On Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 pm, the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College welcomes an international spectacle that blends ancient tradition with exhilarating modern performance. The Peking Acrobats return to North America on their 35th Anniversary Tour, presenting the Year of the Snake program—an evening defined by strength, precision, and breathtaking artistry.
For decades, The Peking Acrobats have captivated audiences with performances that feel at once timeless and electrifying. Their work reaches back more than two thousand years, to folk traditions refined through generations of disciplined training, while continuing to evolve with innovation, theatricality, and technical mastery. The result is not simply a circus, but a living cultural art form—one that reveals the harmony between mind and body at the heart of Chinese acrobatic tradition.
Audiences can expect a whirlwind of astonishing feats: gravity-defying tumbling, extraordinary contortion, intricate foot juggling, and dazzling displays of balance and agility. One moment, performers scale a towering pagoda of chairs, stacked impossibly high above the stage. Next, cyclists form the famed Bicycle Pagoda, with multiple acrobats riding atop a single moving bicycle—an act that feels both playful and perilous. Throughout the performance, vibrant costumes, dramatic lighting, and high-tech effects create the atmosphere of a festive Chinese carnival.
This year’s tour coincides with the Chinese Year of the Snake, a symbol associated with abundance, spiritual energy, and inner strength—known as “chi.” These qualities resonate deeply in the performance. Every movement reflects years of training, often beginning in early childhood, and a lifelong dedication to excellence. In China, acrobats hold a revered status similar to opera stars in the West, and only the most accomplished artists are selected to tour internationally with an elite troupe like The Peking Acrobats.
What makes this performance especially compelling is its ability to speak across cultures and generations. It is a show for all ages, inviting both wide-eyed wonder and thoughtful appreciation. As critics have long noted, these artists achieve breathtaking heights of skill, not through spectacle alone, but through an almost meditative precision that underscores the beauty of disciplined practice.
Over the years, The Peking Acrobats have appeared on stages around the world—from Europe and Asia to Africa and the Americas—and have collaborated with major symphony orchestras, blending acrobatics with live classical music in performances praised as “theatrical alchemy.” Their presence at the Community Concert Hall continues a long-standing tradition of bringing world-class performing arts to Southwest Colorado.
As they celebrate thirty-five years of North American touring, this anniversary performance promises both beloved signature acts and exciting new elements. For audiences in Durango, the evening offers a rare opportunity to experience an art form that transcends time—an unforgettable celebration of strength, grace, and the enduring power of human possibility.
Publisher’s Note:
Experience a night of jaw-dropping artistry and global tradition when The Peking Acrobats take the stage at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 pm.
Celebrating their 35th Anniversary North American Tour, The Peking Acrobats return with a thrilling Year of the Snake program—an evening filled with astonishing feats of balance, precision tumbling, contortion, cycling stunts, and gravity-defying chair stacking. Rooted in more than two thousand years of Chinese acrobatic tradition, this world-renowned troupe blends ancient artistry with modern spectacle, vibrant costumes, and dynamic stage effects.
This unforgettable performance is perfect for audiences of all ages and promises wonder, excitement, and awe from start to finish.
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