Balancing glasses of water while contorting the body and doing acrobatics on a stack of chairs 20 feet or more off the ground were all a part of an acrobatic presentation on Saturday.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats from China performed the ancient body art, which consists of flipping, contorting the body, juggling, balancing, strength and agility.

Audience members were presented with different acts that exemplified aspects of the art of acrobatics.

Each scene, the performer wore traditional, colorful outfits while traditional Chinese music played in the background.

Angela Chang, the Golden Dragon Acrobats choreographer, said they enjoyed the show and enjoyed sharing her heritage with others.

“We really like sharing with an American audience, the acrobatics and the Chinese culture,” Chang said. “They can go through our performance and understand a little bit more the different ways to perform acrobats.”

Karla Centeno, the cultural art coordinator for the University Board, said the show allowed audience members to see the culture of China.

“We were able to enjoy their costumes, they were very traditional, vibrant colors,” Centeno said. “The music they played throughout the whole event was very typical, it was in different languages which was interesting. It’s not something you see everyday.”

Ceci Brinker, the director of Student Life, agreed.

“It is very culturally enriching, from their amazing costumes to the amazing acrobatic feats that they had,” Brinker said. “This show has something for everyone, young and old alike.”

Clapping and screams of encouragement and awe could be heard while performers juggled balls with their feet and passing them back and forth, or while performers would run, flip and jump through small rings.

Chang said the performers have to train for years and have to have certain personalities to perform some of their stunts.

Other stunts included a man on a swaying board, which is similar to someone standing in the middle of a playground teeter-totter, and flinging multiple bowls, a cup and a spoon from one end of the board to the top of his head. 

The 10 acts included: Thousand Hand Dance, Contortion; Swaying Board Balancing, Swaying Tude, Kick Bowl, Table Hoop; Ball Jugging, Hat Juggling; Power Act; Spinning Wheel; Foot Juggling; Diablo Yo-Yo; Tower of Chairs; Flags; and the Finale.

During the finale, all the member of Golden Dragon Acrobats using their strength and balance to lift built different structures and pyramids. 

Brinker said this was a great family event.

“This is the third time they’ve been here and they’ve always put on a fantastic show,” Brinker said. “It’s very unique in it own right, you don’t see entertainment wise everyday.”

Chang said they like to see families together at the shows.

“It is family sharing time, children can share their experiences with their parents,” Chang said. “It is great every night to see the love of family.”

Many children also attended the acrobats.

Sisters Josie and Annabel Wehrle watch the show with their mother.

Annabel Wehrle said, “We thought it was great, and the board was really cool.”

Josie Wehrle agreed.

“I liked the Chinese yo-yos,” Josie Wehrle said.

Ann Ignalaga, a senior finance major and the president of the Asia American Association, said the show was amazing.

“It was surprising, I didn’t expect anything like this,” Ignalaga said. “It was very scary at first, but overall I thought it was a really, really good show.”

Ignalaga said she is happy to see different cultures on campus.

“Them bring the event to campus, brings more diversity and is a really interesting event with the starting of the Asia Heritage month coming up in April,” Ignalaga said. “So I thought this was a special treat.”

Megan Flanagan, a sophomore family and consumer sciences major, said she was amazed by the show.

“The chair guy was my favorite,” Flanagan said. “The chair made me really scared, it was amazing. I couldn’t make eye contact, I couldn’t watch, I had to keep looking away. I’m terrified of heights.”

Ignalaga said she also liked the tower of chairs.

“That was the one that scared me the most,” Ignalaga said. “It got me excited and then it got me scared.”

Centeno agreed that that chairs was her favorite part.

“That was big, you were at the tips of you toes and so nervous for him,” Centeno said. “It was really good.”

Centeno said the height made her nervous.

“I was like ‘Oh my god, please don’t fall, please don’t fall,’” Centeno said.

Flanagan said she enjoyed the music that played along with each scene.

“I’m a dancer so I connected very well with it,” Flanagan said. “I was tapping my foot along with the music, the music got to me.”

Brinker said her favorite act was the contortionist.

“For me the contortionist with the glass, I don’t know if people realized, she had water in those,” Brinker said. “So to be able to twist and turn your body and be that physical and to balance, that is amazing. It was definitely nothing I will be trying at home any time soon.”

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.