The circus is in town!

It probably won't come as much of a surprise that a Chinese circus is not at all like the Western big top. If you're expecting liontamers and elephants, then you'll be disappointed; but if you're looking for excitement and variety, then step right up.

The proper term for a Chinese circus is variety art. Like its name implies, there are so many acts that make up each show. There's no ringmaster in a red suit and a top hat here, but there is the mischievous Monkey King from Journey to the West who introduces each act.

The Chinese circus is in many ways a glimpse of Chinese culture in a nutshell. Instead of fierce hungry lions, there are liondances. Performances by Shaolin wushu warriors are also part of the show. Some shows even feature scenes from famous Beijing operas. Talk about seeing it all under one roof!

The first mention of the Chinese circus was in the Eastern Han dynasty. In his work “Ode to the Western Capital,” scholar Zhang Huang wrote of the acrobatic shows held at the royal palaces. Zheng described performances of “Old Man Huang of the Eastern Sea,” “The Dancing Fishing Dragon” and Assembly of the Immortals.”

Performers in shows like these were often looked down upon, which might explain why it was only after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that performing troupes gained respectability. There are performing troupes almost everywhere in China and special boarding schools where children can start learning acrobatic skills.

The Chinese circus is becoming more and more popular in the Western world. Who wouldn't be impressed by the “snakewomen,” who are so flexible as to seem not to have bones at all? Or the colorful costumes that dancers and acrobats have? More modern presentations could even include death-defying performances inside motorcycle globes. Plus, there's the plate spinning, the diabolo or Chinese yoyo tricks, the flying trapeze, hoops, balancing acts, tightrope walking and... have I mentioned the martial arts demonstrations?

How many plates can you spin? (Image: Wikipedia)Given the growing popularity of the Chinese circus, it's no surprise that troupes are touring in all parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, the Chinese State Circus has been giving performances since 1992. Their show includes a performance called Sensual Silks, which has been nominted for the 2008 World Circus Awards. And in honor of the Beijing Games, the troupe ends its shows with the the Olympic Nation finale.

If you want to catch one of their performances, there'll be performing as part of the Brighton Festival Fringe in May. I'm sure it will be worth it!