Circus festival keeps pace with the times

As Jasmine Straga boarded her flight back to Australia after the 20th China Wuqiao International Circus Festival in Wuqiao county, Cangzhou, Hebei province, her heart was filled with a mix of fulfillment and nostalgia, just like each of her departures in previous years.

Having participated in every single edition of the festival since 1998 — first as a contortionist and ring performer, now as a judge — the 44-year-old acrobatics expert has witnessed the event, and the county itself, transform before her eyes.

"It's like watching a child grow up," Straga said.

Her connection to Wuqiao is deeply personal.

In 2007, Straga attended the festival with her then 4-year-old daughter, and since then, the mother and daughter have formed an enduring bond with the festival.

Her daughter was then famously nicknamed "Wuqiao Baby" by Bian Faji, the president of the China Acrobats Association.

"The creation of acrobatics needs cross-boundary integration and constant innovation to maintain lasting vitality," Bian said.

Straga's "baby" is now a 22-year-old woman who frequently spends vacations in China, a testament to a bond that extends beyond acrobatics.

"The first time I came, Wuqiao was a small town. Now, with the new Oriental Acrobatics Center and the expanded Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School, it's a world-class destination for acrobatics," Straga said, adding that China's commitment to the art is incredible.

Straga's story mirrors the journey of the festival itself — from a domestic gathering to a pivotal bridge for international cultural exchange, firmly placing the "hometown of Chinese acrobatics" on the global map.