There were a few new variations. The Shaolin shows continue to evolve. It would be amusing to chart the progression of various acts in shows. I've done a little of that in my Shaolin Trips reports, but it's way too hard to keep good track with so many performances nowadays. Gotta keep it fresh.

I'm not convinced by that blindfolded demo. I can't say why. I've seen blindfolded demos before, and that one just didn't feel right.

I liked the needle-through-glass-and-balloon. I've seen that in other non-Shaolin shows. There some good needle throwing demos in our eXtreme Kungfu Qigong video which I touched on a bit in my e-zine review of that vid, eXtreme Kungfu Qigong: Hard Qigong and Water Lei Tai Fights in China's Amazing New Tournament. We also ran an article To Throw a Needle Through Glass
By Chen Xinghua in our 2005 Shaolin Special.

The eating glass is an old jianghu trick, which I've seen in non-Shaolin qigong acts too. Watch the sipping of the water. If they eat, then sip, they are spitting the broken glass into the water.

I loved the popping-up-the-staircase-in-headstand. I could only see a kid doing that. That's pretty intense.

I also was amused by the running-up-the-monk-staircase-with-buckets. That didn't look to hard, but it did look funny.