The Peking Acrobats
The Peking Acrobats
(March 19, 2025 7:00pm)
Since its founding in 1986, the Peking Acrobats have redefined our perceptions of the ancient
art. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their
technical prowess at trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics.
They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion,
flexibility, and control. The traditional Chinese music combined with high-tech special effects
and awe-inspiring acrobatics to create an entertainment event with the festive pageantry of
Chinese Carnival.
The Peking Acrobats are part of a Chinese tradition rooted in centuries of the country’s history
and folk art. Tradition says that each generation of acrobats must add its own improvements
and embellishments to what has come before. It is a great honor to be called an acrobat and
The Peking Acrobats seek to uphold the rich and ancient folk art tradition while bringing it to
new heights by integrating 21 st -century technology.
The Peking Acrobats have been featured on numerous television shows and specials,
including The Wayne Brady Show, That’s Incredible, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and NBC’s Ring
in the New Year Holiday Special. The Peking Acrobats set the world record for the Human Chair
Stack on Fox Network’s Guinness Book Primetime Special; they balanced six people precariously
atop six chairs 21 feet in the air without safety lines. Several of the acrobats have appeared on
the big screen. Company members were featured in Steven Soderbergh’s hit film Ocean’s
Eleven, and alumnus Shaobo Qin also appeared in the film’s two sequels, Ocean’s
Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.
In 2003, the group achieved another milestone with an orchestral debut at the Hollywood Bowl.
They appeared as part of the “Fireworks Season Finale,” and blended their unique brand of
acrobatics with the sound of the 100-piece Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. They have since
performed with the Atlanta Symphony; the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, featuring members of
the Chicago Symphony; the San Diego Symphony; the Cincinnati Pops; the Buffalo
Philharmonic; and the San Francisco Symphony.
Since its European debut in Italy in 2005, the Acrobats have performed in seven European
countries on six European tours. The Italian tour covered 12 cities over five weeks and played to
sold-out crowds and critical acclaim.
Clive Davis of The New York Post has said that “The Peking Acrobats (are) pushing the envelope
of human possibility,” combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of “pure artistry.”
(March 19, 2025 7:00pm)
Since its founding in 1986, the Peking Acrobats have redefined our perceptions of the ancient
art. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their
technical prowess at trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics.
They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion,
flexibility, and control. The traditional Chinese music combined with high-tech special effects
and awe-inspiring acrobatics to create an entertainment event with the festive pageantry of
Chinese Carnival.
The Peking Acrobats are part of a Chinese tradition rooted in centuries of the country’s history
and folk art. Tradition says that each generation of acrobats must add its own improvements
and embellishments to what has come before. It is a great honor to be called an acrobat and
The Peking Acrobats seek to uphold the rich and ancient folk art tradition while bringing it to
new heights by integrating 21 st -century technology.
The Peking Acrobats have been featured on numerous television shows and specials,
including The Wayne Brady Show, That’s Incredible, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and NBC’s Ring
in the New Year Holiday Special. The Peking Acrobats set the world record for the Human Chair
Stack on Fox Network’s Guinness Book Primetime Special; they balanced six people precariously
atop six chairs 21 feet in the air without safety lines. Several of the acrobats have appeared on
the big screen. Company members were featured in Steven Soderbergh’s hit film Ocean’s
Eleven, and alumnus Shaobo Qin also appeared in the film’s two sequels, Ocean’s
Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.
In 2003, the group achieved another milestone with an orchestral debut at the Hollywood Bowl.
They appeared as part of the “Fireworks Season Finale,” and blended their unique brand of
acrobatics with the sound of the 100-piece Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. They have since
performed with the Atlanta Symphony; the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, featuring members of
the Chicago Symphony; the San Diego Symphony; the Cincinnati Pops; the Buffalo
Philharmonic; and the San Francisco Symphony.
Since its European debut in Italy in 2005, the Acrobats have performed in seven European
countries on six European tours. The Italian tour covered 12 cities over five weeks and played to
sold-out crowds and critical acclaim.
Clive Davis of The New York Post has said that “The Peking Acrobats (are) pushing the envelope
of human possibility,” combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of “pure artistry.”
