Impending disaster is just part of the show for these nimble acrobats

Many children dream of running away to the circus, and though the New Shanghai Circus is not what people might typically envision, it just might be the circus to run away to.

They might not be the classic three ring circus with performing animals, but these Chinese daredevils certainly don’t disappoint.

The crowded theater waited anxiously on Feb. 2 for the show to begin and when it did, the performance jumped from one exhilarating act to the next.

Some of the electrifying acts included the spectacular tight wire, jar juggling, strap climbing, ladder balancing and contortion performances.

The crowd sat on the edge of its collective seat with an almost palpable sense of anxiety as the acrobats climbed on top of each other, making a tower four men high. The suspense thickened as the precarious tower began to lean, nearly tipping. The crowd gasped as the tower finally did tip, which was followed by cheers of excitement when each man rolled and flipped at the last possible moment, landing perfectly and without injury. What seemed like impending disaster was just part of the show.

The clowns had what looked like whoopee cushions for ears instead of wearing big red noses, and their act really got the crowd rolling with laughter.

The audience could not pull their eyes away as the contortionist twisted, bended and stretched in the most unnatural of ways, making yoga look like child’s play.

Overall the performance was phenomenal. As the audience exited the theater excited chatter about the show could be heard, and comments like, “That was amazing,” or even, “That was so exceptional.” There was not a single dissatisfied person with the awe inspiring performance of the New Shanghai Circus.