FOR THE KIDS : Acrobats Offer a Circus of Bizarre Stunts : The daredevils follow a rich tradition as they tumble, dance, balance and juggle with incredible strength and concentration.

The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats and Magicians--those daredevils who dive blindfolded through hoops ringed by knives and fire--are back in town for a show this weekend.

These are the same acrobats who performed last year in Ventura, wowing kids who thought it was impossible to pack 10 people on one bicycle and cruise around the stage.

The troupe of tumblers, dancers and jugglers will give a 90-minute performance, not including intermission, at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Ventura High School auditorium. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for children.

The performers, 14 to 18 of them in bright costumes, are all from Taiwan. They bill themselves as a circus, Asian style, without the animals. But spectators won’t miss the animals. This is a show packed with some amazing stunts that require incredible strength, coordination and concentration.

For instance, one of the acrobats sets a chair on four bottles atop a small table that is resting on a larger table. Then he stacks seven chairs on top of the first one. That alone is quite a feat, but he finishes it off with a one-handed handstand off the top chair, which is tilted at an angle.

They do the bizarre, like playing catch with a big vase balanced on their heads, or juggling tables and jugs with their feet. They spin plates on sticks while they do acrobatic moves, and one of them flips five sets of teacups onto his head, then plunks a lump of sugar into the top cup.

It’s not all intense acrobatic stuff. They jump rope, using one performer’s body as the rope. A big, shaggy, yellow dog-like creature romps around the stage, only to reveal itself as two people inside a costume. They do a little comic mime and some dancing, using colorful streamers and feathered fans.

This year’s show has some new stunts, according to Brian Bemel, director of the Ventura County Children’s Festival, which is bringing the troupe here. One of them has performers balanced atop tall poles, switching places.

The act has its roots deep in cultural history. The skills and some of the stunts performed by the group have been around since 200 BC, according to promoters, and they are an important part of Chinese art and culture. As part of their training, the acrobats learn to use a special Asian philosophy where the body and mind work in harmony.

For Danny Chang, the producer and director of the show, being an acrobat is a tradition passed down through his family. His father, grandfather and ancestors as far back as can be traced have been acrobats. Chang started training when he was 8, and within two years he was performing with his family’s troupe.

His troupe, the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats and Magicians, has toured the United States and appeared on television shows like “That’s Incredible.”

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Here’s a tip. Conejo Recreation and Park District has released the dates for the next series of its popular Saturday Night S’Mores program. They will be Jan. 14, Feb. 11 and March 11.

In case you haven’t heard of this unusual family outing, it features an easy two-mile night hike in Thousand Oak’s Wildwood Park. The highlight is the marshmallow roast, with stories and songs around the campfire. The first two outings run from 5 to 7:30 p.m., and the last is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The cost is $4.

You need to make a reservation early for these programs because they fill up. For information, call 494-8301.

Details

* WHAT: Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats and Magicians.

* WHEN: Sunday, 3 p.m.

* WHERE: Ventura High School, 2155 E. Main St., Ventura.

* COST: $14 for adults and $12 for kids under 16.

* INFORMATION: 646-6997.

* FYI: To purchase tickets by phone, call 650-5900 or 374-9222.