They are members of the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe. This show was ERA Intersection of Time. Three consecutive acts from a much longer show. Other videos are posted online display the complete show. I was blessed to see many live performances during the mid-80's when small teams (18 or so members) would perform all across America at state fairs and amusement parks. They are the best of the best and watching them up close and live is truly a whole different experience. Enjoy the videos for now and pray that what is going on in China now will not stand for long. I never saw this particular show, as it was produced long after I followed them. The acts are classics and familiar to what we saw way back when... Hoop Diving - a basic skill for boys they may start training 6-8 yrs...sometimes down on ground level or a table as seen here...I've seen men in their mid-30's still perform this act Jar Juggling - another act for males, but passed down from master level teacher to selected students once they have basic skills..this act dates back 2,000 years and would be performed to celebrate good harvests every spring (or perhaps to bring about good crops...by the throwing up of large urns into the air and catching them) Fei T'ian - or Flying to Heaven mimics the cave paintings of the Dunhuang grottoes whereas the drawings were said to depict poses for the emperor.. sometimes only a pair of young girls would demonstrate this routine together moving flawlessly to music of the guqin (i believe).. one of the string instruments, not one in the western orchestra Their performers practice endlessly. They will train 6-7 years before ever seeing the stage...and most will be cut anywhere along the way, as there is such a large supply of hands (as i was told back in the day). The ones who make it will be able to travel abroad and perhaps meet people like me...who will never forget them.
