Balancing act

Chinese acrobats embrace innovation to stay ahead in overseas markets

Not only are acrobats masters of agility and grace, but also ambassadors of a rich culture and tradition. They are also one of the top foreign exchange earners for China in the performing arts category.

With their unique blend of physical strength and quick and nimble actions, Chinese acrobats have often captivated audiences across the globe with their electrifying performances.

With such a rich legacy, one would have expected the sector to be brimming with confidence. But, sadly that has not been the case. With the home market fast drying up, the acrobats are now turning to new pastures across the seas for survival.

"The best markets for Chinese acrobats are in Europe and the United States," says Li Jin, the director of world tour management at the China Performing Arts Agency Productions Ltd (CPAAP).

"Acrobatics accounts for more than 90 percent of the foreign exchange earnings from commercial performances in overseas markets," says Li.

CPAAP is a Beijing-based company that specializes in producing shows and managing tours across the globe. Under its aegis, the CPAAP introduced over 30 acrobatics troupes and some 400 performers in the overseas markets last year, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the commercial acrobatics performances registered under the Ministry of Culture.

Liu Feng'en, vice-president of Wuqiao Acrobatics Art School, says the rigorous and strenuous training from childhood has honed the skills of Chinese acrobats. Gao Erqiang / China Daily

Most of the revenue for Chinese acrobats, however, comes from the European markets. That to some extent also highlights the popularity of the art form in Europe.

"Chinese acrobatics is immensely popular in Europe," says Shi Jinliang, director of the Wuqiao Acrobatic World Performing Art Troupe (WPAT).

The WPAT has over 200 performers under its wings and clocked revenue of more than 4 million yuan (434,400 euros) last year from the overseas markets, compared with 2 million yuan from the domestic market.

Shi says that most of the troupe's performances are now in Europe.

"In 2010, we sent out several small groups to France, England and Germany respectively and they stayed there for more than six months," says Shi. He adds that the number of acrobats performing in Europe goes up substantially during Christmas time, with the duration of the performance extending to over 40 days.

The Chinese acrobats are not known just for their performances. They have also picked up several prestigious awards along the way. That includes the prize awarded by the French President at the Paris Tomorrow International Acrobatics Festival and the Golden Clown Award at the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival.

Despite the popularity and fame, most of the troupes pay hardly any attention to marketing. In most cases, the promotional activities are confined to just the website.

"We do not have any specific marketing strategies. Normally we leave our contact information on the website and wait for our clients or agents to contact us. It is quite common among Chinese troupes," says Xin Weimin, director of Wuqiao Acrobatic Troupe (WAT).

There are other ways, too, in which local troupes attempt to get more contracts.