Chinese Acrobatics Program Thrills Kids at Watchung Library

Friends of the Watchung Library are pleased to have enhanced the Summer Reading Program at the Watchung Library by sponsoring programs for children and adults with proceeds from the Friends’ year-round fundraising efforts.
The highlight of the summer was a one-woman acrobatic performance by Chinese artist Li Liu – an event that tied in beautifully with the 2016 sports-inspired summer reading program. Liu performed hand balancing, plate spinning, artistic cycling, ribbon dancing, diabolo, foot juggling and Chinese water bowl manipulation. Young volunteers joined Liu on stage to create an impromptu ribbon dance and to try plate spinning. Liu also spoke about Chinese culture and rituals, and taught the over 60 enthusiastic participants some Chinese phrases.
Spectator and Youth Services Librarian Sharon Orlando was among those who enjoyed the program, observing that “Li Liu’s grace and strength would leave any Olympic gymnast in awe, and she dazzled all of us as well! It was an amazing performance.” Orlando further remarked that “It is hard to believe such acrobatic moves are humanly possible. She perfected what can only be achieved in computer-generated images. Her lifetime of practice and performance gave all of us an amazing program.”
Other programs the Friends of the library brought to Watchung include “Mad Science!” (With flying crash dummies and cloths pulled out from under dishes), Ancient Entertainment (an armchair art tour surveying ancient Greek and Roman sports and games), and American Masterpieces (an exploration of 25 iconic American art masterpieces from the 18th century to the present).
For more about Friends of the Watchung Library, visit their web site at http://www.friendsofwatchunglibrary.org/ or follow the Friends of the Watchung Library on Facebook.