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List of Tricks

Barrel contortionistAn acrobat maneuvers in and out of a narrow barrel in various contortions, including

handstands and toe touches.

Bench balanceAcrobats balance bowls of rice on their heads while they move in handstands on stackedbenches.

Bowl pilingA unicyclist balances on a table and, without falling off the cycle or table, kicks up bowls, kettles,and spoons to a pile on her head.

CyclingChinese acrobats use both unicycles and bicycles to perform stunts on. One of the most impressivefeats is the use of cycles to create human pyramids. Acrobats sometimes also incorporate roller skates into their

act.

Diabolo skillThe word diabolo is not from Spanish diablo (devil) but from the Greek dia bolo for throwacross. The skill originated from tricks with the Chinese yo-yo, which a user throws back and forth on string

between two sticks. It is a traditional Chinese sport; jugglers compete with tricks on the diabolo, using sticks to

spin and toss the yo-yo in the air.

Double-bottle balance actFor this act, the acrobat uses his head to balance a layered stack of glasses and

trays. To heighten the difficultly of the skill, the glasses are filled with water and the acrobat plays an instrumentand dances, all without spilling a drop.

Double-fixed polesThis is one of the most ancient acrobatic skills and is depicted in drawings from over 1,000years ago. Performers shimmy up freestanding poles and jump from pole to pole.

Hoop divingAnother of the most ancient Chinese acrobatic traditions, hoop diving was originally calledSwallow Play because jumpers attempted to imitate the graceful movements of the bird as they dove through

rings.

Lion danceThe lion dance is combination of dance and martial arts. The lion is a symbol of strength andhappiness, and the dance is performed to ward away evil spirits and to bring good luck.

Meteor jugglingA performer swings a rope with glass bowls on either end. The acrobat somersaults and twirlsthe rope, all without spilling the water in the bowls.

Pagoda bowl balanceIn this hand-to-hand balance, a male acrobat stands on the floor while a femalebalances a bowl of rice on her head and handstands on his head.

Rope walkingOne of the oldest recorded acrobatic skills, rope walking dates back to the Han Dynasty of over2,000 years ago. Any acrobatic feat performed on a tightrope falls into this category.

Suspended StripsThis acrobatic skill began as a folk sport. It is similar to trapeze work, but instead of a barfixed onto strings, acrobats use two cloth strips to show off upper body strength.

WushuWushu literally means martial art. The title usually refers to Chinese traditional group gymnastics,made a national sport in China in 1949. As a sport, wushu parallels gymnasticsthere are choreographed

routines that include somersaults, lifts and jumps. The term wushu was first applied to hand-to-hand combat and

other military self- defense training over 3,000 years ago.

China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival

China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival is held in Shijiazhuang in November every other

year, sponsored by the Ministry of National Culture and the Government of Hebei Province. The

festival was named after Wuqiao County, which, with a long acrobatic history, is the famous

hometown of acrobatics in China.

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China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival is the largest one at the highest level in China. It

has successfully been held eight times since 1987 and the Gold Lion Prize awarded at the

Wuqiao Festival has become one of the coveted prizes in international acrobatics.

The First China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival was held in Shijiazhuang, the capital

city of Hebei Province from October 25 to November 1, 1987. Thirty programs from Australia,

France, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mexico, the former Soviet Union and the

People's Republic of China participated in the festival.