Acrobat Rong Niu (Red Panda) Biography: Age, Real Name, Nickname, Career, Education, Height, Parents, Husband, children, Nationality, Ethnicity, Net Worth

Rong Niu, also known as Red Panda, is a Chinese American acrobat famous for her amazing halftime shows at basketball games. She was born around 1970 or 1971 in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, into a family of performers. Her parents were both acrobats, and she is the fourth generation in her family to perform acrobatic bowl-flipping acts. She started practicing her skills at the age of 7, trained by her father, and later joined a school for acrobatic arts. By age 14, Rong Niu (Red Panda) was already touring the world with the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe.

When she was 19, Rong Niu (Red Panda) moved to the United States. She first lived in Orlando, Florida, then settled in San Francisco, California. In 1993, she got her big break performing at an NBA game for the Los Angeles Clippers. Since then, she has become a fan favorite, performing at hundreds of NBA and college basketball games. Fans love her act, where she rides a 7-foot-tall unicycle and flips metal bowls from her foot onto her head.

Rong Niu (Red Panda) also appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2013 and reached the quarterfinals, but left the show when her father was diagnosed with cancer. She paused her career to care for him and sadly broke her wrist during that time. Her father passed away in 2014, and after a break, she returned to performing in 2015.

Rong Niu (Red Panda) act lasts about five and a half minutes and involves flipping and catching up to sixteen white-painted metal bowls. She says she performs a perfect show about 75 to 80 percent of the time. At her peak, Rong Niu (Red Panda) earned up to $5,000 per performance, making her one of the highest-paid halftime performers in sports.

In 2018, Rong Niu (Red Panda) custom unicycle was stolen at the airport, but the Golden State Warriors helped buy her a new one. In 2025, she competed in Britain’s Got Talent and made it to the semifinals. She also had a guest appearance in the Netflix series Running Point.

Rong Niu (Red Panda) became a U.S. citizen in 1997 and is known for her dedication, talent, and incredible balance. Her unique unicycle act continues to inspire and entertain people around the world..

Parents

Rong Niu (Red Panda) parents are GuiZhang Niu and Jiang LongDi. Both of them were professional acrobats in China. Her father trained her from a young age. Her family has a long history in acrobatics—her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother also performed bowl-flipping acts.

Height

Rong Niu (Red Panda) is around 5 feet 3 inches "160 cm" tall.

Weight

Rong Niu (Red Panda)  weight is not publicly confirmed, but she appears to be slim and athletic due to her acrobatic work—estimated to be around 110–120 lbs (50–55 kg).

Husband

Rong Niu (Red Panda) has kept her personal life private, and there is no public information available about a husband or spouse.

Siblings

There is no known information about whether Rong Niu (Red Panda)  has any brothers or sisters.

Children

Rong Niu (Red Panda) has not shared any information about having children.

Awards and Achievements

> Gained fame as one of the most popular halftime performers in NBA history.

> Performed at Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City.

> Appeared on America’s Got Talent (Season 8) and Britain’s Got Talent (Series 18), reaching the semifinals in the UK.

> Recognized by many sports media outlets; called "the best halftime act in basketball" by Dime Magazine.

> Performed internationally and at hundreds of sports events over her career.

Nationality

Rong Niu (Red Panda)  is a Chinese American. She was born in China and became a U.S. citizen in 1997.

Ethnicity

Rong Niu (Red Panda)  is of Han Chinese ethnicity.

Net Worth

Rong Niu (Red Panda) exact net worth is not confirmed, but based on reports, she earned around $5,000 per performance at her peak. Her estimated net worth is believed to be between $500,000 and $1 million.

FAQs 

1. What is Rong Niu (Red Panda)  real name?

- Her real name is Rong Niu.

2. What is Rong Niu (Red Panda) nickname or stage name?

- Her stage name is Red Panda. Some also call her Rong "Krystal" Niu.

3. How old is Rong Niu (Red Panda)?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda)  was born around 1970 or 1971, so she is about 54 or 55 years old (as of 2025).

4. What is Rong Niu (Red Panda) career?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) is a professional acrobat who performs amazing tricks on a tall unicycle, usually during basketball halftime shows.

5. What is her educational background?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) trained at a boarding school for acrobatic arts in China and learned acrobatics from her father starting at age 7.

6. How tall is Rong Niu (Red Panda)?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) is about 5 feet 3 inches tall (around 160 cm).

7. Who are Rong Niu (Red Panda) parents?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda)  parents are GuiZhang Niu (father) and Jiang LongDi (mother). Both were acrobats.

8. Does Rong Niu (Red Panda) have any siblings?

- There is no public information about Rong Niu (Red Panda) having any brothers or sisters.

9. Is Rong Niu (Red Panda) married or does she have children?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) has kept her personal life private. There is no known information about a husband or children.

10. What is her nationality and ethnicity?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) is Chinese American by nationality and Han Chinese by ethnicity.

11. What is Rong Niu (Red Panda) estimated net worth?

- Rong Niu (Red Panda) net worth is estimated to be between $500,000 and $1 million, based on her earnings as a performer.