Chinese Lions Dancing on giant balls. Taiko Drummers flying through the air. Three American angels performing to Chinese harp music. Aikido artists sweeping to a Persian lute. An acrobat somersaulting over a Chinese Lion. These are some of the images from the upcoming Circus Day Foundation presentation, Far East Meets Midwest.

This thrilling multi-cultural performance brings together Asian and Midwestern arts and artists in a dazzling display of international influence featuring the St. Louis Arches youth circus troupe, St. Louis Osuwa Taiko Drummers, St. Louis Modern Chinese School Lion Dancers, Hiroshi Tada, Japanese master top-spinner, Xiaoyu Yan, Zheng Virtuoso and special guests Three Rivers Aikido and Farshid Soltanshahi.

This year’s Far East Meets Midwest features several unique and wonderful collaborations. The cross-cultural cross training has been fun and demanding for both troupes. The result is exhilarating! The St. Louis Arches and St. Louis Osuwa Taiko Drummers will perform an act called Tumble Drum in which Taikos tumble and Arches drum. Another first is the act that has Xiaoyu Yan playing the Zheng (Chinese harp) to accompany three young girls from the Arches as they perform a new Triple Trapeze act. Since you can’t get from the Far East to the Midwest without going through the Middle East, Iranian master musician, Farshid Soltanshahi will play the Persian setar to accompany a martial arts demonstration by members of Three Rivers Aikido. These creative collaborations are part of what makes Circus Day Foundation’s Far East Meets Midwest an incredible, inspirational, international treat for all who attend.

There will be shows at 4 and 8 PM on Saturday February 28th. Between shows, from 6 to 8, there is a buffet dinner and silent auction to benefit the Circus Day Foundation. Tickets can be purchased by calling 314/436-7676.