RI acrobats win special prize

JAKARTA: Three Indonesian girls won a special prize for their extraordinary performances at the eighth International Acrobatic Festival in China.

Shinta, 12, Empi, 12, and Susi, 14, of the Indonesian Safari Park Acrobatic group were awarded a trophy, a token of appreciation and prize money.

They captivated the jury with their stick balancing performance. Clad in Balinese costume, Shinta, the main acrobat, held a stick in her mouth on which a small table and a plate of fruit were balanced above her head while she danced to the sounds of Balinese gamelan music.

China, North Korea, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Mongolia, Egypt, France, Hungary, Belgium, Ukraine, Poland and Indonesia took part in the festival in Wuhan from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.

China took out three gold medals and North Korea a silver medal.

Safari Park Acrobatic Troupe, formerly the Oriental Circus, is the only national circus/acrobatic group in Indonesia.

Jansen Manansang, director of the group, said the special prize awarded to the Indonesian delegation was "beyond his expectations" as it was the first time they had competed in the event. (sim)