The Weill Center presents The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats

On their 30th North American Theater Tour, The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats will appear at the Stefanie H. Weill Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29.

Produced by IAI Presentations Inc., The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats offers more than a glimpse into the fascinating Orient. It consists of sensational Chinese acrobatics, balancing feats, martial arts displays, and much more.

A truly oriental spectacular and a show for all ages, the grace and precision of the acrobats are the triumph of years of dedicated training and discipline, but their art has been formed by centuries of tradition. Chinese acrobatics are, in fact, much more than just a series of stunts. Most of these acts clearly demonstrate the achievement of perfection through finding harmony between mind and body – an ancient concept in the Orient.

The group has performed throughout South America, Central America, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Monte Carlo, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, and the United States. In the early days, they burst upon the American stage, appearing with celebrities such as Liberace while playing casinos in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and Reno. Besides appearing on many TV specials, The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats have also been seen on the Family Channel’s “Home and Family Show,” hosted by Christina Ferrari, KTLA’s “Good Morning – LA,” and New York One News. They have also been seen on CNN, where they were interviewed by Christina Amanpour, as well as Calgary’s “Big Breakfast” morning show on the A-Channel in Canada. They have met many celebrities and dignitaries over the years, including former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Roslyn.

On their annual sold-out theater tours, The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats astound audiences with their incredible talents night after night, in city after city. The overwhelming response of the audience is a testament to the popularity of their unique brand of entertainment. The performers enjoy traveling the world, sharing their ancient art with audiences young and old. From major performing arts venues to colleges, universities and prestigious arts festivals across North America, this versatile and fun attraction thrills audiences with their death-defying dexterity and skill.

Training to become a member of the touring company begins at an early age. It is, in fact, a family affair as the children who watch their parents contort, leap and sail through the air from the time they are able to see, obviously take it for granted that they will, in time, do the same, and they invariably do. Becoming an accomplished Chinese Acrobat in The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats Company offers the performer a certain special status in China, equivalent to that of an American Opera star, and allows them the opportunity to travel around the world, sharing their talents with a wide variety of audiences.

Formal lessons and training begin at the age of 5 or 6, when observation has already become a fantastic teacher. There are three schools for the arts in China; the first dealing with dance, the second with Chinese opera and the third with acrobatics. Here, acrobatic students spend four hours each day going through their paces, so that by the time they reach the age of 14 or 15, their art has become a part of their daily lives and is virtually second nature.

Second nature it is to the Hai Family from China, whose expertise directing and leading The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats for almost 30 years has met with great success and standing ovations across North America and around the world. In acrobatic circles, the family name Hai is highly respected and synonymous with physical feats of daring and skill across Asia. These directing skills combined with production values from the show’s producers, IAI Presentations Inc., create a thrilling theatrical experience for audiences.

The entertainment provided by these gifted performers appeals to all ages from young children to grandparents. Most important, there is no language barrier and everyone attending a performance by The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats will thrill to their incredible feats. Tickets are currently on sale at the Weill Center Ticket Office, 826 N. Eighth St., Sheboygan, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday or by calling (920) 208-3243. Go to www.weillcenter.com for more details.