Circus Historical Society 2011 Convention
June 8-11, 2011 Fort Mitchell, Kentucky

The Convention takes place at the Drawbridge Inn, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky from June 8 to June 11. In addition to a special tour of exhibit on the Strobridge posters at the Cincinnati Art Museum, a number of presentations featuring circus posters will be made

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE

A GREAT TIME!

After Ringling snub, Coney gets another circus operator

OK, so Ringling Bros. is gone, but another circus is coming to Coney Island.

June 7, 2011 / Brooklyn news / Not Just Nets / Coney Island
by Alex Rush, The Brooklyn Paper
Who needs Ringling Brothers? A new circus is coming to Coney!
Vidbel Circus, a one-ring extravaganza featuring trapeze artists, jugglers and equestrians, will run from July 4 through Labor Day in a lot near the Boardwalk on Stillwell Avenue.
Shows will be held five days a week, making Vidbel a fitting replacement for the so-called “Greatest Show on Earth,” which folded up its tent after just two summers in the People’s Playground.
The one-year deal for Vidbel was first reported by the blog, Amusing the Zillion.
“I grew up in New York so it’s great to be performing in Coney Island,” said trapeze artist Susan Vidbel-Ashton, a third-generation circus performer whose grandfather Alfred Vidbel founded Vidbel Circus in 1984.
Like Ringling Bros., Vidbel will have a variety of kitschy acts, including magicians, clowns and jugglers. Highlights include a bareback equestrian who somersaults from one horse to the next, and an archery expert who shoots an apple off his wife’s head.
Show times and prices have not been determined, but tickets will likely be around $10 — the cost of a Ringling Bros. ducat — according to Ashton-Vidbel. The tent will hold 600 people, far smaller than the 2,300-seat big top that Ringling Bros. brought to Coney.
Central Amusement International, the Italian-based outfit that also runs Scream Zone and Luna Park, operates Vidbel’s Coney Island site. The company is leasing seven acres from the city to fulfill Mayor Bloomberg’s long-term revitalization plan, and its deal with Vidbel is another step in transforming the once-neglected area into a year-round tourist destination.
“It’s great to have a circus coming in and fill up an empty lot,” said Charles Denson, who runs the Coney Island History Project at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park.
The Vidbel Circus’s debut will be a high point in the emotional roller coaster that is Coney Island: Ringling Bros. first ditched its site on W. 21st Street near Surf Avenue in March, but Borough President Markowitz’s Summer Concert Series will take over the space.
On the negative side, the beloved Siren Music Festival abandoned Coney for West Brooklyn, but that devastating move has been somewhat mitigated by new attractions like Scream Zone.
For info, visit www.circusvidbel.com.

Learn about the science behind the circus

BY MICHAEL PANTELIDISeditorial@queenscourier.com

Monday, June 6, 2011

Queens, NY--Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, young and old, and learn what it takes to join the circus. With or without a degree from Clown College, the New York Hall of Science is giving its visitors the rare opportunity to witness the bizarre, behind-the-scenes world of the circus, with its "Circus! Science Under The Big Top" exhibit.
“The exhibit explores the science behind the circus,” said Mary Record, the director of communications for the New York Hall of Science. “The balance and skill that is needed and all the physics behind the circus are displayed in a fun, hands-on way.” It is the first time the exhibit, which is produced by the Ontario Science Center, will visit New York. It is free with general museum admission and is open from June 11 through September 4.
Museum visitors can get a workout by walking the high wire, soaring through the air as an acrobat and staying steady on the balance bar. Edifying activities are also available, such as lessons in parlari, the private language of circus folk and animal training seminars, during which visitors will learn the subtle communicational differences exhibited by lions, gorillas and elephants. Included is a lesson on the legendary circus animals – Gargantua the Great and Jumbo the Elephant.
However, it’s not all fun and games. Visitors will also learn to distinguish between the dung of different animals by comparing fake droppings, and those brave enough will find out what is really in a corn dog.
After the training is complete, the show begins. The patrons become the performers, as guests are given an expedited education in the science of being a clown in Clown Alley, and then setout to make their friends, family and unsuspecting strangers laugh. In the costume area, visitors will be allowed to dress up as clowns, strongmen, lions, tigers and bears and entertain the audience. Music lovers can get behind the keyboard and play their favorite circus tunes.
“When we look for new exhibits, we look for things that are fun and that would appeal to our audience,” said Record. “I think everyone when they were a kid wanted to run away and join the Circus, so it appeals to kids and adults alike.”
Regardless of age, this summer at the New York Hall of Science, even the most brilliant scientists will be given the opportunity to behave like clowns.

Butterflies are parents, too, at least at Cirque

For the Ukrainian couple who perform the butterfly love duet in "Ovo," Cirque life is the only work life they know.

Svetlana Kashevarova, Dmitry Orel, and their children, Andrey, 15, and Anna, 4, Wednesday afternoon at Cirque du Soleil's encampment in Bloomington

Article by: ROHAN PRESTON , Minneapolis Star Tribune

June 6, 2011

The motto for Dmitry Orel and Svetlana Kashevarova might as well be "the family that Cirques together stays together."
The two aerial acrobats, who perform the butterfly love duet in Cirque du Soleil's "Ovo" at the Mall of America through June 19, mark their lives through the circus. They have spent much of their 16 years of marriage in the air -- both performing onstage and traveling to circuses in Europe, Asia and, since last year, the United States.
The Ukrainian natives bring their two children -- Andrey, 15, and Anna, 4 -- along for the ride, instilling in them the same values and preparing them, if they should choose, for a life under big tents. Cool teen Andrey, who trains with his father, hopes to join the circus in two years. Anna is teething.
The kids keep up with their studies in English and their native Ukrainian via onsite and online tutoring, the parents explained last week in an interview in the tent city behind Cirque's grand chapiteau in Bloomington.
If it were up to Kashevarova, who grew up in the circus, she would never settle down in any one spot. The apartment they keep in Kiev is a touchstone that they return to during longer layoffs from the circus. But the two-week break they have from "Ovo" -- the show goes to Chicago in 50 trailers after it closes at the Mall of America -- is not enough time to make the long trip home, so they explore wherever they are.
This is the most exciting life she knows, Kashevarova said through an interpreter. Things are constantly changing. They get to have new experiences and encounters everywhere they go, including Switzerland, which they described as a fairy tale with cute houses and kind people. Why would she want to do anything else?read more at: http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/stageandarts/123255908.html

Looking Back: The Sells Brothers Circus has come to town

Monday, June 06, 2011

By Dave LeMieux The Muskegon Chronicle
This week 128 years ago…
Excitement reached a fever pitch when the long-awaited Sells Brothers Circus arrived in Muskegon.
The Chronicle said on June 6, 1883
The Sells Brothers Circus is here and sightseers are having their appetites appeased.
It arrived this morning bright and early and at once began the work of unloading and removing to the grounds wagons, animals and paraphernalia usually belonging to a circus.
This operation was watched with interest by many people whose minds are frequently carried away by thoughts of youthful days when they themselves carried water for the elephants or obtained admission by sneaking under the tent at some opportune moment when the lazy showman had dropped in the arms of the goddess of sleep.
Hundreds of people from the surrounding towns arrived on the morning trains and passed their time munching peanuts, chewing gumdrops and parading up and down the streets unmindful of the consequences.
The maidens from the country meandering up the street, locked arms with some rural swain, predominated and caused many a look of jealousy to spring from the orbits of Muskegon dudes.
The sidewalks were crowded with a surging mass of people who were going — no one knew where.

Chronicle file photo
A circus parade makes its way along West Western Avenue in downtown Muskegon on June 6, 1901.
At eleven o’clock a band of music heralded the approach of the procession. Hundreds of heads peeped out of upper windows, many foolish people clambered on the tops of buildings, unmindful of the prospect of breaking their necks or limbs, and other lined the sidewalks.
The procession was fine, embracing chariots, animal wagons, courtiers on horseback, elephants, clowns, camels, three brass bands, a martial band and a steam piano.
At the tail of the parade were the two large advertising wagons that Barnum has had in the city for a week past and considerable amusement was occasioned by the Sells Bros. having men with large banners walking alongside the wagons to destroy the effect of the advertisement.read more at:http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2011/06/looking_back_the_sells_brother.html

PATRICK'S PEOPLE:

John Davenport has been called the youngest human cannonball

SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN.

Jon Davenport, 15, AKA Johnny Rocket, stands by the special cannon that blasts him into a safety net during his act in the Big Top Circus. The fifth generation in a family of circus performers, he also serves as a juggler, clown and ring master.

By NIKKI PATRICK

The Morning Sun, Jun 05, 2011

PITTSBURG, KS — It’s not that uncommon for teens to have part-time jobs, but it is pretty unusual for the job to involve being shot out of a cannon.
John Davenport, 15, AKA Johnny Rocket, does that on a regular basis at the Big Top Circus.
“I’m also a juggler, a clown and ring master,” he added Saturday morning as he took a break from helping set up the Big Top Circus. “My family has been in the circus for five generations, so this is in my blood.”
The circus, housed in a brand new European style blue and yellow tent, had two shows Saturday, and will have performances at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. today.
“We’ve got acrobats, pony rides and a petting zoo where kids can pet the animals and get their pictures taken,” Davenport said.
But one of the main attractions is him. Davenport is billed as the youngest human cannonball in the business. It’s not a popular career choice — there are probably around five human cannonballs working in the United States and not more than 20 or so in the world.
“I started doing it two years ago, when I was 13,” Davenport said.
Actually, history records that the very first human cannonball, who flew a distance of about 30 feet in 1877 at the Royal Aquarium in London, was only 14.
A pretty girl, trained in ballet and gymnastics, she was introduced to the crowd as Zazel, though her actual name was Rossa Matilda Richter. She went on to have a successful career and toured with the P.T. Barnum Circus before retiring in the fall of 1891 after missing the safety net in a shot and suffering a back injury.
The apparatus that launched her flight was invented by William Leonard Hunt, a former acrobat who arranged entertainment events at the Royal Aquarium. Human cannonballs aren’t shot from a regular cannon using gunpowder, but are launched from a modified cannon that uses a spring or a jet of compressed air.
“The first time you do it, yeah, it can be scary, but you get used to it,” Davenport said.He said that the circus is on the road giving shows 10 1/2 months of the year across the United States.
“It’s fun seeing the whole country,” Davenport said. “One of my favorite places is to go is Minnesota. We’re stop in November and go to Texas, then start back up the first week in January.”
Does the youngest human cannonball ever dream of running away from the circus and becoming a doctor, accountant or lawyer?
Nope, no way.
“I hope this is my career right here,” Davenport said.
Circus stars scale dizzy heights

Big Top Circus comes to Pittsburg

Raika Dresdner performs with numerous Hula Hoops Saturday evening during the first of two shows the Big Top Circus put on in Pittsburg. The Big Top Circus will have two shows today, at 2 and 4 p.m.

PITTSBURG — The Big Top Circus landed in town Saturday, and throngs of Pittsburg area residents turned out to watch the young performers.
They rode in from Dallas and aren’t sure where they’re going next, but they performed their acts with passion nonetheless. And the family-run show is put on entirely by the youngsters. There was Johnny Davenport, the juggler, clown and human cannonball.
And Jordan Dresdner, the ringmaster who with his brothers, Robinson and Fenix, performs an Argentinean gaucho act. Zaira Davenport, Johnny’s sister, sells concessions when she’s not in the ring as a contortionist. The Dresdner sister, Raika, somehow manages to get 109 hula hoops spinning at once.

Contortionist Zaira Davenport entertains the audience with her act during the Big Top Circus performance Saturday evening in Pittsburg.
“It’s actually pretty easy,” said Jordan, who started performing when he was 10-years-old. “The most challenging part of the circus is practicing. We practice at least two times a day.”
The one-ring, European-style circus is in the Davenport and Dresdner blood.
“We’ve been doing this for generations,” Johnny said. “My grandfathers’ grandfathers were in the circus.”
For 10 and a half months, from January to November, they travel from city to town, sending ahead drivers to distribute ticket coupons other advertising. When they arrive, setting up takes about five hours, Johnny said. After the last show they tear it all down in about three hours. It’s never-ending work, but it’s worth it when they enter the ring and hear the applause.
“We hope they think that it’s pretty cool,” Jordan said. “It’s not something everybody can do.”
Pittsburg business owner Mike Seely has been enthralled by circuses for years. He has a stack of circus posts several feet thick, and in 1975 almost joined a passing circus.
“The guy offered me the job of general manager, but I wouldn’t budge on the last $50 of my salary,” Seely said. “I wish I’d made a different decision.”
Seely said he’s been going to see the Big Toppers for years.
“I knew their grandfathers when they came through,” Seely said, adding that the draw for him must be similar to what the performers must feel. “It gets in your blood. I always said I’m going to join one when I retire.”
Tabetha Reding brought her children to the circus to see cartoon characters Sponge Bob Square Pants and his friend, Patrick.
“They’ve never been to a circus before,” Reding said. “As long as it makes the kids happy, I’m happy.”
The Big Top Circus will perform two shows today, at 2 and 4 p.m.

Circus stars scale dizzy heights

The Business Times

Fri, Jun 03, 2011

from: asiaone.com, By Lester Hio
CANADIAN circus act Cirque Eloize makes its debut in Singapore with its explosive urban dance and circus act Cirque Eloize iD.
Instead of the stuffy confines of a circus tent, be prepared to be amazed in the comfort of Marina Bay Sands' Grand Theater, as the two-hour show wows you with incredible displays of acrobatic stunts and tricks that you wouldn't think were humanly possible.
This is, however, no ordinary circus act. Director Jeannot Painchaud believes in a multidisciplinary approach to his acts, and iD is a modern hybrid of circus and urban dance set against a stunning visual backdrop of computer graphics and electronic soundtrack.
The set is hardly static-lighting and visual effects imbue the act with a dizzying 3-D intensity, where the backdrop of a city in the midst of urban decay just pops right out.
The heavily electronica-laced soundtrack, the original composition of indie artist Jean-Phi Goncalves, infuses the entire act with an incredibly realistic street cred that will speak to the street-roaming young. Think heavy pulsating beats, mingled with elements of hip-hop, rock and trance, and you get a sense of the slightly otherworldly feelings the music inspires.

A dance duet between the roller blader and the gymnast on aerial silks

iD explores the issues of identity and individuality in a culture where omnipresent images cause the individual to lose all reference points. This message manifests itself very well in the show - the shifting backdrop, the fluctuating soundtrack, and the fluid, amorphous acts of the performers.
Cirque Eloize iD begins with an impressive showing of acrobatic skill from Dmytro Bogodist and Alona Burlachenko, who performed a dance duet that mixed contemporary dance with acrobatic feats that set the tone for the rest of the show.
As the show progresses, the music gets harder and the acts get more excitingly frantic. An urban dance-off set to a heavy electronic soundtrack sets the stage for the main conflict of the show, which is heavily reminiscent of West Side Story, but with a more urban, ghetto twist.
A flurry of activity on stage, with a group breakdance-off, surrounds the impressive showing of Fletcher Sanchez on the Chinese pole, where he shimmies up with an astoundingly fluid grace before seemingly defying gravity by extending his entire body near-perpendicular to the pole.
It all builds up to a wonderful climax where he slides down the pole face-first, which will leave you gasping in fear as he stops just in time to narrowly avoid making an acquaintance with the floor with his face.
And that's just the beginning.
READ MORE AT: http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20110603-282254.html

SUNDAY FUNNIES

ANIMALS HIT HEADLINES

30 second quickies, from Mike Naughton

1961

double click on each to watch movie, thanks!

1968

ACROBATS OVER CHICAGO

1940's

Circus Flora shines in debut of its 25th season

Wednesday June 1, 2011--Performers Sidney "Iking" Bateman and Jessica Hentoff with Circus Flora juggle in the ring at the start of the 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, during a dress rehearsal in St. Louis on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

Wednesday June 1, 2011--Aurelia Wallenda a performer with Circus Flora goes through her routine as part of the 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

David Carson Wednesday June 1, 2011--David Donnert, a member of the The Riding Donnerts, goes through his routine as part of the 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

The Olate Dogs perform during a dress rehearsal for Circus Flora's 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, in St. Louis on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Una Mimnagh, top, and Giovanni Zoppe perform during a dress rehearsal for Circus Flora's 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, in St. Louis on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

Members of the The Flying Wallendas perform during a dress rehearsal for Circus Flora's 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, in St. Louis on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

Members of the St. Louis Arches perform during a dress rehearsal for Circus Flora's 2011 show, Vagabond Adventures, in St. Louis on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com

Circus is back on at fairgrounds

2-day event set for June 18-19

By TONY EVANS Express Staff Writer
After losing a nonprofit sponsor and canceling performance dates, the Carson and Barnes Circus will come to Blaine County after all.
The Carey Rodeo Association will host the European-style big-top circus at the Blaine County Fairgrounds in Carey for four two-hour shows on June 18 and 19.
"It's a difficult thing booking a circus. Finding a place to park for two days is not easy," said Sasha Fry, a spokeswoman for the Carson and Barnes Circus and a former trapeze artist from Oklahoma. Fry's grandmother was a wire-walker. Her grandfather was a horseback trick rider.The family-owned Carson and Barnes Circus is celebrating its 75th anniversary tour this summer with additional dates in Pocatello and Rupert.
"Dropping two days from our tour was not an option," Fry said. "The circus travels with animals and they have to have some place to go."
Those animals include three elephants and an assortment of camels, pygmy hippos and horses and ponies. About 75 people travel with the circus, including performers.
Tickets for the circus will cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Elephant and camel rides will cost $6.
The circus will take place under a big-top tent and feature performances by trapeze artists, contortionists, clowns and others.
"This is kid-friendly family entertainment," Fry said.

Gymnasts join the circus

Youngsters from the North Devon Display Gymnastics Club are joined by clowns Patchy and Pepito as they practice beside the Big Top.FROM: www.northdevongazette.co.uk

Thursday, June 2, 2011

YOUNG North Devon gymnasts joined the circus for a day when they were given the opportunity to perform in the big top of Paulo’s Circus Americano in Victoria Park, Bideford, on Sunday...To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in... The youngsters put on a 15-minute show and were well received.
Charles Moore, chairman of the North Devon Display Gymnastics Club, said it all began when some of them went to the circus and were taken by the skills and techniques of the trapeze artist and how some of this might fit into gymnastics.
After discussion with the circus they were invited to perform and their coaches and display team were delighted to do so.
“This is gymnastics, the oldest form of sport, teaming up with the circus, which is the oldest form of entertainment,” he said.
The North Devon Display Gymnastics Club has a membership of 300 young people aged from one to 18 years and fully qualified coaches, said Mr Moore. They did displays and competitions, but were there for everyone to enjoy the sport and the training, not just for elite performers.
The club has a main base at Kingsley School in Bideford and also has venues in Torrington, Barnstaple and Holsworthy.
Paulo’s Circus has now moved on to Bude, where it will be entertaining until June 5, and the young gymnasts will also be performing there at 2pm this Saturday.

FLORIAN RICHTER 2010

Peeking into the past--

Ringling Bros. Circus in Pittston, PA in 1949

With Judy Minsavagefrom www.timesleader.com

June 5, 2011

A column in the June 5, 1949, issue of the Sunday Dispatch stated that Pittston was the site of an event that was the last of its kind. What was it?

1949 – 62 Years Ago
Bone Stadium was the site of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus with Pittston City and school district benefiting. A 10 per cent amusement tax was collected on $26,000 of admissions, netting the city and district $1,312.73 each. Estimates were that the circus probably grossed another $25,000 in concession sales and sideshows.

The city received $37.50 for vendor’s license, $55 for concession permits and $5 for sideshow permits.

Dolly Parton's new show sets sail in Myrtle Beach

K R #2

PART 2

KING ROYAL CIRCUS, owned by Gopher (John) and Gigi Davenport.

From Bill Prickett collection. Daily "route move slips"

.One page is "free ticket flyer" ad sheet that was in White Tops.

KING ROYAL CIRCUS, owned by Gopher (John) and Gigi Davenport.

These are "daily route slips" given to drivers, each AM, to move from "last town" to "next town". There are a total of 10 sheets.

From Bill Prickett collection.

FROM DAVID P. ORR--

Not Your Brother’s Circus: Cirque du Soleil Prepares for Return to New York

June 3, 2011

By JASON ZINOMAN, NEW YORK TIMES' ARTS BEAT SECTION
Cirque du Soleil’s “Viva Elvis” show in Las Vegas is one of 16 shows the company is performing in the United States.
The first time I saw Cirque du Soleil was in Washington in the early 1990s and it was like no circus I had ever seen. There were no lumbering animals or clown cars. These performers were whimsical, the mood oddly dreamlike and, in between the death-defying acrobatics, there were moments of minor-key theatrical grace.I loved it.
The next time I saw a Cirque show was over a decade later, in Las Vegas. The company had become a global brand and the production, “O,” reflected that. It was grand spectacle marked less by an individual style than several coups de theatre. In particular, I recall the frightening and beautiful image of a diver leaping down several stories into what seemed to be a shallow puddle but was actually a pool much deeper.
Once I started catching up on Cirque productions, I noticed that they were full of such bold gestures: the daredevils in “Kooza” leaping on top of the Wheel of Death, a spinning apparatus from “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” and the giant puppets and impossibly bendy contortionists in front a snowy landscape in “Wintuk” at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The performers still had a gentle artistry, but now married that with athletic power.
I began reporting on Cirque du Soleil in an attempt to understand the company’s evolution into one of the most overlooked success stories in popular culture today. In this article online, which will appear in print in Arts & Leisure on Sunday, I explore the company’s history and the outsized ambition and drive of its owner, Guy Laliberté. With rare access to report on Cirque’s unique artistic process, I will write next week about its latest show, “Zarkana,” which will play in three cities, including New York, where the show will open at Radio City Music Hall on June 9.
What Cirque du Soleil shows have you seen? And what awe-inspiring feats or dynamic routines have stuck with you? What show has been your favorite?

A great Western tradition - the Circus
from Mike Naughton

Since its foundation more than two hundred years ago it has remained in the hands of one and the same family the Knies whose youngest and oldest members alike take an active part in circus life. The act performed by Director Freddy Knie and his small grandson bears witness to this fact.

The Knie Circus offers the public a whole range of acts by more than 200 artists of international standing

The show remains focused, however, on the two fundamental elements in western circus tradition: the dressage and the clown.

Kelly Miller Circus swings into Cumberland County Friday, June 03, 2011

A North Starlet performs above the audience in the Kelly Miller Circus Friday evening.
By Jim Cook Jr. / The News of Cumberland County South Jersey Newspapers
HOPEWELL TWP. — The great P.T. Barnum once said: “Every crowd has a silver lining.”
But that was not the case at the Kelly Miller Circus, which came to Cumberland County to sponsor the Bridgeton Breakfast Rotary last Friday. The lively crowd was on it’s feet cheering before the show began.
Dutch Neck Village partnered with Bridgeton Breakfast Rotary to present the event on its grounds, but due to last minute scheduling complications, moved to the next field over at Sunny Slope Farms.READ MORE AT:http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2011/06/kelly_miller_circus_swings_int.html

Returning in July: Circus Vidbel tickets on sale Friday, 03 June 2011

FROM: acorn-online
The circus will be performing under the big top tent at the Saxe Middle School playing field on Friday, July 1, Saturday, July 2 and Sunday, July 3. There will be two shows daily, at 3 and 6 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will benefit youth development programs at the New Canaan YMCA and throughout the community.
Tickets will be on sale beginning the first week of June at the New Canaan YMCA Front Desk, as well as at the following local merchants: TD Bank New Canaan, Baskin Robbins New Canaan, Elm Street Books, First County Bank New Canaan, Hawthorne, Ackerly and Dorrance, LLC., and New Balance New Canaan. Prices are $15 per person in advance or $20 at the door. Children under two are free.
Last year’s circus hosted roughly 3,000 guests and raised nearly $25,000, which benefited teen programming at the New Canaan YMCA and the implementation of a recording studio at the Outback Teen Center.
Circus Vidbel — a family-run, one-ring, old-time circus — has been performing across the United States for more than 20 years.
New performances this year will include the Zamperla Brothers Bareback Riders — showcasing equestrian acrobats — Chinese vase jugglers and a “nail-biting” archery act. Favorite acts from last year that will be returning include aerialist Susan Vidbel in a breathtaking cloud swing and lyra displays, the Darnell Sisters magic and dog act, Risley juggling and the Rola-Bola balancing board act.
Children will be able to play in the ring prior to the show. There will also be concessions, music and plenty of traditional circus laughter brought on by the Circus Vidbel clowns. The show is appropriate for families with children of all ages and no wild animals are part of the performance.

James Arness, Iconic 'Gunsmoke' Lawman, Dead at 88

June 3rd 2011-- 02:30PM
James Arness, a bigger-than-life actor who kept the peace as Marshal Matt Dillon on 'Gunsmoke' for its 20-year run, died Friday of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, Calif., his family told the Los Angeles Times. He was 88.

'Gunsmoke' debuted on CBS in 1955 and ran until 1975, in the process making Arness one of the more enduring stars on television and the Matt Dillon character one of its most beloved and trusted.

The 6 foot 7 Arness towered over the cast, including Dillon's deputy, Chester, played by Dennis Weaver. Other supporting stars included Amanda Blake as Kitty and Milburn Stone as Doc Adams.

By the time Arness got the part of Dillon, he had been a WWII combat veteran and appeared in several films, most notably the science-fiction classics 'Them!' and 'The Thing From Another World,' in which


The Minneapolis native's younger brother, actor Peter Graves, who died last October, encouraged him to get into acting. He cut his Western teeth in four John Wayne film, including 'Hondo' and 'Big Jim McLain.'

It was Wayne that recommended Arness for 'Gunsmoke' and an on-air endorsement from the film great himself. "I knew there was only one man to play in it, James Arness," Wayne told viewers (watch video below). "He's a young fella and may be new to some of you. But I've worked with him, and I predict he'll be a big star. So you might as well get used to him, like you've had to get used to me."

The role of Marshal Dillon proved a complex one and became a focus of the show, but Arness is said to have pushed producers to move the focus off him and onto the large ensemble cast.
read more at:
http://www.popeater.com/2011/06/03/james-arness-dies-gunsmoke-matt-dillon/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C215034

Ice Skating Polar Bears

from: Mike Naughton

Elephant clears heavy tornado debris
[CNN: 5-31-2011]

The Greatest Show on Earth both intimate and awesome

The Uriases continue the family tradition of daredevil stunts in a motorcycle globe in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Zing Zang Zoom Gold Edition show, coming to San Angelo next week.

By Becca Nelson Sankey Special to the Standard-Times San Angelo Standard Times June 2, 2011
SAN ANGELO, Texas — When Jodie Urias says she ran away to join the circus, she's not joking.
In the 1980s, Urias attended a circus show in her home state of Arizona and — like most audience members — was in awe of the performances.
"I had gone with my nephews and my co-workers, and I was like, 'Oh, I want to do that' (about) everything that was in the air," she said. "It was one of those things where a couple of the girls I was working with were a little bit catty and said, 'You can't do that.'"
What Urias lacked in experience, she made up for in determination. The next day, Urias obtained the circus' route, then took time off from work so she and a friend could drive to the circus' next performance destination.
Upon arriving, Urias discovered that a circus member happened to be looking for a partner, and they were willing to train Urias.
"That's not common for somebody to just walk in like that and have somebody willing to teach you," Urias said. "I was smart enough that I knew what I wanted to do, and I was naive enough not to know there was an element of danger because that's the kind of world we live in. I was fortunate to have met the right kind of people to help me learn what I needed to learn. "
Urias made a career out of being a trapeze artist for the circus and eventually joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, where she performs with her husband and in-laws, a family famous for doing motorcycle stunts in a steel globe 16 feet wide.

read the rest of the story at:http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/jun/02/the-greatest-show-on-earthboth-intimate-and/

Circus Setup Day For Cole Brothers Circus

By Mel Fabrikant

Paramuspost.com

Thursday, June 02, 2011
There’s always something exciting happening when the circus comes to town.

In this case, it is the Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars setting up at the Garfield High School Athletic Field. Sponsored by the Garfield Local PBA #46, the circus arrived in town late last night. By this morning, the huge brightly colored tent was erected and visible from many points. They had rolled in from Kingston, NY the night before to play this four day spot. Sunday night, the tent will come down and the circus will be on the move again.
Meeting Dan Baltulonis, Senior Marketing Director, we discussed circuses, their acts and travelling. Dan took www.ParamusPost.com on a tour of the facilities as they look before the show is ready. This included a sleeping Bengal tiger, waiting elephants and ponies, dogs, llamas, the huge cannon and some of the props before we went into the spacious indoor tent which afforded almost completely unobstructed views.
The ticket office was open (10 AM – 8 PM) and a slow but steady stream of wishful circus-goers were seen at the window. With shows starting Thursday and Friday at 4:30 and 7:30, Saturday at 1:30, 4:30 an 7:30 and concluding on Sunday at 1:30 and 4:30, there are plenty of choices.
Cole Bros Circus of Stars is owned by John Pugh, a longtime friend, who stays in the winterquarters these days. The circus claim to fame is that it is the World’s largest circus under the Big Top and has been in existence since 1884. John and I do not go back that far!www.gotothecircus.com , www.tickets.com or www.freekidstickets.com will connect you!

Circus Of Superheroes Takes Over Boro Park

Barry "Grandma" Lubin interacts with an audience member.
By Barbara Arnstein
from the queenstribune.com
Special effects are only tricks, but the Big Apple Circus is for real.
The superheroes of this circus demonstrate the dexterity of Daredevil, twirl lassos like Wonder Woman and command creatures like Aquaman. With mighty muscles like Superman, Big Apple athletes jump, juggle, balance, bend and soar high in the air. Now is the time to catch the show at Cunningham Park in Fresh Meadows, where it will remain through June 5.
Walking on stilts is a challenging feat, and Andrey Mantchev maages to do it using his hands. The Bulgaria-born gymnast began his career at the age of 6 and succeeded in becoming a member of the Junior National Team before 14. At that time, he was chosen to join a team that traveled to America, where he joined the Big Apple Circus in 1999. Russian gymnast Regina Dobrovitskaya, a permanent member of the cast, toured with a Moscow circus.
The act of the amazing Hebei Wuqiao acrobats includes a breathtaking demonstration of lassoing techniques and teamwork that won them the Golden Lion award at the 11th China Wuqiao International Acrobatic Circus festival in 2007. The Kenyan Boys jump and juggle, demonstrating terrific teamwork.
The circus's clowns of renown, Rob Torres and Barry Lubin (who plays the character "Grandma"), have won many international awards and honors, but their greatest achievement is winning every viewer's interest with super sight gags and perfect pantomime.
You can see the imaginary X-Men on the silver screen, but why not watch the incredibly flexible, real-life "X Bud Roses Troupe" of Chinese contortionists? The lovely young ladies literally bend over backward to entertain their audiences.
Jennifer Vidbel's act includes a dozen white ponies, a majestic Arabian stallion, several very talented dogs, and goats who ride ponies. The ponies prance in a traditional "liberty act," which means they freely pace around the ring without any riders, displaying the classic beauty of rhythmic pacing. Queens native Paul Simon metaphorically celebrated such an act in the song, "One Trick Pony," which includes the admiring lyric, "When he steps into the spotlight,/you can feel the heat of his heart come shining through."
One of the best parts of the Big Apple Circus experience is something that's hilariously different every time: audience interaction. Lucky members of the audience are chosen to work together with the clowns in various ways (a clue: the title of this year's presentation is "Dance On."). Best of all: every visitor has an excellent view, thanks to the considerate close-up seating and the one-ring intimacy of this exciting extravaganza.Cunningham Park is at 196-22 Union Turnpike. For more information, go to bigapplecircus.org, or call (800) 922-3772, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Georgia ban on circus elephant 'hooks'

June 2, 2011
ATLANTA, June 2 (UPI) -- Commissioners in Georgia's Fulton County have voted to ban the use of elephant bullhooks by circuses, but the ban does not cover Atlanta, officials said.
The ban on bullhooks -- an instrument shaped like a fire poker with a steel claw with two sharpened tips -- applies only to unincorporated areas of the country and will not keep bullhooks out of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus' shows at Philips Arena, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday.
Animal advocates said Atlanta would be their next battleground, as well as Gwinnett and DeKalb counties, the newspaper reported.
"I see this as setting precedent and a stepping stone," Anna Ware of the Atlanta Humane Society said.
Fulton County is the first Georgia jurisdiction to institute a ban on bullhooks, following cities and counties in Florida, South Carolina, New York, Kentucky and Indiana.
Thomas Albert, vice president of government relations of Feld Entertainment, owners of Ringling Brothers, characterized bullhooks as "guides" and "elephant husbandry tools" used by some zoos.
"Without this tool, you cannot have elephants at the circus. Period," he said.Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/06/02/Georgia-ban-on-circus-elephant-hooks/UPI-90301307035649/#ixzz1OA4IUqpT

Monkey - incredible Juggler
from: MIKE NAUGHTON

POSTERS FROM THE PAST!

Oleg Popov
from: Mike Naughton

Circus planned at Sanatoga, PA Fire Company canceled

Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011

The Lewis and Clark Circus Under The Big Tent scheduled for June 7 and June 8 at the Sanatoga Fire Company and June 13 at the Boyertown Community Park has been canceled due to damage sustained from a severe storm in western Pennsylvania. These events will not be rescheduled for this year.

Hadi Shrine Circus 2008. Elephant act.
from: Mike Naughton

Circus coming to Belleville

http://www.stltoday.com

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The 45th annual Ainad Shriners Circus returns to Belleville on June 4 and June 5 at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 S. Belt East.
The three-ring circus combines traditional acts with contemporary thrills, including tigers, elephants, clowns, aerial and high-wire acts.
Shriners Circus Week kicks off on Friday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Downtown Belleville with a parade featuring floats, marching bands, local dignitaries, clowns and patrols of Shriners driving those infamous mini-cars and motorcycles.
Circus performances will be at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 5.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children and can be used at any of the six circus locations: Belleville, Waterloo, Jerseyville, Olney, Salem and DuQuoin. Purchase tickets at all Southern Illinois MotoMart Convenience Stores, Schnucks Supermarkets, and Huck's locations; Tom's Market or from any Shriner.
Free children's passes are available online at ainadshriners.org/circus. Proceeds benefit the Ainad Shriners operations.

No fireworks at Taste of Chicago
Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Circus Flora's 25th anniversary show offers new thrills with a historic ring

Photo by Dan Donovam Circus Flora
The St. Louis Arches appeared with Circus Flora earlier this year when the Floating Palace docked with the St. Louis Symphony.

By Nancy Fowler, Beacon arts reporter

Wed., 6.1.11

You don't even have to pack a bag for the "Vagabond Adventure," this year's Circus Flora show, which begins June 2 under the air-conditioned big top in Grand Center.
The one-ring circus is set on the Floating Palace, a riverboat that, before the Civil War, actually served as a circus venue making its way down the Mississippi River. On board the Palace will be favorite performers such as the Flying Wallendas, the St. Louis Arches, the Flying Pages and Nino the clown. New acts include the Olate Dogs and their canine tricks and the Riding Donnerts' horse show.
The adventure takes place through a storyline about stowaways packed into the Palace, dreaming of a future in the circus. But first, they have to solve a puzzle, save the boat and make it back to St. Louis.
On Wednesdays, the Circus Flora adventure is compressed into a one-hour "Little Top" show for smaller children.
Where: Grand Center, adjacent to Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Blvd., 63103
When: Thursday June 2-June 26

Flying TrapezeAerial Voltige

from Brooke Evans

BIG APPLE CIRCUS



Uploaded by MSCFairfield on May 31, 2011
Contortionists from the Big Apple Circus shocked passers-by in Stamford Tuesday as they gave a sneak preview of the show coming to the city this summer. The five members of the X Bud Roses Troupe performed on a small, circular stage, twisting bodies for those who stopped to watch the show.

Lions and Tigers and Alligators – Oh My!!

By Mel Fabrikant
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

from pararmuspost.com

Big Cat Show, Kachunga & The Alligator, Human Slinky and Circus Maximus to Dazzle Audiences at State Fair Meadowlands
For its 25th Anniversary year, State Fair Meadowlands will be treating fairgoers to an exciting list of brand-new entertainers during the 17-day event, running June 24 thru July 10 at the New Meadowlands Fairgrounds, next to the New Meadowlands Stadium, formerly Giants Stadium, in East Rutherford.

The fair will host The Big Cat Show, featuring a lion, tigers, a “liger” and their lovable trainer; Kachunga & The Alligator show, from deep in the swamps of Florida; the Human Slinky, a colorful and hilarious stage show; and Circus Maximus, an 1,800-seat contemporary tent circus.All of these shows – as well as returning favorites The Racing Pigs, Master Hynotist Steve Bayner, Festival of Magic and World of Wonder/Palace of Illusion – are FREE with entry ticket. On weekdays, adults are $7 and kids and seniors are $5. On weekends, entry for adults is $9 and kids and seniors are $6. Admission/ride combo entry tickets are also available, providing entry, rides and free entertainment.read the rest of the story at:http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20110531143113676

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Bears, Drown the Clown, stunt show coming to No. BrunswickAnnual Youth Sports Festival will be held June 9-19

BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK — The Youth Sports Festival will roll back into town June 9 through June 19.
This year, new attractions include Rosaire’s Bears and the Galaxy Girl & Globe Motorcycle Stunt Show.
Old favorites will return as well, such as the Eudora Farms Petting Zoo, Dennis York’s exotic animals, Wambold’s Circus Menagerie, Rosaire’s Famous Pig Racing, rides by Reithoffer shows, camel rides, and Drown the Clown.
“I think because of the way the show changes every year, people want to see how it’s going to be,” said festival co-chair Rich Fabian.
There will be nightly entertainment on the main stage, and music provided by DJ Phil Forti.
Various food vendors will be present, along with a new home-style barbecue station offered by the festival committee.
Other vendors include a cell phone stand, jewelry, T-shirts, Kitchen Magic and name painting.
“We have the recession, and gas prices [are high], so we think it’s keeping people close to home and not traveling as much,” festival co-chair Darren Snediker said of having a carnival in town.
All proceeds raised at the festival will benefit the North Brunswick Youth Sports programs so that the leagues can keep costs down for players as well as donate to the township.
read more at:http://nbs.gmnews.com/news/2011-06-02/Front_Page/Bears_Drown_the_Clown_stunt_show_coming_to_No_Brun.html

Equine virus may keep horses out of circus

by Cailey McDermott

5/31/2011

Because of the recent outbreak of equine herpes virus in Colorado, horses may not perform with the Jordan World Circus troupe at Chaffee County Fairgrounds in Poncha Springs Thursday.
Fairground manager Jim Mick said if the horse ban for the arena is lifted he will know by today.
Mon-Ark Shrine Club treasurer Bob McCormick said he doesn't know if the world circus has been traveling with horses while they've been doing shows throughout the state.
McCormick said he called circus owner, Jody Jordan of Las Vegas, Nev., to give him a "heads up" about the virus outbreak and the ban on horses at the fairgrounds.
Earlier this month the circus performed in Greeley and was not allowed to use horses in that show, he said.
Animals regularly featured in the show and expected Thursday are lions, tigers and elephants. Camels and bears have also been featured.
For the first time since Mon-Ark Shrine Club began presenting the circus in the 1960s the event will be in a new location.
Traditionally held on the Salida High School football field, it will be moved to the fairgrounds because of construction of the new high school.
McCormick said he thinks the venue will be better suited for the circus troupe to set up and break down.
There will be shows at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m Thursday. The circus is a fund-raiser for Shriner Hospitals for Children.
Tickets will be available at the gate or online at www.thejordanworldcircus.com. Also featured on the website are free tickets for children 12 years old and younger.

See Circus Flora's Vagabond Adventure

KPLR11.com
May 31, 2011
St. Louis, MO (KPLR)— Tino Wallenda from the famous "Flying Wallendas" and "Nino" the clown celebrate the 25th season of Circus Flora. The Circus is presenting a brand new show called "Vagabond Adventures". The show takes place June 2nd through the 26th. It'll all happening under the big air conditioned tent.

The show takes the audience on an adventure that ends up right back here in St.Louis. Vagabond Adventures reunites circus stars from the last quarter century such as the Flying Wallendas, the St. Louis Arches, the Flying Pages and, Giovanni Zoppé as Nino, along with many exciting new acts.

HLOM Feature: The clairvoyant Rosalie Du Pre

Genesee County History Department
Circus in town
Elephants form a line down Main Street in a vintage photograph from the collection of the Genesee County History Department. The city has a close historical connection with the big top, in the person of Rosalie Du Pre, a famed circus performer who lived in the city for nearly a half-century.In 1841, Rosalie Du Pre was born in a little settlement near Montreal called Riviere de Laine, Quebec. In 1843, her parents took her to Montreal to see one of the big tent shows, listed as the World’s Eighth Wonder or as the Greatest Show on Earth, a circus. After the show Rosalie was separated from her parents.
She was luckily taken under the protecting arm of the circus owner. She was taken to New York City, the winter headquarters for the Barnum Circus, and became a member of their household. At 6 years old Rosalie made her debut as a circus performer. She was seated in a little white carriage as she drove six white ponies in the grand parade around the Big Top. She was the opening act of every performance and her appearance was always met with applause from the audience.
The circus was her textbook for her early schooling. She constantly studied the stunts of the performers. She begged the owners of the circus to let her ride bareback in the sawdust ring. Previously, only the men in the circus were allowed to do this act but she earned their consent. She was given a big white horse called “Patriarch” that she fondly named “Pat.”
At 19, she had her debut in New York City as the female bareback rider. She continued to tour the country. In Galveston, Texas, the disease black tongue was spreading through the performers of the circus. As she was riding into the circle she noticed that the ringmaster had fallen to the ground. His face was purple. She also fell from her horse and was picked up unconscious. Months afterward she regained her health in New York City, where she had been taken to the Barnums to recuperate from the dreaded disease.read more at:http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_8ce972f2-8b7a-11e0-bad9-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story