Pyongyang Circus

Ok, so back to the N. Korea trip. As I said we didn't have time for more than the briefest of breaks after we returned for our hikes. The circus was going to start in 20 minutes. The area where they keep the South Koreans (Hangukin) and other foreigners (Waygukin) is this strange modern little enclave. It even has a Family Mart, which is Asia's answer to 7/11. So I picked up some sort of nasty packaged pastry and headed into the auditorium.
The Pyongyang circus is apparently pretty well known and the show was really amazing. We weren't supposed to take pictures, but I managed to sneak some really good shots of the acts.



The first memorable act was some truly amazing juggling. The Jugglers wove around and through and between each other constantly juggling. They climaxed with the juggling tower you see pictured.



The next picture shows one of the formations created by the acrobats using the pole apparatus. These guys were like monkeys climbing up the poles upside down, sideways, over and under each other. I can't imagine the strength and control the guys on the top must have to hold the weight of all the others.



This pictures shows some of the acrobats doing jump rope on monocycles. The picture itself isn't that impressive, but the act was pretty cool. Later on, the women stood on the men's shoulders while they jumped the ropes. They also combined a crossways jump rope and cycled (on bicycles) at full speed in between and past each other in a really amazing pattern.



The final act was some incredible trapeze artistry. There were about 8 trapeze artists and they were great. the women were being thrown clear across the entire stage! They were moving too fast for me to get a really good shot. I wish that the pictures I 've put in the post were able to do justice to the experience. But if you ever have the chance to see the Pyongyang or the Chinese circuses (apparently somewhat similar) I strongly recommend you go.