Chongqing - "To promote high-quality development and create a high quality of life, we must continue to improve the humanistic quality of the city and enrich the cultural life of the people," said Chen Tao, secretary of the Party branch and general manager of Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe Co.

"Cultural life plays an indispensable role in creating a high quality of life," he added. Chongqing has been gathering pace to build a cultural city in recent years. And the colorful cultural life has given the people a greater sense of happiness.

Taking the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe as an example, Chen Tao describes its three big changes over recent years.

Larger stage

"The first 'change' is that the stage gets bigger," Chen Tao said while he showed two photos from his mobile phone.

Before the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe moved into the Chongqing International Circus City, the performance stage was the usual rehearsal venue.

"At that time, we didn't have a fixed performance venue, and the stage was very small," Chen said that because the stage space and equipments were limited, the overall effect would be reduced no matter how well the actors performed.

The Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe moved into until the Chongqing International Circus City was completed and put into use in 2018.

"We not only have a fixed performance venue but also the performance stage is much larger." Chen Tao said that in July 2019, the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe was integrated with Chongqing International Circus City under the arrangement of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism Development.

More audiences

As the stage improved, audiences followed.

In 2019, the troupe created the first cultural and tourism performance in Chongqing - "Extreme Happy Show" - staged in Chongqing International Circus City.

According to the data, the number of audiences for the fantastic show every night has remained at around 600, increasing several times compared to before they moved to Chongqing International Circus City.

The troupe has performed nearly 1,000 performances and received more than 600,000 audiences.

Better shows

The troupe has developed new shows, such as bar shaking, springboard, and trapeze.

The magic "Phantom Flying Pigeon" and "Fairy Bean" created by the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe won gold awards at the 10th and 11th China Acrobatic Golden Chrysanthemum Awards, which is the highest award in China's acrobatics field.

In 2021, the first round of the acrobatic drama "A Pair of Embroidered Shoes" performed 11 consecutive performances, with the theater auditorium full of audiences in their seats.

The troupe started exploring the art research model by integrating interactive experience and live viewing. In addition, it built the first research center featuring acrobatic teaching art.

Currently, it has carried out 200 research activities, with more than 150,000 primary and secondary school students participating.

In recent years, Chen Tao said that the high-quality development of Chongqing's acrobatics is the epitome of Chongqing's high-quality development and high-quality life.

"In the future, the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe will have more new changes, and the cultural life of the people will be more colorful." Chen Tao said that Chongqing is accelerating the construction of a culturally strong city and a world-renowned tourist destination. Chongqing International Circus City is being developed as a new cultural and tourist landmark in Chongqing.