Acrobatic school transitions to online program

Hebei Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School located in North China recently held an online class for overseas trainees as part of a three-month training program.

The online program has been tailored for students in Laos and Cambodia and will see the participation of more than 10 experts in acrobatics, according to the school.

Owing to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been difficult for acrobatic classes to meet the demands of trainees in developing countries. So the school decided to start an online course, the school's authorities say.

"Acrobatic training generally uses face-to-face teaching and guidance because of the high requirement of physical movement and the details involved," says Duan Yong, an official with the school.

Body movements like facial and eye expressions are hard to observe during online training, and the whole process needs explanation and guidance, so the school has adopted livestreaming, Duan adds.

During the online sessions, skilled Chinese students demonstrate standard actions in front of multiple high-definition cameras, while teachers provide guidance on the spot.

The school started to recruit foreign trainees in 2002 and, so far, more than 500 trainees from over 40 countries have taken part in the training.

Wuqiao is considered the cradle of Chinese acrobatics, and the performance style can be traced back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).In 2006, Wuqiao acrobatic art was listed as state-level intangible cultural heritage.