chinese Acrobats and Magicians left a Spokane audience in absolute awe with a dazzling two-hour display.

The troupe draws from a tradition of acts that date back to 221 B.C. In other words, its history is as rich and decorated as the traditional vividly colored costumes its performers wear.

The show features 14 acts, ranging from contortionists and balancing acts to jugglers and gymnasts. Some included spectacles: wire walking, bowl tossing while riding a unicycle, a human pyramid and foot juggling umbrellas and carpets.

A sure highlight will be the performance of magicians Yao Jin Fen and Qin Ming Xiao, a husband-and-wife team from Beijing. They’ve toured with the troupe for 25 years and have won recognition that includes the the Academy of Magical Arts’ Award of Merit.

“As the road manager for the group, I’ve seen them perform 50 or 60 times, and it’s always neat to see how the audience reacts,” said Wayne Larson, the show’s production and stage manager.

Show times are 1 and 7:30 p.m. The 1 p.m. matinee is a special, abridged version of the evening program. It’s one hour long and will feature the more popular acts. Tickets are $5 for the matinee. Tickets for the 7:30 show are $12, $10 for children. All tickets are available through G&B.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo