Acrobatics by Soldiers

Artistically the show was very good. The acrobatic feats were of a very competent level, and combined a high level of gymnastic training, physical strength and all the grace of traditional ballet. The interesting thing was that the performance was given by members of the Canton PLA unit, who were only parttime performers. Just imagine a graceful performance of acrobatic feats by soldiers from the New Zealand army.

On reflection however, the performance did have a political message, especially for foreigners. Firstly it emphasised in an unexpected way the role of the PLA in serving the people, by providing very enjoyable mass entertainment. Competent as they were, the performers did not put on a piece of 'professional' art. Several of the acts were clearly designed for amusement, sometimes at the expense of the performers, and I didn't get the impression that the performers were showing off their skills to demonstrate perfection. Secondly the performance suggested that cultural activities are useful for the army not only to stop it from becoming "dull-witted", but also as a means of developing the potential members of the PLA unit and testing their ability to master complex skills as a group. For example one of the most difficult acts was performed by a young girl riding a bicycle on a trip wire. The first time she fell off, and was rather ungraciously caught by her companions. I was waiting for the curtain to fall and the girl to disappear, but she climbed onto the wire again and, with a great effort, successfully completed her act. To do that was no small act of courage and perserverance in front of a large hall packed with about five thousand spectators.