The big top comes to Beijing

　 A Chinese animal trainer performs with lions on a temporary stage near the Bird"s Nest. [Zou Hong / China Daily]

A world-class circus with performers from 12 countries presented a dazzling display of skill under the big top on Wednesday near the Bird"s Nest.

The show, Pandora Fantasy, was inspired by Hollywood director James Cameron"s recent blockbuster film Avatar (2009), which featured a beautiful planet called Pandora, according to performance director Zhu Chuansheng.

"When members of the audience enter the tent, they will be impressed by our decoration, lighting, sound and music. It will be as if they are stepping onto a different planet or transcending into a different world," Zhu said.

Over the next six months, the cast, which consists of more than 100 performers from Russia, France, the Netherlands, India and China, has pledged to give their best acrobatic performances to Beijingers in the show"s 2,000-seat tent, including breathtaking high-wire and trapeze acts.

Along with traditional circus clowns, the show features the big top"s usual variety of animals like lions, tigers, horses, elephants and bears, which are a big draw for children and their parents.

Menno Vandyke, of the Netherlands, will present juggling and dance the tango with his wife, Emily. Vandyke, who has been juggling for 18 years, is a former winner of the China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Contest.

Commenting on the show"s international cast, Vandyke said: "It is interesting to work with performers from all over the world."

Following the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Bird"s Nest has become one of the hottest entertainment venues in the capital.