Zhao Zhimin: Let the art of acrobatics "shine" in the world

Zhao Zhimin trains trainees

Biography

Zhao Zhimin, a national first-class actor (professional third level), a member of the China Acrobats Association, a member of the Sichuan Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the vice chairman of the Sichuan Acrobats Association, an expert of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism four professional senior professional titles review expert database (art sub-library), the vice chairman of the Nanchong Municipal Federation of Literature and Literature, and the current secretary of the party branch and head of the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe.

Zhao Zhimin has been engaged in acrobatic interpretation since childhood, and has won the gold medal of the Mexican National Arts Festival. He has starred in acrobatic programs such as "Little Springboard", "Pedal Chair", "Top Pole", "Driving Skills", "Great Martial Arts", etc., and has been invited to more than 30 countries and regions such as the United States, Britain and France to carry out cultural and artistic exchanges, and has led the troupe to perform in the New Victory Theater on Broadway in New York for 42 days, which has received great response.

● Nanchong Daily All-media reporter Wu Luowen Blog post/photo

Acrobatics are the art of coexistence of glory and hardship, and the stunning moment on stage is the accumulation of decades offstage. Acrobats have their own "stunts", but the "stunts" are often paid at the cost of scars. Even so, the acrobats are still struggling to make fun of themselves, seeking breakthroughs in thousands of challenges.

How do professional acrobats "refine"? A few days ago, Zhao Zhimin, the leader of the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe, told his growth story as an acrobat.

A From "Top" to "Base"

At the beginning of the 19th century, there were three major acrobatic towns in the country: Wuqiao in Hebei, Yancheng in Jiangsu, and Puyang in Henan.

The development of acrobatics in Nanchong is closely related to the acrobatic "Shuangfeng Circus Class (also known as ZhuJiaBan)" created by a Zhu family in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. The "Zhujiaban" went south and north, and finally settled in Nanchong, merging with the local acrobatic team and becoming the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe.

Zhao Zhimin was born in an acrobatic family, great-grandfather Zhu Xiangcheng was a famous acrobatic master, grandfather Zhu Jintang was the founder of "Zhu Family Class", grandmother Gu Changying was a well-known acrobat in Yancheng, father Zhao Baozhong and mother Zhu Linhong were also famous acrobats.

Under the influence of the elders in the family, 6-year-old Zhao Zhimin embarked on the artistic path of learning acrobatics.

"Practicing acrobatics was very hard, I had to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning to practice, wear a thin dress on a cold day, and sweat like rain after practicing." Zhao Zhimin recalled that after he finished practicing, he would go to school and continue practicing after school.

In 1978, at the age of 9, Zhao Zhimin became a student of the acrobatic troupe in Nanchong at that time. Because of his solid skills and extraordinary talent, Zhao Zhimin became an official acrobat at the age of 11 and performed the first program in his life, "Little Springboard".

"This show requires me to flip through the air and then land firmly on another person." Zhao Zhimin said that the air actors are commonly known as "tops", and the ground actors are called "pedestals", the difficulty of the program is relatively high, in order to ensure the smooth performance, he practices turning over his head nearly a hundred times a day on average.

After the first performance was successful, Zhao Zhimin, who was agile, was highly valued, and his classic programs such as "Pedaling Chair" and "Bench Top" were successively on the stage and won praise from the audience.

However, an accident caused him to briefly withdraw from the stage.

"When I first came to the stage, I was 1.42 meters tall, which was very suitable for being a 'top', so I learned difficult aerial movements." Zhao Zhimin told reporters that after being a "top man" for more than three years, his height increased sharply, and his height suddenly flew to about 1 meter 7, and he could no longer be a "top man".

Like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, Zhao Zhimin's acting career had to end at the beginning. Devastated, he studied as a stage electrician and became a behind-the-scenes staff member of an acrobatic troupe.

"Can't I get on stage again?" In the three years of being a stage electrician, Zhao Zhimin has always insisted on training strength and bodybuilding, he is not willing to stay behind the scenes, and finally made a decision: start from scratch, then go to the stage, and become a "pedestal" actor.

"If the 'top man' pursues dexterity, the 'base' pays more attention to strength and balance." Zhao Zhimin told reporters that for example, the first "pedestal" program he trained, "Top Pole", used the "pressure door" training, requiring the "pedestal" actor to head a bamboo pole with a weight of 250 kilograms, which must be insisted on for more than 10 minutes each time.

The B-rate acrobatic troupe went abroad

Unwilling to go behind the scenes, Zhao Zhimin sharpened himself like an "ascetic" and strived to become a qualified "pedestal" actor as soon as possible.

After several years of "devil training", 17-year-old Zhao Zhimin successfully transformed and once again appeared on the stage.

"The 'base' is the strongest support for the 'top'." Zhao Zhimin said that when the "top man" successfully leaped and landed on his body, the applause of the whole audience was thunderous, and his mood was also excited.

Reaping success again strengthened Zhao Zhimin's determination and allowed him to cut through thorns on the artistic road of acrobatics.

"Another interesting thing, because it became a 'base', I partnered with my sister Liu Yan in "Double Top Bowl", and we had feelings for each other in rehearsals, and finally got married." Zhao Zhimin said that the couple's joint performance of "Double Top Bowl" also won the gold medal of the Mexican National Arts Festival.

Once, when the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe was in economic difficulties, in order to send acrobatics to the fields and let the people watch acrobatic art, they long -term "mixed people and goods" walked the countryside and alleys, touring all over the province, although it was very popular, but it has not had the opportunity to expand its reputation in the country.

In 1989, Zhao Zhimin ushered in his first opportunity to perform abroad.

"At that time, my program "Top Pole" was favored by the Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe and invited me to perform in the Philippines." Zhao Zhimin said that going abroad and letting more people see traditional Chinese art is a rare opportunity.

After returning to China, Zhao Zhimin told his father Zhao Baozhong about his experience of performing abroad. Zhao Baozhong, then head of the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe, was keenly aware of the development opportunities of Nanchong acrobatics.

Since 1995, Nanchong acrobatic performances are no longer limited to localities, and have gone out of Sichuan to perform in Shanghai Magnolia Theater, Lyceum Theatre, Shanghai World and other theaters, and achieved eye-catching results.

"It was because of the performance in Shanghai that the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe was invited by an American entertainment company to perform at the New Victory Theater on Broadway in New York for 42 days, and repeatedly appeared in the New York Times, Fox Television and other media." Zhao Zhimin said that after the success of the hit, the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe has successively carried out cultural and artistic exchanges in more than 30 countries and regions such as Mexico, Japan, France, Belgium, Britain, Australia, and South Korea.

C carefully inherit the art of acrobatics

"When you learn acrobatics and start your artistic life, I will take you all over the world!" This is Zhao Zhimin's mantra and his acrobatic admissions advertisement.

Acrobatics belong to a special art category, 8 to 12 years old is the "golden period" of practicing acrobatics, students join the group to learn acrobatics, only the basic skills have to be practiced for six or seven years, a simple action after thousands of times of repeated pounding, in order to ensure that it can be performed normally.

"Acrobatic students are not good at tricks, and most parents think that practicing acrobatics is too hard and afraid that their children will be injured." For Zhao Zhimin, recruiting students has become a problem.

"Among them, there are also some parents who have the misunderstanding that acrobats are 'running the rivers and lakes', and it is difficult to climb the elegant hall." Zhao Zhimin said that he regarded the WeChat circle of friends as an "advertising platform" and used the wonderful moments of foreign performances as "advertising content" to vividly display the artistic charm of acrobatics.

"Acrobatics are the essence of traditional nationality, and they have developed momentum in recent years." Zhao Zhimin said that in order to pass on this art, in 2018, the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe and the Nanchong Vocational and Technical College jointly held an acrobatic magic teaching class, which implemented free teaching, and now there are more than 40 students.

"There are many 'good seedlings' among this group of students, and they are looking forward to their appearance on the stage and moving towards a higher artistic hall." Zhao Zhimin said.

Recently, the reporter came to the Nanchong City Acrobatic Troupe in Yaowang Street, Shunqing District, as soon as he entered the training room, he was attracted by the hot scene, and in the training room of more than 100 square meters, the acrobats either built a "multi-layered ladder" with physical strength, or jumped up and flipped in the air...

"At present, the Nanchong Acrobatic Troupe is creating a large-scale acrobatic sitcom to welcome the 2022 Sichuan Provincial Cultural and Tourism Development Conference to be held in Nanchong." Zhao Zhimin introduced that the play tells about the silk culture of Nanchong, which is worth looking forward to.