The National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China

D i r ec t f rom B e ij i n g , Th e People ’ s R e pu b li c of C h i n a

NATIONAL ACROBATS the PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC of CHINA

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Ms. Zhang Hong General Director Mrs. Sun Lili Artistic Director

f r i day OCtober 21 7:30pm

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., the maker of Science Diet® and Prescription Diet® pet foods is proud to be the VIP sponsor of The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China.

This season, Hill’s celebrates 13 years of sponsoring Lied Center events.

This event is sponsored, in part, by the Lied Performance Fund.

Audio description services and recorded program notes are provided through a partnership between the Lied Center and Audio-Reader Network.

Please turn off or silence cellular phones and other electronic devices during performances. Food and drink are not allowed inside the hall.

Cameras and recording devices are strictly prohibited in the auditorium.

D i r ec t f rom B e ij i n g , Th e People ’ s R e pu b li c of C h i n a

TH E N ATION A L ACROBATS OF TH E PEOPLE’S R EPU BLIC OF CH I N A Ms. Zhang Hong, General Director Mrs. Sun Lili, Artistic Director

Opening Ceremony.................................................................................................. All Performers In the Moonlight................................................................................... Zang Shibo and Han Ying

(Ballet and hand-to-hand balancing)

This act features an acrobat dancing on the shoulders, arms, elbows and palms of another acrobat. This unique combination of both eastern and western art adds breathtaking features to classical ballet and a sense of elegance to acrobatic hand-to-hand balancing techniques.

The Swan Lake (Buffoonery)

Joyful Songs and Tunes.............................Li Jiasi, Wang Xue, Fan Mengdie and company (Plate spinning)

This incredible and beautiful act is truly one of the top plate spinning programs. During this performance, an acrobat festively sings, dances and presents a variety of nearly impossible feats while she spins ten plates. One of the plate spinning performances, “backward bending on head,” features an acrobat bending backwards and holding spinning plates while standing on another acrobat’s head. It is truly amazing and highlights marvelous accordion-like posture.

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Award Winner: The original edition of this act won the Golden Lion Award at the 4th China National Acrobatic Festival.

Flying Meteors.................... Yu Xiaoyang, Li Shuangfu, Zuo Xiang, Gang Feiei and Gu Yu This is one of the oldest of Chinese acrobatic acts. Though it is at least 2,000 years old, it has been modernized with the addition of tumbling. Many more acrobats are mastering it today because it symbolizes the relief from modern day stresses, especially for the younger generation.

National Acrobats of the people’s republic of china

Crystal of White Snow............................................................Di Hui, Yang Zihui and company (Contortionists with cups)

Acrobats complete unbelievable contortion poses while holding numerous glass pagodas and standing on a board balanced on the heads of other acrobats. This act demonstrates first class balancing and spectacular waist and leg contortion skills. One of the highlights is watching an acrobat stand on one foot while supporting two others with just her hands. It is amazing and is a technique worth seeing.

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Award Winner: The original edition of this act won the Crystal Award at the 12th International Circus Festival of Massy, France.

Hand in Hand................................................................................. Li Zhenyu and Zuo Chaofeng Families are extremely important for society. In this act, the acrobats portray the unity brothers have and the harmony and happiness it brings to the world.

Diabolos...............................................................Yang Di, Yang Tianzi, Meng Si and company (Gorgeous girls)

This act features Huadan, the vivacious young woman character from the Peking Opera, performing a unique combination of acrobatic techniques with the diabolo, a Chinese version of the yo-yo. Acrobats dressed in splendid costumes perform difficult movements that fill the act with character and vitality. These include skipping and catching the diabolo and spinning on a table while tossing and catching.

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Award Winner: This act won the President Award at the 26th International Circus Festival of Tomorrow, France. It also received golden awards both at home and abroad.

Intermission (20 Minutes) Marching and Arraying.................. Qiu Jiangming, Gong Yunpeng, Li Shuo and company (Tumbling through hoops)

This act, performed with enthusiasm, challenges gravity and features a hoop that is more than 10 feet tall. Passionately tumbling through hoops with speedy and dazzling somersaults, the acrobats astonish the audience with outstanding gymnastic movements.

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Award Winner: The original edition of this act won the Golden Award at the 1998 International Circus Festival of Warsaw, Poland.

Soaring.....................................................................................Wang Yang, Li Jiasi and company (Balancing on ladder)

In this act, a ladder stands vertically and glass pagodas roll in the air because of the acrobats’ skill and perfect balance. The three-person pyramid on the ladder is amazing and proves that nothing is impossible.

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Award Winner: This act won the Golden Award at the 2001 Spring of April International Arts Festival, North Korea.

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Drizzling Evenfall................................................................................ Chen Lei and Li Shengjing (Umbrella juggling)

Some performers juggle umbrellas on a chair, but in this act you will see a performer juggling on the back of another acrobat. You will see umbrellas flying around with precision and the performance of “simultaneous juggling five umbrellas” will leave you speechless.

Buffoonery.................................................................................................... Guo Xun and Guo Bin (Flying knife skills)

Wings of the Wind............................................Wang Yan, Wang Xue, Li Jiasi and company (Bicycle skills)

This act portrays a group of young and energetic city girls on bicycles. This act presents the most unique balancing skills on fast moving bicycles you have ever seen. The most spectacular part of this performance, “peacock spreading its tail,” features 24 people balancing on two bicycles.

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Award Winner: The original edition of this act won the Golden Lion Award at the 3rd China National Acrobatic Festival.

The Five Musical Elements......................................................................................Zhao Hanlong (Hand juggling with balls)

Different from traditional juggling, this act features a juggler throwing the balls on the floor and catching them. The real amazing part comes when the juggler does this while climbing stairs.

Juggling nine balls is also a highlight of this act, earning the juggler the title “King of Nine Balls.”

Grand Pagoda of Bowls............... Wang Yang, Huang Shifeng, Tian Tianyu and company (Buckjumps and rhythm)

By combining traditional bowl-balancing skills with breathtaking throwing and catching techniques, this act gives you rhythm and silence. The Chinese characteristic is vividly presented during this performance. The spectacular movements such as “single hand balancing and rolling,” “hand throwing and catching continuously” and “throwing up to the fourth level” are not found anywhere else in the world.

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Award Winner: This act won the Golden Clown Award at the 28th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo, which is recognized as the “Acrobatic Oscars.”

It has also received other golden awards both at home and abroad.

Closing Ceremony

National Acrobats of the people’s republic of china

Progr a m N otes From Beijing, China, The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China (China National Acrobatic Troupe) is the first national performing arts troupe established by the government of the People’s Republic of China. The company has performed extensively throughout the world, and its repertoire includes a myriad of international and national gold prize winning acts such as Slack Wire (Presidential Gold Award at the 24th Cirque de Demain Festival, Paris), Diabolo (Presidential Gold Award at the 26th Cirque de Demain Festival, Paris), Grand Pagoda of Bowls (Golden Clown Award at the 28th Monte Carlo International Circus Festival) and more. The company’s acts have received sensational reviews both at home and abroad for numbers such as China Soul, Reverie, Acrobatic Spectacular and Splendid.

The company owns a large institution for acrobatic schooling, training and repertoire in Beijing. The institution has over 150 acrobatic resident performers and over 500 acrobatic students of all ages. Funded by a special grant from the Beijing municipality, the company invests each year in new productions, acrobatic science research and the training facilities of the center. With its dedication to improving and renewing acrobatic standards, the institution has become one of the largest acrobatic and circus arts centers in the world.

The company has toured more than forty countries including Switzerland, Israel, Finland, Italy, France, Germany, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, India, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Sweden, Mexico, Russia, Portugal and Spain. This year the company is making its inaugural tour of the United States and Canada.

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Parents! wo

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Herbie Hancock Sun, Oct 30 7:30pm

An Evening with David Sedaris Wed, NOV 9 7:30pm

Th e Li e d Ce nte r Special

5:30pm to ½-hour after final curtain • 12 months through 12 years old $20 for your first child • $10 for each additional child OR enjoy a reduced hourly rate Registration fee waived on performance nights! **Must register at least 2 days in advance.

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More info and registration forms can be found at www.imaginechildcare.com.

Purchase your Lied Center tickets at 785-864-2787 or lied.ku.edu National Acrobats of the people’s republic of china

2011-1 2 Friends of the Lied Update

This list includes individuals and businesses that have initiated or renewed their Friends of the Lied membership since the original list was published.

Business Friends Fellow ($2,500+) Bigg’s Barbecue Patron ($500+) The Janssen Clinic of Natural Medicine INDIVIDUAL Friends Benefactor ($1,000+) Venkata & Neeli Bendapudi Don & Carol Hatton Patron ($500+) Karen & Dennis Christilles Tod & Sidney Sutton Jan & Dale Willey Sponsor ($250+) John W. & Ferry Evans David & Diana Ice Lucy Price

You can support the Lied, too!

For more information or to join Friends of the Lied, contact the Lied Center Director of Development, Megan Poindexter, at 785-864-2788 or meganp@ku.edu or go to lied.ku.edu/donate.

Contributor ($100+) John & Eliza Bullock George & Gloria Byers Janice & Robert Cobb Richard & Betty Colbert Robert Friauf William Sharp & Sonya Lancaster Dr. Allan & Margi Ross Sharon Graham & Anthea Scouffas Charles Silvestri Lori Norwood & Doug Stull Forrest & Donna Swall Friends ($50+) Eva S. Alley Cara Nossaman Anderson Karen Hall Mary Jones Bruce Levine Earl & Dee Anne Waters

The Lied Center is grateful for gifts of all sizes.

We apologize for any errors or omissions.

2011-12 Friends of the Lied Update

A salute to our VIP Sponsors We proudly recognize our Very Important Partners. Not only do our VIP Sponsors offer essential financial contributions, they also provide valuable and enthusiastic promotion of Lied Center performances to their customers, employees and the community.

Their commitment to the performing arts allows us to provide education activities, free school performances and high-quality events each year. We honor our VIP Sponsors throughout the season on our electronic sign and with onstage recognition at their selected performances.

We hope you will also thank them when you visit their businesses. For more information regarding our sponsorship program, contact the Lied Center Director of Development, Megan Poindexter, at 785-864-2788.

Elvis Lives

Open House and Community Arts Festival An Evening with David Sedaris

Mamma Mia! The National Acrobats of China Suzanne Farrell Ballet

FARFALLE (Butterflies)

The Intergalactic Nemesis & Chiara String Quartet The Celtic Tenors

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Herbie Hancock

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AnDa Union & The Chamber Ensemble of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra & Jing Xing Dance Theatre

South Pacific

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A salute to our Media Sponsors

Media sponsors provide important underwriting for Lied Center performances.

Their contributions give invaluable support for advertising, promotions and marketing.

For information on becoming a media sponsor, please call 785-864-3469.

Mnozil Brass

An Evening with David Sedaris

A SALUTE TO OUR VIP SPONSORS

The Intergalactic Nemesis