A traditional Chinese circus tours America without blending into or borrowing from the culture.

For one day in early February at Harris Theater in Chicago, the Peking Acrobats brought a 2,000-year-old tradition of Chinese circus, steeped in ritual, highlighting twelve powerful and precise acts, showcasing Chinese musicians, and featuring laser lightshow technology, and put it all together for an intense hour-long performance that was rich in color, textures, and surprises. This rigorous tour, their 28th in North America since 1986, will continue around the USA until April.   The Making of a Chinese Acrobat The “Peking” in the Peking Acrobats’ name derives from the ancient name for Beijing, and the company is so named because of its cultural connection to the Peking Opera, a type of variety show that has existed since the 18th...