Peking Acrobats to thrill at the Paramount

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The Peking Acrobats will perform at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.  |  Tom Meinhold Photography

Updated: February 3, 2012 12:06PM

Although many audience members will marvel at how The Peking Acrobats defy the laws of gravity, physics and body mechanics, those are not the only reasons that the performances are so appealing, according to Cynthia Dike-Hughes, the co-producer of The Peking Acrobats.

“I think that The Peking Acrobats are about people coming together to celebrate what is possible in life,” Dike-Hughes said.

“When you see these performers, and what they can do, it makes you want to go out and be the best you can be in your chosen field of endeavor. It’s that striving to be the best we can be that makes the show so appealing and so awe-inspiring to so many.”

The Peking Acrobats will perform on Feb. 11 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.

The Peking Acrobats, a troupe of gifted tumblers, contortionists, jugglers, cyclists and gymnasts from the People’s Republic of China, transform 2,000-year-old traditions of agility and grace into a modern-day event of entertainment. The current tour features 25 performers and five musicians.

“The show is so much more than just a series of stunts,” Dike-Hughes said. “It is a beautifully-orchestrated fantasy that really transports audiences to another realm. We also have special effects and lighting that are added to the show. All of this, coupled with the live musicians playing Chinese instruments, creates an incredible entertainment event, melding the traditional and the modern into an amazing show.”

The Peking Acrobats first toured North America in 1986, so 2012 marks the troupe’s 26th North American tour. Since then, The Peking Acrobats have performed their amazing displays of contortion, flexibility and control to audiences worldwide.

In addition, The Peking Acrobats have been featured on numerous television shows and specials including ABC TV’s “Wide World of Sports,” “The Wayne Brady Show,” NBC TV’s “Ring In The New Year Holiday Special” and Nickelodeon’s “Unfabulous.”

The acts that The Peking Acrobats perform include balancing and juggling, such as the jugglers and contortionist who perform incredible moves while balancing things like glasses and jars on their heads, hands, and feet. Troupe members also perform acts of dexterity, such as the plate-spinning performers who balance multiple plates on top of bamboo rods, while tumbling, and balancing on each other’s shoulders.

“They perform acts of bravery and daring when they balance atop the chairs,” Dike-Hughes said. “In one act, one man goes up a stack of chairs about 20 feet in the air, and does hand stands and other maneuvers atop the chairs. In another act, the ladies balance 20 feet high on top of multiple chairs stacked on top of each other, and do hand stands while atop the chairs. Personally, I think these acts are the most difficult, but all the acts have their own degree of difficulty, and each act requires a lot of training to master.

“That’s why we tell everyone at our shows,” Dike-Hughes said. “‘Please, don’t try this at home!’”