Every year I’ve seen promotions for a touring Chinese national acrobatic dance company. I forget its name. Videos looks spectacular. They are usually in the early part of the year. But I have not seen it for this year. Are they out of business, or avoiding Las Vegas?
The touring company that appears in Las Vegas annually, as you say typically in early spring at the Smith Center, a group called Shen Yun Performing Arts. They feature a blend of classical Chinese dance and music and extensive acrobatics.
In fact, they will perform this year March 5 through 8 at the Smith Center, one show each on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. Tickets start at $191 and go up to $1,100.
The troupe was founded by overseas Chinese artists in New York in 2006, is independent of the current Chinese government, is a nonprofit, and is based in the U.S. Its aim is to revive traditional (pre-communist) Chinese culture. As such, the show focuses on "5,000 Years of Civilization Reborn," using classical and ethnic folk dance, along with high-level acrobatic, tumbling, and flipping techniques, all story-based to illustrate ancient legends, dynastic tales, and contemporary narratives.
You can see the group's three-minute intro video here.
