Who is Red Panda? Meet the legendary halftime performer
And now, with the performer getting injured -- wishing her a speedy and full recovery! -- we wanted to give Red Panda her well-deserved flowers, especially for those of you who don't know much about her.
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So let's dive in and help you get to know the woman known as Red Panda, who is an absolute legend!
Who is Red Panda?
Her real name is Rong Niu. She's the daughter of two Chinese acrobats, and her act is simple but wonderful: she gets on a unicycle and catches bowls on her head.
On one occasion, she's had her unicycle stolen, though the Golden State Warriors offered to buy her a new one.
How did Red Panda get injured?
She fell off her unicycle at the Fever and Lynx game, something that's happened to her before in rare instances.
How did Red Panda get her start?
From Sports Illustrated in 2019:
Red Panda's act forged forward. After collecting video from spectators, she spotted filming her performances, Niu delivered the clips to a professional editor, who cut a seven-minute highlight reel of GuiZhang's star. She ordered 1,000 copies, then stuffed the VHS tape and business cards into envelopes, blasting agents and venues across the map. Only her phone hardly rang. Neither Circus Circus nor Cirque du Soleil called. Finally, after one year, a talent agent named Reynold Clark dialed Niu the day before Thanksgiving 1993. One of his acts had sustained an injury, and the Clippers needed an immediate replacement for halftime the following evening. Within hours she jetted to Los Angeles.
From there, she gained fame at various basketball arenas for years.
Has Red Panda gotten injured before?
Yes. This isn't just an easy act. She's broken her arm before.
How did Red Panda do on America's Got Talent?
She made it to the semifinals in Season 8 back in 2013 eventually as a Wild Card after withdrawing from the show to take care of her father, who had cancer.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who is Red Panda? Halftime performer's history and unicycle act
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