Perhaps it was when dozens of graceful Viennese waltzers - women in golden gowns, men in white tie and tails - were joined by roller-blading rabbits that it became obvious something distinctly odd was taking place in Tiananmen Square.
They appeared not long after a high-kicking chorus line in silver space suits ran through snappy routines that would earn praise from the Rockettes of New York's Radio City Music Hall.
Earlier in the day, the real rockets had rumbled by - short-range missiles designed to obliterate intruding ships or planes, longer-range ones able to obliterate Taiwan, if the ranking officials who watched benignly from atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace decide the time has come.
The occasion was last week's National Day celebration marking the 50th birthday of the People's Republic of China. Also included were marching soldiers in designer uniforms, floats symbolising hi-tech aspirations, armoured personnel carriers with white-walled tires, dancing bananas, and nurses in starched uniforms emerging from a giant lotus.
It was colourful and entertaining. But what was the message? First was the birthday, in itself cause for celebration. Only two other Communist Party-led governments have lasted 50 years and the main one, that of the Soviet Union, has long since crumbled, while the second, of North Korea, could follow soon. The only other survivors are in Cuba, which won't last much longer than Fidel Castro, and Vietnam, floundering economically.
Yet China made it despite some of chairman Mao Zedong's madder policies, which brought death to 30 million-plus during the Great Leap Forward and to another million or so during the Cultural Revolution, while creating general chaos and destroying higher education for a generation.
Reason enough for a party.