First China Int'l Circus Festival concludes in Zhuhai

The 12-day China International Circus Festival concludes on Sunday. 

The Circus covers a full range of acts and skills, including acrobatics, magic, comedy and horsemanship. However, at this year's circus festival in Zhuhai, performances by teams from all over the world are showcasing the integration of circus arts with dance, music and drama.

But even as Circus Drama grows in popularity, some experts worry that the wrong story can hinder the performance.

Li Chi, Artistic Director of China Int'l Circus Festival, said, "The story sometimes can break a performer's concentration. Their skills should serve the storyline. Otherwise, it harms the beauty of the circus."

Of course, clowns are always among the biggest crowd pleasers on the circus scene. A clown must be skilled in many facets of performance, which takes at least ten years of training. However, in China most clowns work part-time and lack basic skills.

Bian Faji, President of China Acrobatics Association, said, "We often see that when Chinese players perform, there is applause, but no laughs. This is our disadvantage."

Such a disadvantage reflects a lack of innovation in China's circus industry.

Li Xining, Vice President of China Acrobatics Association, said, "Our players have learned everything backward since they started their careers. Many years later, they are still practising the same things, which are hardly seen in today's performances. Our education system needs to be changed."

The 12-day festival has provided a platform for Chinese circus practitioners to communicate with overseas counterparts, which will hopefully help shape the future of the Chinese circus world.