Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
SHIJIAZHUANG, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) — At a brand-new venue called the "Oriental Acrobatic City," a group of female acrobats from Russia, dressed in traditional costumes, performed a somersault with a smooth landing using a gymnastics springboard, drawing thunderous applause from the audience.
This competition number is just one of 28 on the program for the 20th China International Wuqiao Circus Festival (CWICF), which is taking place this year from September 28 to October 3 in Wuqiao County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, northern China, known as the "birthplace of acrobatics." Acrobats from 19 countries and regions are competing, with the largest number of foreign participants coming from Russia.
Great Moscow Circus acrobat Anastasia Ovcharenko is participating in this festival for the first time. "I'm very excited to come to China for the competition. This is one of the largest acrobatic festivals in the world and an international event of great significance," she said during an interview.
The festival has been held every two years since 1987. Currently, along with the international circus festivals in Monte Carlo and Paris, it is considered one of the most prestigious competitions in the field of circus arts, as well as the oldest event of its kind in China.
In preparation for this festival, Wuqiao County has accelerated infrastructure construction and made every effort to provide good conditions for competition for Chinese and foreign guests.
"There's excellent infrastructure here, special schools, and it's very convenient to train. The overall organization resembles a miniature version of the Olympic Games," said A. Ovcharenko, adding that over the past year, her team has been meticulously preparing for the Wuqiao Acrobatic Festival, practicing complex techniques.
“We worked hard for this, and our goal is to receive the highest award,” the Russian noted.
This year's festival awards package consists of 15 prizes, including three Golden Lions, five Silver Lions, and seven Bronze Lions.
For 36-year-old Russian acrobat Viktor Roshchin, participating in the Wuqiao Festival means more than just competing for awards. "There's no doubt that every acrobat wants to win an award, but first and foremost, we hope to delight the audience, have a good time with them, and share our enthusiasm," the Russian shared.
In his view, CWICF brings together the world's best acrobats, who, through exchange and communication, cultivate genuine friendships. "I've met many friends in the world of acrobatics here; we communicate freely and better understand each other's performances," he added.
In addition to preparing for competitions, V. Roshchin also takes walks through the local area to immerse himself in the glamour of traditional Chinese acrobatics. At the Wuqiao Acrobatic World scenic area, he watched local acrobatic performers perform folk culture. He told reporters, "Chinese acrobatics is very interesting, and Chinese performers can perform many tricks we didn't expect."
The young man was deeply impressed by what he saw and heard in Wuqiao County. V. Roshchin believes that performing acrobatic stunts is like "cutting a diamond," and that one must constantly learn and share experiences to hone one's skills and mastery.
Tatyana Zapashnaya, a jury member from Russia, also expressed her admiration for the Wuqiao Circus Arts Festival: “In addition to professional acrobats, many children also participate in events related to the Wuqiao Festival, and I am touched by this continuity of acrobatic art.”
"I will evaluate the contestants' performances based on technical complexity and artistic presentation," said T. Zapashnaya, expressing hope that the acrobats will perform at their best and give the audience a stunning audiovisual feast. -0-
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