Vincent Von Duke of the Jordan World Circus performs with lions and tigers during the afternoon showing Tuesday at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena.
Crowd Of All Ages Takes In Circus
By Robert Rizzuto rrizzuto@post-journal.com March 31, 2010
Downtown Jamestown was a circus Tuesday, literally, as hundreds of people descended upon the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena to watch the performers of the Jordan World Circus.
From death-defying trapeze acts taking place high above the crowd to performances with lions and tigers of every type, the circus offered something for everyone.
Presented in the three-ring traditional American style, the Jordan performers invigorated the crowd from the beginning of the show, and according to Mike Ferguson, JSBIA general manager, that is why they were invited back to the city for the second consecutive year.
"The Jordan World Circus is great and last year we had a sold-out arena," he said Tuesday afternoon. "At a 4:30 p.m. show on a Tuesday, you wonder how many people will really show up, but we have the arena at least three-quarters full today."
The circus broke down the age barrier with those in attendance ranging from infants to their elders nearing the century mark.
When Vincent Von Duke, one of the circus' animal trainers, stepped into the caged circle with his African lion and tiger friends, the performance was applauded loudly by the crowd. The animals performed tricks including jumping through a flaming hoop near the center of the circle and by acting as playful as house cats.
Trapeze artists perform from the ceiling of the ice arena.The show was also complimented by the Terrific Terriers, three rings of juggling and of course, the amazing Jordan Danger Zone riders in the Globe of Death. When the four motorcycle riders jumped on their machines and revved the engines loudly as they entered the public's view, the crowd roared in anticipation.
As they defied gravity inside the large metal globe, set up in one of the rings, the crowd went crazy as each rider flew past the next in what looked like synchronized chaos.
Ferguson said that the one goal of the ice arena's board is to bring in events that are family-friendly and appeal to a wide range of people.
"We have people from Olean and Erie that came to see the circus and this is just one event that draws them to our city," he said. "We try to mix the price and product so there is something to appeal to people of every demographic and economic income."
The Jordan World Circus features the third generation of the Jordan family based out of Las Vegas. After Jamestown, the crew will travel throughout New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, performing all the way.
The Jordan Danger Zone riders perform in the Globe of Death.P-J photos by Robert Rizzuto 
Performers juggle during the Jordan World Circus on Tuesday.P-J photo by Robert Rizzuto
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