Doing a handstand is tough, so doing a handstand on top of seven chairs stacked together is a real challenge.

The audience at Stephens Auditorium saw this and more at the National Acrobats of Taiwan performance Friday evening.

“I was really excited to come; this was a Valentine’s present for me,” said Christie Graeve, senior in psychology.

The performance featured a variety of acts showcasing the talents that make up the National Acrobats of Taiwan. Each act featured different Asian costumes, music and backdrops to help the audience get a feel for Taiwanese culture.

During the show, choruses of “oohs” and “ahs” could be heard throughout the auditorium. Although the audience seemed to enjoy all the acts, there were certain acts that stood out as crowd favorites.

One particular act featured the flexibility of three female acrobats. They dressed in pink and green costumes meant to symbolize the blooming spring. The contortionists performed on a small, round, wooden platform while dancing to Asian music featuring bells, flutes and whistles.

“My favorite part of the show was the beginning with the three girls,” said Katie Benda, senior in psychology. “It was amazing to see them contort their bodies like that.”

Another favorite performance was when a male acrobat wearing a sparkle-blue outfit took the stage with his juggling act. He began the set with three balls, but increased to seven balls while walking up and down stairs and tap dancing.

“I was really impressed with the juggling down the stairs; I have never seen anyone do something like that before,” said Ames resident Laura Sauceda.

Twelve female acrobats dressed in green hoop skirts performed their act by twirling plates balanced on silver sticks. They stacked on top of one another, making a pyramid, with the end result resembling a large wedding cake with twirling candles.

“The dancers reminded me of a scene from the movie ‘Fantasia,'” said Beth Danowsky, senior in dietetics.

The climactic point of the show occurred during a skit that featured martial arts movements and gymnastics. For the act’s finale, a male acrobat climbed on seven chairs stacked on top of four wine bottles sitting on a table. The acrobat proceeded to do a series of handstands while incorporating humor into his act by teasing the audience with the chairs.

“I was really impressed with the martial arts skit,” said Jeremias Sauceda, a former ISU student. “I am in the ISU Judo and Hapkido club, and I am really impressed with the performance, having that perspective. The rolling falls are really hard to do.”

Audience members less acquainted with the technical moves executed by the performers were also entertained by the show.

“Watching the Taiwanese acrobats was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Christine Patton, sophomore in art and design.