Peking Acrobats amaze and awe audience |
| Posted by Administrator on Feb 20 2008 at 5:47 PM |
Photo by Eric O'Brien
The crowd gasps as the Peking acrobats place a member on top of spears.
Hannah Hotovy
Antelope Staff
Speechless is how the Peking Acrobats left the majority of the audience on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 12, in the Health and Sports Center. The incredible feats that the acrobats accomplished showed a mind-boggling amount of strength, control and balance that, at times, seemed not humanly possible.
"Not only was the show amazing, it was unbelievable," Alyssa Sage, a freshman from Valentine, Neb., said.
"I couldn't believe how the little girl could put her body into the positions that she did." Sage's friend, Jennifer Rathman, a freshman from Farwell, Neb., also commented. "I loved it! It was amazing and the talent that they showed was...wow! I especially liked the part where all the acrobats got onto one bike and managed to keep their balance," said Rathman.
The bike act was not the only act that showed how incredible the acrobats were. The night began with an act that featured the women acrobats along with the littlest acrobat, a young girl who was as agile as a piece of putty and as strong as an ox. The women acrobats appeared on the stage spinning four plates on top of long sticks in each hand.
Then, the young girl acrobat appeared and performed a very long routine of balancing on one arm while holding onto the top of a long pole, then moving her body into positions that were unreal. At one point, she circled her feet all the way around her body and then rested them on top of her head.
The audience cheered and "oohed" and "ahhed" from their seats.
The acrobats continued to show one amazing act after another. The acts ranged from climbing up tall poles and flipping off, to spinning more than two dozen plates all at once during the "The Happy Chefs" act. They also balanced a huge tray of stacked wine glasses and candles on one acrobat's forehead as she climbed ladders.
The entire time, the audience was captivated by the show and showed their amazement and excitement through their cheering.
The audience was not only filled with the usual UNK student crowd, but several people from the Kearney community decided to get in on the action as well.
Mandi Miller, a sophomore from Hartington, Neb., said, "It's amazing that so many people showed up. It's great to see the Kearney community's support for events like this."
The Peking Acrobats also brought their Asian culture to the audience through the music, costumes and acts throughout the night. The traditional dragons, fans and costumes really brought out the Chinese culture that the Peking Acrobats intended to create.
Amber Kirkover, a sophomore from Shelton, Neb., said, "Not only was this entertaining, but it really opens our eyes to other cultures."
The sheer astonishment of the night was one that made people speechless, including Sage. "It's indescribable. You just had to be here. It's beyond words."
