'Space walkers' thrill athletes

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-09-17 11:45

Remember the huge globe at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics? Circling the 18m-high, 16-ton globe were performers doing the kind of weightless walk usually seen in outer space. They were from Zhonghua Martial Arts School from Shandong province.

Last Saturday night, some 126 performers, aged between 6 and 82, put up a show for the Paralympic athletes and volunteers at the Xiangyun Theater inside the Olympic Park.

The 17 numbers combined martial arts, acrobatics and song and dance. The audience was even invited to challenge the performers on stage.

Students from the Zhonghua Martial Arts School are regular performers at events connected to the Paralympics, just as they were at the Olympics. They also performed at the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games and held three shows at the athletes' village and the Olympic park.

One of the top 10 martial arts schools in China, Zhonghua Martial Arts School offers students both the regular primary school and middle school courses as well as martial arts training.