Pen Zen es un diabolista de 22 años de Taiwán que comenzó a diábolo a la edad de 7 años. Se formó en la universidad nacional de artes escénicas de Taiwán. Es parte del equipo de MHD y se ha presentado tanto en grupos como en solitario. Podría decirse que es el diabolista más técnico del mundo, en particular por ser la primera persona en iniciarse y controlar 5 diabolo low en 2016. Logró varios récords mundiales a lo largo de los años. Recientemente, actuó en el 42º Festival Cirque de Demain en París. Pen demostró un acto de diábolo perfectamente cronometrado, sin gotas y posiblemente el más técnico jamás realizado. Actuó en el circo Flic Flac de Alemania y ahora forma parte del nuevo espectáculo ECHO del Cirque du Soleil.
Nuevo truco bajo de 5 diábolo : 673*73*73*63*
Pen's Interview
1. ¿Cómo empezaste diábolo?
When I was young, my cousin came to my house and show me how to play diabolo. I thought it was very interesting, and later joined the school diabolo club.
2. How many hours a day do you usually practice ?
It depends, but usually one to two hours. It would be more hours before competition or new creation.
3. How does it feel to perform in the Cirque du Soleil show ECHO ?
It’s great, besides diabolo, I also played other animal characters, it’s a very fresh experience
4. What is the most difficult trick you have done ?
For now I would like to say 5diabolos double 4sun.
5. You were the first person to self start 5 diabolos low. What is your the dream trick that you haven’t done yet ?
A lot, including 6 diabolos low.
6. Do you have other hobbies than diabolo ?
Practicing other circus related things is also my interest.
7. What is your purpose of training diabolo ?
In the beginning just for fun, now Part of making money, but more about challenging myself and amazing people.
8. What does the MHD Crew mean to you?
A place , a troupe to work happily with like-minded teammates and teachers
9. What advice do you have for diabolo beginners ?
Always enjoy the process of practicing.
10. What do you think about the Sundia diabolos ?
New and good products are launched frequently, so I have more options, I think it's the best diabolo store.
11. You have been using Taibolo, MHD Pro, Nova and now Magforce + LED. Why did you choose the Magforce diabolo recently ?
Because I need to add LEDs during the show, and Magforce works best with LEDs, and it feels great when operating, the weight is also very suitable for me. But I have to tell you that I am not using the well-known magforce. First, I don’t use the bearings. Second, I use a short and fixed axle. The Magforce I use is reassembled by our MHD-Crew technical team and is suitable for me as I do 5 diabolos, the crew is trying to reduce the weight so that it will not cause too much burden on my wrist, but in addition to practicing stage performances, I am still using MHDPRO to practice.
Youtube: 彭湛Pen Zen
Instagram : zhanp
Watch Pen's act at the 42nd Cirque de Demain Festival in Paris
No great success comes without great mentors. Angela has been supporting Pen from the beginning and is accompanying him all the way to Europe and America. She and her daughter Patty are managing the MHD crew in Taipei. An organization that coaches the youth and provides them with technical and artistic guidance. They help foster opportunities for their students by organizing shows and attending festivals. The MHD is welcoming any foreign diabolist visiting Taiwan, as they are open hearted and benevolent.
Angela's Interview
1. What is the goal of the MHD ?
It can be explained like this
M = Music
H = Happy
D = Diabolo
That’s “Along with music ,be happy To Diabolo” that’s the original symbol. In the meaning of Chinese, music and happy are the same word, so music, happy and diabolo are inseparable
2. How and when did you meet Pen ?
In 2014, Peng Chan was 14 years old. He was already a child with great skills. His mother hoped that he could improve, especially his artistic performance on stage. At that time, his mother thought that MHD could provide such help. So she took him to visit me, hoping to let Peng Chan join our team.
Because my team members were trained in our team from the beginning, and we didn't accept such students who joined in halfway, so I didn't think I could offer that kind of help and didn't say yes, but I did offer some suggestions like to find an personal instructor with specialty to improve his body movement.
In the following year, his mother kept in touch with me, and never gave up looking for the possibility to let Peng Chan join MHD. In 2015, Peng Chan finally joined MHD.
3. Can you tell us about his personality ?
Good temper ,good mind, positive, friendly, rich sense of justice, has perseverance. Love to help people and share with the others. Sometimes stubborn. Only focus on the things he is interested, Dislike the complex things.
4. Pen is the world’s most technical low diabolo player. What makes him so good ?
I think the most important thing is that he set a clear goal ,a very hard one ,and goes all out to achieve it, instead of blindly pursuing popular tricks. it is easy for everyone to practice the same thing. In fact, he might know most of them., takes it for a game, once he knows how to do it, he will put it aside and go back to practice his five diabolos.
In competitions or performances, he only does the tricks he likes. Although some people mocked him sarcastically he could only show 5 low and nothing else, he never care , Most of people knows that he has been practicing low five diabolos for the past few years, I say “years”, surely it means he took much and long time to train himself. Not only 5 low but also 4 and 3 and 2. The point is he truly enjoys training. Never stop , never get tired.
5. What are you the most proud of about him ?
Among my many students, Pen is the one who is willing to spend the most time practicing. He is talented and willing to work hard too. I am very happy to be by his side during his hard work and watch him become a man with super high control ability with diabolos and always brave to break through the limit, now he is a good and professional artist.
Pen's Character in the Cirque du Soleil show ECHO - Photos Benoit Leroux
Follow Pen's show in the Cirque du Soleil Youtube Series
