Omary Mohammed from Tanzania arrived in Wuqiao two weeks before the festival for on-site adaptive training at the Oriental Acrobatics Center — a newly built 2,000-seat theater with a 20-meter-high stage. "The equipment and the theater are amazing, totally different from back home," he said.

Mohammed was also impressed by the Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School, located next to the theater. "We don't have anything like this. We trained from You-Tube videos," he said.

International hub

Founded in 1985 as China's first acrobatic school, the Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School has, over the past four decades, trained performers for troupes across China and in countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, the United States, and Japan — becoming a global hub for acrobatic talent.

Jasmine Straga, director of the World Circus Federation and a jury member, described Wuqiao as "the world's oldest surviving acrobatic city." She said, "I see the circus in China as a living tradition. From my very first visit in 2007, I've been awed by the visual poetry of Chinese acrobatics," she said. "It's more than entertainment — it's a symbol of resilience and artistry."