National Acrobats of China

HOLY COW! How can people DO these acrobatic things???? Of course, some were just plain fun to watch...most of them simply amazing!!! I think I would describe my own reaction best by saying I was stunned, amazed and in a constant state of assumed pain. My favorite .... hmmmm .... I don't think I could pick just one favorite.

As I witnessed for myself 15 girls on one bike I was amazed, to say the least.



But the contortionist - she flabbergasted me literally! My friend brought her binoculars and this girl's face didn't even look in pain. I looked more in pain than she did...at least I FELT that way. How could she set her hind end on the back of her head, bend her body in half and rest on her belly, rest on her elbows-bend herself over them backwards AND have another standing or sitting on her legs and not scream in pain? Or even wince! Sad thing was -- she was smiling.

To see another girl lift herself onto her ONE hand and then move smoothly around was unbelievable. I have a hard enough time on the roman chair at the gym...holding my legs up (even WITH bended knees) for a substantial amount of time. Usually it is a lunge up, a hold (with my breath held too), and releasing them a few seconds later out of breath and ready to be DONE. This girl moved herself all gracefully for at least 10 minutes (well, 5 to be sure). Her face, as seen through binoculars, was smiling at us. Jeepers!!!!!

The men juggling the hats, jumping 7 feet in the air and hopping, gliding, somersaulting through hoops....amazing! How they hold themselves AND another (and another and another) thrills me to no end.


I suppose I do enjoy watching people perform at the peek of physical condition. I dream that I could do that....or maybe could have at one time. But this show was MUCH different. Even in my own sought after prime, I couldn't hold a candle to these athletes. Instead I felt way past my prime, way out of shape, and gave myself a renewed goal of getting back to my own best self physically.

I would definitely go again sometime. I wished I could have brought my children. I think they would have enjoyed it too. Maybe next time.