Lights

For the last thirty-nine years, The Peking Acrobats have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control. The Peking Acrobats are often accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments; the time-honored Chinese music coalesces with high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats, creating an exuberant entertainment event with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.

Since their founding in 1986, The Peking Acrobats have been featured on numerous television shows and celebrity-studded TV specials. These include Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous, Ellen’s Really Big Show (hosted by Ellen DeGeneres), The Wayne Brady Show, That’s Incredible, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and NBC’s Ring In The New Year Holiday Special. The Peking Acrobats set the world record for the Human Chair Stack on FOX Network’s Guinness World Records: Primetime television show in 1999: they balanced six people precariously atop six chairs twenty one feet up in the air without safety lines, astounding audiences with their bravery and dexterity. The Peking Acrobats have also made their way onto the silver screen – company members were featured in Steven Soderbergh’s hit film Ocean’s Eleven playing alongside Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney. Peking Acrobats’ alumnus Shaobo Qin also appeared in that film’s two sequels, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.

The Peking Acrobats are part of a time-honored Chinese tradition, rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. Tradition demands that each generation of acrobats add its own improvements and embellishments; because of this, high honor is conferred upon those skilled enough to become acrobats. The Peking Acrobats seek to uphold this rich and ancient folk art tradition, bringing it to new technical heights while integrating twenty-first century technology. In the words of Clive Davis of the New York Post, “The Peking Acrobats [are] pushing the envelope of human possibility,” combining agility and grace in remarkable feats of “pure artistry.”

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! The Paramount Theater is pleased to bring diverse programming to the stage and screen. The Theater does not provide advisories about subject matter for events, as sensitivities vary. Not all events may appeal to, or be appropriate for, every person. Patrons are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the shows offered in order to make informed decisions prior to purchasing tickets.

In addition to show synopses, trailers, and reviews on our web events, other resources about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches. For further questions, please contact the Box Office at 434.979.1333 or at boxoffice@theparamount.net, 10AM-2PM Monday-Friday + 1 hour before events.