Staged by a company based in the province the Shaolin Temple is in.
WHAT IT IS
Shaolin kung fu is a martial tradition, not a stage tradition — but it has been performed for long enough to have developed a real theatrical vocabulary. Held stances, unison forms, weapon work, and the sequences audiences recognise from forty years of cinema.
The Shaolin Temple is in Henan. So are we. Martial performers here are not booked in from elsewhere; this is a local discipline with a local talent pool, and it is the same reason our iron fireworks are the real thing.
THE ACTS
- Eighteen Bronze Men 十八铜人 — the temple’s legendary trial staged as ensemble choreography. Held formations, unison strikes, and a finish built for applause
- Shaolin Battle Flag 少林战旗 — large flags worked in formation alongside martial movement. Designed as a finale: the flags fill the frame and read from the back of any room
- Shaolin Youth Troupe 少林小子 — young performers, technically serious and extremely popular with family audiences
- Weapon forms — staff, spear and sword routines, solo or in formation
- Bamboo Hat 斗笠 — conical hats worked as props within martial choreography
WHY IT WORKS ON CAMERA
Martial forms are built from held positions connected by fast movement, which is almost exactly what a camera wants: clean shapes to cut on, and speed in between. It needs no explanation, it photographs at any distance, and it carries the same weight for an audience in Riyadh or Frankfurt as it does in Zhengzhou.
WHAT IT NEEDS
- Clear floor with proper surface — martial work on marble is a hazard
- Height for weapon forms, particularly staff and flag
- Cast size scales from a soloist to a company of twenty
- Weapons are performance props, but confirm venue and local rules early, particularly for hotels and airports in transit
INTERNATIONAL BOOKINGS
Our performers travel. They hold valid passports, work in basic English alongside our bilingual production staff, and are experienced with international schedules and call sheets.
For overseas bookings we normally need four to six weeks for visas and documentation, though we have worked to shorter notice. Costume, props and instruments travel with the company.
We also cast for film, television and commercial shoots. On request we can supply portfolios, full-body reference photography, measurements, unedited performance video, and day and overtime rates.
Want Shaolin Martial Arts at your event?
Tell us the setting and the moment you want it to land, and we will cast it.
More from ING
- Services → Chinese New Year Programming for Hotels & Resorts
- Our Work → Velaa Private Island, Maldives
- Performances → Iron Fireworks 打铁花