Swimming through the sky, yet down to earth

An actor performs during the Brutal Force show. Photo provided to China Daily

Video: Brutal Force

A man in a white suit runs on a treadmill, while two woman dancers dangling from strings fly above the crowd.

Performers leap into the crowd to dance to the blend of futuristic electronic music and traditional Argentinean tunes.

And the audience goes wildest when a swimming pool with a glass bottom in which four dancers perform descends from the ceiling.

The crowd's surprise delights Argentinean director Diqui James, who created the show Brutal Force with music director Gabi Kerpel in 2005.

Even the setting in a 700-sqaure-meter tent without chairs or a stage was unexpected by Chinese audiences.

"Audiences come to a show and think: 'What have you got to show us?' That's the most exciting part for me," James says.

"I like satisfying and challenging their expectations."

Much of the chemistry is conjured by the blend of imagery and music, a balance James and Kerpel have honed since they started working together in 1985.

They cooperated on the international hit De La Guarda, in which the cast flies around the venue banging drums.

"If you just sit there and watch the actors play, then you go to watch a movie, which is much better than theater because it has strong visual effects," the director says.

"We want something new and fun."