Cirque de Chine has the mesmerized audiences proclaiming it as the best production the Smoky Mountain Palace has offered to date. Cirque de Chine is an entirely new show performed by an award winning troupe new to the Smoky Mountain Palace. The cast offers the traditional Chinese cultural acrobatics but in a very fast paced, and at times breath taking, manner. The costumes are absolutely gorgeous; the music selected not only is appropriate for the acts but actually enhances them, and the skill of the acrobats is extraordinary. There are traditional acts such as the Chinese Yo-yo, and these ladies not only show off their skills but their stunning costumes as well. The men hoop divers take it to the extreme by diving through hoops that are in motion. A simple schoolyard seesaw, or springboard, is the vehicle that catapults a young lady from the board to the shoulders of another acrobat three people high in the air.

A new act that is rarely performed outside of China is the Face Off or Mask Changing. It is a form of Chinese expressionist theater that is documented to be at least 300 years old and is impossible for the audience to explain after seeing it. The face mask on the beautiful young lady changes from one mask to another, without being touched, in the blink of an eye. There are nearly 1 ½ billion people in China and less than 200 performers have mastered the skill and they are sworn to secrecy about the method behind it. It has to be seen to be believed and then you won’t believe what you have seen.

To the absolute joy of everyone who has seen them, The Jungjo Drums all girl ensemble is back after spending last year preparing for, and participating in, the Beijing Summer Olympics. The precision and craftsmanship that these ladies exhibit in their performance have made them a crowd favorite. After two extremely successful seasons of Chinese acrobats, the third version has been highly anticipated and has proven to be exciting and entertaining beyond expectations. It again reinforces the opinion that the Smoky Mountain Palace’s Cirque de Chine is the best theatrical production west of New York and east of Las Vegas.

Credit Cards accepted: Yes
Group Rates: Yes
Concessions: Yes