Awesome Chinese Handstand Act

[yuri marmerstein 229]

This is pretty good, a few interesting movements in there across multiple canes

[Ian Myers 17]

I like the rotating canes. Is that common or unique to this performance? Same with having more than 2 canes, is that more unique also?

[yuri marmerstein 229]

no, there are many artists who use rotating and/or multiple canes

these guys do some unique movements on the canes though

[Cole Dano 2,807]

Really nice act. Tight, visually entertaining, and for a Chinese act, even fun.

[Edward Smith 15]

Cole,

Actually it is quite an entertaining Handbalancing piece by any standards, not just chinese. The way they, at least somewhat interact/acknowledge the crowd by looking at them (maybe they're just looking around, but the point still stands). Then of course the technical level is very good.

Handbalancing numbers are usually, excuse me for being blunt, "boring as bat shit" (as my mother would say). Usually containing miniscule to no story/narrative or characterisation, except for the cliche of some melodramtaic sorrow or heartbreak (usually expressed in between positions through classic dance lines).

Please don't misunderstand me, I aboslutely adore the abilities of good handbalancers, the work they've put in to develop their abilities. However, it has become (I guess it always was) just a craft. a purely technical pursuit. Theire is so little originality in Handbalancing.

Ed

[timg 0]

While i was in Beijing earlier this year i had the pleasure of seeing the chaoyang acrobatic show http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g294212-d1514832-Reviews-Chaoyang_Theatre_Acrobatics_Show-Beijing.html

At one point in the show one of the male performers did a one arm handstand balancing on the back of the neck of another male performer handstand walking up and down a 3-4m staircase of handstand canes. This feat recieved less audience applause than a blindfolded man walking along the outside of a space wheel.

The point i'm trying to make about chinese handbalancing acts is that they are catered towards chinese audiences who are after a sense of danger and dramatic tension as opposed to artistic flair and originality. That coupled with the fact that their audiences are usually tourists that very rarely see the same act twice means they have no incentive to change things up or try to be original.

This is compounded by the fact that they do 14 shows a week.

The burden for originality and artistry in handbalancing is squarely placed on the rest of the world's shoulders.

[FREDERIC DUPONT 1,124]

The burden for originality and artistry in handbalancing is squarely placed on the rest of the world's shoulders.

Hummmm..... I don't want to make you wrong, because really, I don't know much about handbalancing and its originality and artistry, but the video shown looked artistic and original to me...

In any case, I did enjoy watching it ; Thanks for sharing with us Yuri