Regional bragging rights. Office betting pools. Weekend afternoon boredom. These are all worthwhile reasons to be a sports fan. But for the Weekly Volcano's money, the best defense of sports' spectators has to be the vicarious thrill that we get from seeing athletes do all the cool stuff we can't do. So unless you already know how to dance atop a stack of chairs or juggle jars, desks, ladders, and bamboo with your feet, you'll want to check out The Peking Acrobats Saturday. The performance won't just be a physics lesson - the acts double as a primer on Chinese culture: The exercises that the troupe performs go as far back as the Ch'in Dynasty (225-207 B.C.), and some performances depict characters from ancient Chinese mythology. Unless you're completely dead on the inside, there should still be a bit of childlike wonderment that comes from seeing someone do something remarkable. The Peking Acrobats will dazzle with breathtaking displays of contortion, flexibility and control. You can bet on it.

PEKING ACROBATS, 3 p.m., Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, $19-$49, 253.591.5894