Are Classical Chinese Dancers Gymnasts?

On the contrary…

You could even say gymnasts learned moves from classical Chinese dance. How? As classical Chinese dance developed over thousands of years, flipping and tumbling techniques—like those you see in Olympic gymnastics—became a major component of classical Chinese dance training.

In the 1970’s, Chinese gymnasts showcased these high-level flips at international competitions, introducing them to the world. In time, different forms of performing arts adopted techniques and flips from classical Chinese dance.

So when you see these moves on stage, remember, they’re not gymnastics or acrobatics but classical Chinese dance.