Acrobatics takes a leap

At 23, Cao Wenhao has spent most of his life learning how to fly, tumble and balance onstage.

Born into a family of acrobats in Jining, Shandong province, he began training at age 6, following in the footsteps of his grandparents and uncle. His latest challenge was unlike anything he had tried before: turning an ordinary skipping rope into an acrobatic prop.

The Path — Group Men’s Rope Tricks, by the Shandong Acrobatic Troupe, made its debut at the 12th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards, held from Sept 13 to 19 in Puyang, Henan province. The competition brought together 26 acrobatic troupes from across China.