Gee-whiz 'Chi' biz

"Chi," an acrobatic circus show from Shanghai that invokes the balance and harmony of Taoism, has agile performers doing a teeter-board sequence that ends with the airborne trouper in a high seat. The company winds up its premiere U.S. tour in Hawai'i next week.

C is for "Chi."

C also is for "Copacabana."

And "Chicago."

And all three shows — must-see stuff — offer wide variety for discriminating palates.

"Chi" embodies Shanghai acrobatic skills and thrills, opening Thursday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

"Copacabana," premiering Wednesday at the Manoa Valley Theatre, brings Barry Manilow's hit song to full-bodied theatrical life.

And "Chicago," bowing tonight at the Mamiya Theatre on the Saint Louis School campus, dishes out all that jazz.

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

"Chi," described in its subtitle as "A New Era in Acrobatics," is a vivid marriage of athleticism and entertainment, playing more like a Cirque du Soleil extravaganza than traditional Shanghai culture. In plain talk, it's Chinese firecrackers set off by human dynamics with flair, color and precision to thrill all the senses.

Somersaulting "Chi" acrobats leap into hoops in a demonstration of precision and coordination.

" 'Chi' is beautiful and breathtaking," said Clarissa Zheng, the company's interpreter. Zheng earlier served in a similar capacity with Cirque du Soleil's "Dralion" production, which accentuated Chinese artistry and Asian themes.

"It has a strong cultural, Chinese background, with inspiration from the ancient philosophy of Taoism and the yin and yang. The belief is that everything in the world is formed by the elements of the yin and the yang, and we use an acrobatic language to show people this balance and this harmony."

"Chi," said Zheng, means "life energy" and achieves its power from a cast that uses inner strength to exert and execute movement. "The point is to show the perfect balance in life, focusing on the bodies that curve, are flexible, are very physical and are in perfect harmony with life."

"Because I'm from an acrobatic family — my mom is an acrobat — it was easy to begin a career early," said Cao, speaking through Zheng. She executes a difficult hang-balancing feat, changing her handstand from one hand to the other while elevated, "and it's the most difficult, scariest thing to do — because it's high and dangerous."

Chen Shumiao, 26, studied acrobatics 10 years ago as a means to instill discipline in his rowdy manner. It worked. "My parents saw in a magazine an advertisement from an acrobatic school; I was, at that time, a naughty boy, so I was sent there to learn to become an aerial gymnast." He did.

Because precision and timing are everything, Chen said he adheres to a rigid regimen of diet and exercise to remain physically fit. "My partner is a girl, and in the aerial gymnastics, I use my foot to catch the girl's, and it's very dangerous, requiring great concentration," he said.

And Zhu Pei Ni, 21, essentially a dancer in the acrobatic troupe, has studied acrobatics since she was 15. "Yoga and acrobatic movements, like tumbling, keep me in shape," said Zhu, who noted that being a dancer in a company of acrobatics has its special rewards. "The audience warms up to the dancers," she said.

Zheng said this Chinese brand of circus — no animals, no tent, just tension created through amazing and often logic-defying acrobatics — has a body language all its own.

"There are injuries sometimes and every night, there's peril," said Zheng. "The acrobatics will show their difficult feats, but if an acrobat fails, he will do it again and again, if necessary. We use (taped) music, not a live band, so if someone falls, we adjust the music to try again."

This do-it-till-it's-right dictum is part of the vocabulary of "Chi."

Such real-life flaws only magnify the essence of Taoist balance, said Zheng. With a measure of achievement, there could be a menace of failure — but a wrong can be righted.

Cao said "Chi" is showing her the balance in her life, which includes the danger of a miscue and the highs of a successful feat. "You're very happy when you're successful," she said.

Chen also has soaked up the Taoist balance, "thinking of the positive and the negative side — the most important lesson learned," he said. "You have a feeling of achievement with the danger and you are filled with joy when you conquer the audience."

For dancer Zhu, success amid her acrobatic peers "is different from dancing in a regular troupe. There's more harmony here."

Inspired by the Shaolin Warriors and as authentic as the Chinese acts in the Montreal-originated Cirque du Soleil extravaganzas, "Chi" puts staging class and sass in every aspect of its show, from costumes to music to choreography.

"We have some traditional Chinese music and use some traditional Chinese instruments, and everywhere we go, people find the show appealing," said Zheng. "I think we're even more popular than traditional Beijing opera."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.