Chinese Acrobats Bring Ancient Act to Murrieta Students

The birthplace of acrobatics dates back to the dynasty era of China, when human contortionists and similiar acts performed for royalty.

A group of four acrobats hailing originally from Beijing, China, proved they can still entertain crowds when they performed in front of 600 students Thursday.

"Even Marco Polo was entertained by acrobats," said Alison Speights, a seventh-grade teacher at Thompson. Speights is the department head for seventh grade, and said the teachers agreed they wanted to do something unique for the students that used visual and performing arts while tying into the curriuculum.

Proceeds from the students yearly magazine fundraiser were used to pay for the show, according to Principal Dale Velk.

"The kids work so hard, we wanted to do something special for them," Velk said.

PTSA chipped in by providing buses tos Performing Arts Center, where the Beijing Dragon Show took place.

"We donate $1,000 to each grade for field trips because the school has no money," said PTSA President Joann Uhls.

Seventh-grade social studies teacher Lisa Armstutz said students learn about ancient China in sixth grade, including the fall of the Great Wall. They follow that up in seventh grade by studying the rebuilding of the wall.

"We cover the dynasties through the fall of the Han. One of the dynasties we talk about is the Mongol (Yuan) Dynasty. During that time Marco Polo was entertained in court by Chinese acrobats," Armstutz said.

Students cheered in amazement as Sun Yuan Yuan, Shong Ru Yu, Y Jia Yuan and Li Shan Shan of the Dragon Show Culture and Arts Exchange Company lit up the stage with their stunts. Acts included juggling yoyos and a human contortionist. One performer wearing a Chinese mask stunned students in an act called face-changing.

"They were really intrigued by it," Armstutz said, later.

Students then loaded back into 10 buses and headed back to Thompson, where they were treated with a hamburger lunch provided at a discount by Carl's Jr.