Riding a bicycle while standing on the seat. Catching a spinning spool on a thin string after completing a flip. These may sound like impossible feats to the average person, but for members of The Imperial Acrobats of China, it’s just a daily occurrence. Now you can see this young and talented troupe of performers at Circus Circus Reno! These seven pixie acrobats from China perform dazzling displays of balance, bravery, and speed.

This troupe was formed by producer Yan Ping Zhao in Beijing, China. A performer himself, Yan Ping performed at Circus Circus Reno in the early 1990’s. He became a teacher in Beijing five years ago and is very excited to be back at Circus Circus. Yan Ping keeps the girls on task with daily rehearsals in order to achieve technical skills of the highest quality, and he also keeps them caught up in their schooling.

The Imperial Acrobats of China consist of twin sisters Lin Deng and Yu Deng, Jia Xin He, Yan Liu, Xiao Yu Ma, Si Nan Wang, and Xiao Chen Xo. The troupe performs four different and exciting acts: Diabolo, Unicycle, Foot Juggling, and the extremely exciting Bicycles.

The Diabolo act is just one of this troupe's amazing performances. A diabolo is a juggling prop consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand. This astounding act is incredibly difficult to master and requires all the performers to act and move as one smoothly flowing group. They toss the diabolos high into the air, catching and transferring them from string to string. The precisely timed choreography and intense concentration required for this show makes Diabolo a crowd favorite.

In what is perhaps the most impressive show, the bicycle acts finds these girls riding bicycles in unison and performing amazing stunts. The girls ride on only the back wheel of their bikes, arms intertwined, while spinning the front wheels. They also stand on the seats while the bikes continue their motion around the stage. Most impressively, they flip through the air from the shoulders of one girl to the next, never missing a beat on the bikes.

Performance schedules are posted near the Midway Stage and on the Mezzanine. For more information on this, or any other world-class circus show, please call Circus Circus at (775) 329-0711.

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