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National Circus of China comes to CSUMB

World Theater season opens with Sept. 18 performance

Last year, CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater brought Chinese acrobats to the area. This year, it’s the circus. On Sept. 18, the National Circus of the People’s Republic of China will kick off this year’s Performing Arts series. The company, founded in 1953, introduced the concept of a circus without animals, inspired the pioneers of Cirque du Soleil, and now puts a new spin on some of the greatest circus acts of our time. The whole family will enjoy the feats of balance, juggling, flying and contortion put on by the ensemble of 40 gymnasts, jugglers and dancers who bend and flex their bodies in ways that seem to defy human anatomy. Dazzling costumes and music add to the spectacle.

"We booked the Chinese circus to bring an art form to our audience that has been part of the Chinese culture for centuries," said Joe Cardinalli, executive director of University Performances.

"The circus performances were once reserved for emperors and their courts, and now we can be astounded by the performers right here on the Cal State Monterey Bay campus.

"Everything about the circus acts is extreme: extreme Kung fu exhibitions, Chinese yo-yos and multi-plate balancing. It’s how we celebrate all the world's arts here at the World Theater," Cardinalli said.

Tickets are $50 premium, $35 general. Discounts are available for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 582-4580.

Driving directions and a campus map are available here.