Setting up, tearing down all part of the circus lifestyle
Steven Martens The Quad-City Times
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The George Carden International Circus gave a performance at 7 p.m. Friday in the southeast Iowa town of Eldon.
Then they packed up, drove 120 miles to Davenport, unloaded everything and had it set up and ready to go by 9 a.m. Saturday for an 11 a.m. performance at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.
For a group that logs 40,000 miles a year, it’s all part of the routine, said Nina Carden, 25, who works as a showgirl during the performance, helps out in the box office and even handles snakes for the children to see during intermission for the Springfield, Mo.-based circus.
During the summer, when it performs outdoor shows, the circus has a crew of about 50 people who can set up in about four hours and tear down in about two hours, she said.
The long hours and road trips are “the grind” of the business, she said, but most of the circus employees wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Ninety percent of the people in this business are born and raised in the business,” she said. “It’s all they know and all they want to know.”
She said the circus crew has set up and torn down so many times, it’s become second nature.
“No one needs to tell anyone what to do,” she added. “It’s a well-oiled machine.”Read more: http://www.qctimes.com/article_4ebd205a-a4f7-11e0-ba84-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1R2phMq38
Then they packed up, drove 120 miles to Davenport, unloaded everything and had it set up and ready to go by 9 a.m. Saturday for an 11 a.m. performance at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.
For a group that logs 40,000 miles a year, it’s all part of the routine, said Nina Carden, 25, who works as a showgirl during the performance, helps out in the box office and even handles snakes for the children to see during intermission for the Springfield, Mo.-based circus.
During the summer, when it performs outdoor shows, the circus has a crew of about 50 people who can set up in about four hours and tear down in about two hours, she said.
The long hours and road trips are “the grind” of the business, she said, but most of the circus employees wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Ninety percent of the people in this business are born and raised in the business,” she said. “It’s all they know and all they want to know.”
She said the circus crew has set up and torn down so many times, it’s become second nature.
“No one needs to tell anyone what to do,” she added. “It’s a well-oiled machine.”Read more: http://www.qctimes.com/article_4ebd205a-a4f7-11e0-ba84-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1R2phMq38
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