The legacy of the Nanjing Project: training Australian circus bodies

Abstract

Australian Contemporary Circus artists are globally acknowledged as leaders in both technique and artistry not only among industry peers, but also by critics and audiences. A cross-cultural collaboration with the Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe in the mid-1980s set the foundation of Chinese acrobatic training into Australian Contemporary Circus practice. The Nanjing Training Projects I and II saw the artform move towards a more technical approach to training which elevated the circus skills of what/who would become some of the major leading artists and companies that forged the thriving industry that we know today. This article explores how the arrival of Master Trainer Guong Rong Lu (Mr Lu) not only changed the way circus bodies were training, but also how the Chinese techniques inspired generations of circus artists within Australia to produce a new ‘signature’ style that would later become a familiar and expected element of Australian Contemporary Circus performance.