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Vaulting through hoops, somersaulting across human bodies and hanging from silks, the Peking Acrobats will be dazzling audiences on February 26 at George Mason Performing Arts Center.
The Peking Acrobats was started in 1986 by President Don Hughes and Artistic Director Ken Hai in an effort to bring Chinese culture to the West.
“Our show is unique because…we at IAI productions try to remain true to the artistic integrity of the original acrobats,” said Cynthia Hughes.
The show will be the troupe’s 28th tour in North America. For those who have already seen the acrobats perform, Hughes says that in this performance, the Jigu dummers will be making an appearance. Teh Jigu drummers hail from the Shanxi province of China and they tour on their own as well.
Over the years, company members have toured throughout Europe, South and Central America, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, monte Carlo, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Istrael, and the United States. They range in age from 14-25 years old.
Training to become one of the members of the Stars of the Peking Acrobats begins at an early age. “Some of the acrobats start when they’re 5 years old and they watch their parents become acrobats,” Hughes said.
The Peking Acrobats have performed on Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous, and Ellen’s Really Big Show, hosted by daytime talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres. They have performed with the San Francisco Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. They have been featured in star-studded feature films, including Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s 11.
The Peking Acrobats will be in the DC area on Feb. 26, 2014 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $32. For more information, visit http://www.hyltoncenter.org/calendar/352/
