Taiji kicked off its global tour on Oct 11 and, judging by the audience response, what happened at Beijing's Poly Theater may well be repeated around the world. And it does not really matter whether you are familiar with this particular Chinese martial arts practice, which is also spelt as tai chi.

Tai chi master Ma Jianchao performs authentic moves in the show Taiji, a seamless incorporation of dance, tai chi and acrobatics.

A 90-minute extravaganza in visual splendor and acrobatic feats, this stage performance is a reminder of those eyepopping and mind-boggling Cirque du Soleil theme shows but with a distinct Chinese twist.

The use of tai chi as a leitmotif has proved to be a fountain of inspiration for every aspect of the show, from choreography to costume design.

You don't see the brightly colored Chinese symbols ubiquitous on such occasions. Instead, the stark black-and-white scheme has turned an otherwise busy program into a subdued exercise in balancing yin and yang, a theme inherent in tai chi and here infused throughout rather than outright stated.

Taiji has the structure of a dance drama, but at its heart it is a variety show.

The thinly plotted story line of a global traveler is a nice touch, especially when the role is played by Chinese-American Isaac Hou, who pulls off some of the most crowd-pleasing acts in the show such as "the Universe Ring" and "the Magic Crystal Ball".

For those who have not seen him on TV and have a seat to the back of the house, a live video projection of his close-up could have accentuated the wow effect.

Other than this narrative framework, the show has as much story as Cats the musical, with no singing of course. The incorporation of dance, tai chi and acrobatics is almost seamless. The 24 teenage disciples from Shaolin Tagou Education Group are energetic and competent as martial-arts wallflowers, but it is the principal players highlighted in each scene who are the true stars.

These include He Chao who performs the rapid change of face masks, Wei Wei who contorts her body into amazing forms, Wu Changzhen and Kong Qianqian who fly through the air on a rope, and Qing Fengzi who walks on a narrow and rotating platform protruding high into the audience, without a safety net or wire rigging.

Then there are the tai chi masters like Ma Jianchao, Zhang Pu, Weizheng and Xiling who perform authentic tai chi moves. The grandmaster himself, He Junlong, makes an appearance in the finale, in a condensed routine of all eight of the essential tai chi movements with a voiceover explanation.