Third Formal Paper

New Shanghai Circus

The New Shanghai Circus, that took place on sunday November the 15^th of 2009, was an amazing show that incorporated culture, entertainment, and a familiarity of other cultures blended into one big show. The event that took approximately 3 hours with 15 acts and one intermission.

The show began with a prelude introducing the 18 cast members of the New Shanghai Circus, then the performance erupted with a rhythmic drum show that blew the audience away within the first 20 minutes of the show! They immediately introduce culture from the red shimmering costumes to the music playing in the background of the acts.

The way the bodies of the performers flow so elegantly and professionally into each act, it is as if the audience never for one instance loses interest. Act three would be plate spinning. Two performers mix the talent of the Shanghai culture with American circus culture to create amusement in the audience, which so happen-sly worked very well! Human strength was act four. The most amazing thing the human brain could comprehend was happening right in front of the crowd. Most people in astonishment saw one grown man lift and balance another muscular strong man, with two hands and full body length, above himself.

It seemed that one mind blowing thing after another was to appear on this one show in Sarasota, Florida. Act five, foot juggling was all about a woman juggling a young girl with her feet! How amazing one thinks to themselves that this is possible. As the crowd watch this woman flip a child with her feet, they were in amazement! The grown woman was on her back on a lounge looking chair. As the transition took place, men came in juggling large jars for the 6 act. With strength and talent these men were able to balance jars on their head, after tossing it onto their head! Act 7 was an amazing talent of the chinese yoyo. Young chinese girls tossed yoyo's high into the sky, and as the yoyo was in the air the young girls quickly and gracefully performed an amazing gymnastics talent. It stunned the crowd that such young girls were capable of such flexibility. Act 8 was the hoop diving, which was a serious of men leaping into a hoop gradually getting higher and higher with each leap they successfully completed.

As intermission was taking its time on the schedule, people gathered in the lobby talking in amazement and about the success this performance was and how thankful people of Sarasota county was to experience a once in a life time opportunity to many in the city. As the show continued onto act 9, the group of the performers joined on stage for a group performance with the many talents going on at once, people did not know which one to focus on. There was so much to be amazed by with no time to catch it all at once. Acts 10 and 11 which were Rolling walnuts and Shooting stars was a series of events that stunned the crowd with the amazing shimmering costumes, the music, and the galavanting performers running around stage the audience was in awe. Acts 12 and 13 were ladder balancing and the tight wire, a shanghai twist to the american circus. Beautiful costumes and breathtaking acts had the people of Sarasota to the edge of their seats. Act 14 which was a spring tide was a wonderful way to close the night. The beautiful sounds of the drum, caused the speed of the peoples heartbeat in sarasota to elevate. The drums, the attire, the flow of the rhythm captured Sarasota's heart on a silver platter.

Finally and unwillingly the show had to come to a close with a curtain call. All 18 performers ran on stage with their sparkling costumes and their props in hand to bow to the roaring sea of people admiring the talents of the young Shanghai performers. They will forever be remembered in the city of Sarasota, Florida.