THE BALLOON MAN

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

'Cars' coming to life - how the new 'Disney On Ice' vehicles were designed

It took about 2,000 man hours to make each of the Disney On Ice vehicles inspired by the animated movie 'Cars.' (Contributed photo)From: al.com
By Matt Wake, The Huntsville Times
September 18, 2012
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- All Rick Papineau had to do was design a few 2,000-pound vehicles that could drive on ice, move their front bumpers like lips, blink headlights like eyes and otherwise look identical to the animated characters in Pixar's 2006 hit "Cars."

"It certainly was a big challenge," Papineau says. He's vice president of scenic elements at Hagenbeck-Wallace, a division of Feld Entertainment. "And not only did the cars need to be animated, they needed to have the personality of the movie characters."
You can experience the results of Papineau's labor in "Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy." The ice show also finds Mickey and Minnie Mouse transporting audiences to the worlds of "Toy Story 3," "Little Mermaid" and Tinker Bell.

Papineau's vehicles, which include "Cars" main characters Lightning McQueen and Mater, were outfitted with custom animatronics and hydraulic lifts that bounce to the show's music. Each of the six vehicles took about 2,000 man hours to create, but began as a pencil drawing in a sketch pad. As production moved to its physical stage, Papineau's team chose a golf cart chassis as their foundation and built upwards - but then had to rebuild the engine and frame because "you can't buy a golf cart that's strong enough."

Asked how much each Disney On Ice car cost to produce, Papineau declines to give an exact figure, only saying, “You probably couldn’t spend more at a luxury automobile dealership.” Even a Lamborghini dealership? “It’s in that neighborhood.”

Working closing with the sculptor who created the original vehicles for "Cars," Papineau also spent a lot of time pausing a DVD of the film to study details. "We can make anything look like it should. That's the easy part," he says.

Papineau has been with Feld for 33 years, and started off as a painter. In addition to Disney On Ice, the company also works extensively with Ringling Bros. Circus, and recently built a 25-foot long dragon that can "fly," flap its wings and breathe fire. Papineau builds his creations in a massive warehouse in Palmetto, Fla.

"When we built McQueen, it had a little motor we'd jazzed up and the first day I took it on a test drive it could do 40 mph," Papineau says. "But that's not going to do on a 100-foot rink of ice, so we limited the thrust control."

In addition, Papineau helped train the young Disney On Ice drivers -- most are around 18 years old -- who operate the cars, for five weeks in Lakeland, Fla., where the show opened.

"On opening night, I was scared to death," he says. "These things are huge and moving quite fast and intertwining, missing each other literally by a foot. I watched the show from the middle of the audience, just regular seats, and although it's a kid's show, you know who was yelling and pointing at the cars the most? All the fathers."

"Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy"
When: 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday;
1 p.m. Sunday
Where: Von Braun Center (700 Monroe St.)
How much: $40, $32, $24, $18 and $12
Details: 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com, disneyonice.com

Oddchester: Old-school circus leaves them laughing
By Steve Lang
From: postbulletin.com
Sep 18, 2012
Rochester, MN--Every year for the past dozen, since we moved from Michigan to Minnesota, we’ve made the involuntary summer stop in Wisconsin Dells.

I say “involuntary” because, when faced with any barrage of billboards advertising tourist traps and kitschy attractions, I can’t keep myself from stopping.

It’s an addiction, probably hardwired in my brain. For heroin addicts, the brain’s pleasure center experiences a surge of ecstasy — a warm flushing of the skin, euphoric but clouded mental functions — at the first sign of heroin.

For me, it’s the first sign advertising "Alligator Alley!" or "The Lost Voyage Haunted Boat Tour!"

By billboard three — an ad for Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum! — I’m yelling, “Oh my god, Lindy, I’m experiencing a warm flushing of my skin and my mental functions are euphoric but clouded!”

So we stop in the Dells.

We tour our standards, such as the Original Wisconsin Ducks (the amphibious World War II vehicles) and the Wisconsin Deer Park (where our kids — and I should be embarrassed to admit this — hold wafers in their teeth and let deer eat them).

But this year we decide to visit something we’ve never visited, something old-school, something historical, something we have free tickets to see.

We decide to visit Circus World, a 50-acre complex that features circus acts set on the spot where the Ringling Bros. Circus was founded in 1884.

Circuses, it seems, have become very generational.

My kids — ages 13, 10, and 5 — have never been to an old-school circus.

And, if my parents are any indication, their generation is not terribly familiar with the new breed of circus-type acts such as Cirque du Soleil, which focuses on acrobatics.

When my family and I were in Michigan recently, we celebrated my stepmom’s birthday. My little sister, trying to outgift the rest of us by being creative, bought my parents tickets to some touring Cirque du Soleil knockoff.

My stepmom looked at the tickets for a long time. She said “You bought your father and I tickets to the circus? Are we taking the grandkids?”

“No,” Lori explained. “It’s like Cirque du Soleil.”

“Your father and I are going to the circus by ourselves?”

The event was slated for an intimate theater, and my dad wondered aloud how they’d possibly get elephants onto such a small stage. He was concerned about the structural soundness.
read the rest of the story at:
http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1508649

This Week at the Fair
Heat's down and the big shows continue. Been yet?

The LA County Fair heads into its third week, complete with cooler temps. The Pomona extravaganza wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 30.
By Alysia Gray Painter
From: nbclosangeles.com
Tuesday, Sep 18, 2012
Did you make the Los Angeles County Fair this past Saturday? Sept. 15?

If so we raise a high five in your general direction; it was, in fact, one of the hottest days of the year, if not one of the hottest days of any year. You might have known this from a) your general sweaty state b) the fact that it was all anyone could talk about and c) all of the above.

But autumn is poking its head back into September, meaning that a day out under the sun at Pomona's annual spectacular might be in order, if you decided to forgo the heat last weekend.

If so, you've chosen a fine week to hit the fair. It is, in fact, week three, meaning time is a-dwindlin'; the country's largest county fair wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 3.

Happening this week? The concerts are new: Boyz II Men and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds start things off on Thursday, Sept. 20. WAR is on Friday, Sept. 21, an Old School Jam takes the stage on Saturday, Sept. 22 -- Rose Royce, Heatwave, Evelyn "Champagne" King, and Lenny Williams will perform -- and the Pistol Annies round out the weekend on Sunday, Sept. 23.

As always, the ongoing going events and happenings will be drawing the crowds: Mojo's Safari Show, beer tastings, the Pirate's Parrot Show, and the Aerial Arts Circus Show are just four of the dozens of daily to-dos.

Again, we say it: temps will be significantly lower than last weekend. Want to avoid last-weekend crowds? Hit the second to last Saturday and Sunday.

Flying Wallendas, Hilby-Skinny Juggling German Boy At Guilford Fair Coming Up This Weekend!
Don't miss out on all the fun September 21, 22 and 23 at the Guilford Fairgrounds off Lover's Lane!

The Flying Wallendas.
Credit Pem McNerney
By Fay Abrahamsson
From: madison-ct.patch
September 18, 2012
The 2012 Guilford Fair has something for everyone: live bands and musical artists, circus animals, trapeze acts, equestrian acrobatics, an Elvis impersonator, tractor pulls, a children’s zoo, juggling acts, games and rides, food, contests and much, much more.
The 153th Annual Fair will be held the weekend of Sept. 21-23 at the fairgrounds at the corner of Lover’s Lane and Stone House Lane in Guilford.
First Class Entertainment Every Day
Love and Theft, an Academy of Country Music nominated duo of Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson will be performing Saturday, Sept. 22 at 8pm. Their hits include songs such as “She’s Amazing,” “Amen,” and “Angel Eyes.” Their music has been compared to the likes of Roy Orbison, Eagles and Elvis Presley.
The Flying Wallendas will perform their death-defying acrobatic and tight-rope thrill shows again this year. Since 1922, this family has been performing breathtaking acts all over the world. Starting in Germany in 1905, the Great Wallendas were headliners with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus during much of the 1930s and 1940s. Now the grandchildren perform the same acts for new audiences. This is a show not to be missed!
The Truck Stop Troubadours is a Massachusetts-based band who will entertain fair-goers with their versions of classic outlaw country sound, Rockabilly and Americana tunes.
Hilby-Skinny Juggling German Boy is a hilarious act not to be missed. The once boy (now an adult) performs a one-man show of juggling, balancing stunts, ropewalking, unicycling and so much more. He’s known for getting his audience involved in his stunts so be aware!
Other attractions include animals, large equipment pulls and so much more. Don’t forget to allow plenty of time to visit all the barnyard animals at their special exhibit. Winning apples pies, crafts, jams and jellies will be on display, too. An ox and horse pull and antique tractor pull will delight all ages, and don’t forget the food court, games, and amusement park rides.
Dates and Times The Guilford Fair will be held
•Friday, Sept. 21 from 1pm – 11pm;
•Saturday, Sept. 22 from 9am – 11pm;
•and Sunday, Sept. 23 from 9am – 7pm.
Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors; $5 for children ages 6-11; and free for children 5 years old and under. There is a special three-day discount pass available for $25.
Parking at the fairgrounds is $5 per vehicle. There will be free off-site shuttle buses available at Exit 57 off I-95 all three days of the fair.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A journey into circus past

Big Apple Circus
from: washingtonexaminer.com
by: Emily Cary, Special to
The Washington Examiner
September 17, 2012
Yesteryear comes alive again with the arrival of Legendarium, the world premiere of the latest Big Apple Circus extravaganza. It promises a vicarious trip to the golden age of circuses, when the circus coming to town was the most exciting event of the year.

West Hyler, the director of Big Apple Circus, comes to his role from a theatrical background, most recently as associate director on Broadway for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Jersey Boys."

"The circus traces its beginning back to England in the 1700s," he said. "It began with trick riding. That's where we get the phrases 'dog and pony show' and 'one-horse show.' At that time, the circus ring was designed to be 42 feet in diameter because that was the distance a horse had to travel to reach a full gallop. The size remains exactly the same today.

"The circus has contributed to culture in many ways. When the Brooklyn Bridge was built, its towers were the highest man-made objects. People were afraid to walk across it for fear the concrete would crumble, but when they saw 21 circus elephants march across, they decided it was safe."
Legendarium boasts unified design relating to the finest circuses of the past. The acts are performed to songs by Stephen Foster, Sousa marches and folk songs, popular music drawn from that period. The lighting is designed by the Tony Award winner Howell Binkley of "Jersey Boys."

Hyler looked at acts around the world to find the very best performers. In China he found the Dalian Acrobatic Troupe performing on bicycles and Zhang Fan, who balances on a swaying slack wire. The powerful Quinterion Troupe from Budapest, Hungary executes extraordinary feats involving great risks

"I'm going back to the circus roots with a traditional horse act," she said. ""The children in the audience can see everything because no seat is further than 50 feet from the ring. They may have a little dirt in their laps when the horses gallop, but they don't mind.

"I've always loved all animals.. Different animals require different approaches and training. To prevent them from becoming frightened the first time around the circus, I go through the rehearsals with lights, music and without an audience so they won't be intimidated. The first week of a show may not be perfect, but they learn quickly. I love everything about circus life because of the people, the traveling and that it's never a 9 to 5 job. There's always a smile on my face because I'm passionate about what I do."

If you go
Big Apple Circus
Where: Dulles Town Center, 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Dulles
When: Thursday to Oct. 8
Info: Tickets start at $25; 888-541-3750

FAMILIAR FACES

FROM THE PAGES OF FACEBOOK

Lis Loyal on Great American Family Circus

The Vidbel Ladies with John Kennedy Kane

Angela Martin and Kim Sue Valla Royal Hanneford Circus at the York Fair

Crash Mareau with Vincent at the York Fair

Kim Sue Valla and Casey Cassell.

Cat Sneaks Onto Disney World Vacation; Survives 10 Hours in Luggage Bag

Published on Sep 15, 2012 by ABCNews

Owner finds cat in luggage on trip to famous amusement park.

Cirque biggest thing at Expo since Cher
Cirque du Soleil's 'Dralion' just fits Landon Arena, manager says

DANIEL DEMARAIS/CIRQUE DU SOLEIL-

In Cirque du Soleil's "Dralion," aerialists bounce off trampolines using the futuristic backdrop both as a diving board and landing pad. The show will play seven performances Dec. 5-9 in Landon Arena at the Kansas Expocentre.
By Bill Blankenship
From:The Topeka Capitol-Journal.com
September 16, 2012 -
Cirque du Soleil's "Dralion" is such a massive show, it was almost too big for Landon Arena, said Kansas Expocentre general manager H.R. Cook.

"This thing barely fits in the arena," Cook said of the production that will play seven performances Dec. 5-9. Tickets are on sale in person at the Expocentre box office and through Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com and its retail outlets.

The set of "Dralion" is 60 feet wide and 26 feet tall and is suggestive of a futuristic Chinese temple as the show fuses the Canadian entertainment company's avant-garde approach with ancient Chinese circus tradition.
Suspended high above the stage are three concentric aluminum rings.

The first serves as a catwalk for performers and technicians. The second is used to support technical and acrobatic equipment, including the enormous lantern that descends at the end of the first half of the show. The third ring is used to move performers up, down and through the world of "Dralion."

Because of the size and weight of this setup, Cook said assessment and preparations for Cirque du Soleil's first Topeka performance began about eight months ago.

"Because the show is so big and has so much stuff and they have to hang so much weight from our ceiling, we were bringing in structural engineers to look at the weight loads of the beams in our ceilings," Cook said.

The electrical capacity of the arena also was accessed to make certain it could handle the show's lighting, sound and mechanical needs.

The Expocentre also had to beef up its fall-protection system to assure the safety of all the people who will be high above the arena floor rigging all those electrical lines, cables, lights and speakers.

"If it had been one truck bigger, it probably wouldn't have fit," said Cook.
read more:
http://cjonline.com/news/2012-09-16/cirque-biggest-thing-expo-cher

Minnesota State Fair 2012 - "World of Wonders" part 2

Published on Aug 26, 2012 by fleetingdays

Queens Farm Museum Will Host County Fair on Sept. 22 and 23
Annual fair draws as many as 12,000 people to northeast Queens.

A scene from the frog show at last year's Queens County Fair. Credit Courtesy of Queens County Farm
from: bayside.patch.com
By Nathan Duke
September 17, 2012
Tens of thousands of people will descend on northeast Queens this weekend as the Queens County Farm hosts its 30th annual county fair.

The Queens County Fair will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the farm, which is located at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway.

Kristin Allocco, a spokeswoman for the farm, said the event offers a little of everything.

“It’s definitely one of our most popular events because there is so much variety,” she said. “It works for families with children, seniors and adults. There’s something here for everybody.”

The fair, which is the only one of its type in the borough, will include Blue Ribbon competitions in livestock, produce, home crafts, arts and crafts.

Tents at the event will include everything from baking and pickling to maple sugar demonstrations and various animals, such as guinea pigs and rabbits.

Entertainment will include circus acts, big band music, pig races, creepy critter animal shows and exhibits.

On Saturday, an Irish band with dancers will play the fair and, on Sunday, a German band will perform.

Attendees will be able to tour the farmhouse, where period reenactments and food tasting will be held, and greenhouse, which will be stocked with wines for sale, organic snacks and farm toys.

The farm’s produce stand, Bavarian garden and petting zoo will be open and hayrides will be available.

“People can come in and wander from one tent to the next and sample everything,” Allocco said. “They can join a pie-eating contest or try carnival rides. And there are many different things to eat, from corn and pierogis to fried Oreos. You won’t go hungry here.”

The fair, which draws as many as 12,000 people to northeast Queens each year, will also offer children’s games and corn-husking contests and the farm’s three-acre Amazing Maize Maze will be open.

Admission to the fair is $8 for adults and $5 or children, ages 12 years and below. Free parking will be available.

Joie Chitwood III

Uploaded by HoldTheMayoMedia on Jun 25, 2008

www.helldriversmovie.com Joie Chitwood talks about thrill shows, movies, and the Chitwood cannon.

Big Apple Circus Begins New Show Legendarium to Lincoln Center Beginning October 20

Chinese slack wire performer Zhang Fan
(Photo courtesy of the company)
from: theatermania.com
By David Gordon
Sep 17, 2012
New York City-- The Big Apple Circus will return to Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park for its annual engagement beginning October 20. The organization's newest production, Legendarium, will run through Sunday, January 13.
Showcasing the birth of circus traditions from the trapeze to clowning, Legendarium will feature clown team the Acrobuffos, Bulgarian trapeze artist Andrey Mantchev, Dalian Acrobatic Troupe from China, Canadian steel hoop performer Daniel Cyr, Russian areal team Desire of Flight, aerial performer Katerina, contortionist Elayne Kramer, tango dancers Emily and Menno van Dyke, horse performer Jenny Vidbel, the Hungarian Quinterion Troupe, slack wire walker Zhan Fang, and ringmaster John Kennedy Kane.

West Hyler directs the show, which features scenic design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, musical direction byRob Slowik, and sound design by JP Perreaux.

Circus life: 'It was chaotic – but we were one big family'
While some of us dream of running away to join the circus, Germaine Delbosq was born into it. She describes her eccentric but magical childhood – and tells Kate Hilpern why she's happy her daughter is following in her footsteps

Top talent: Germaine Delbosq
from: independent.co.uk
Kate Hilpern
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Everyone's heard the old joke about running away and joining the circus. But what if your parents are the ones in the circus? And what if it doesn't stop there – with your uncles, aunts, grandparents and great grandparents also living the unique and eccentric life of circus performers?
Germaine Delbosq, now 34, had a chaotic childhood, never putting down roots or having consistent schooling, but at no point did she want a more normal one, she insists. "Maybe it's because I loved the artistic lifestyle. Maybe it's because I benefited from my family being available all the time. Or maybe it's just in the blood."
Germaine's circus family pedigree could barely be more prestigious. Together with her brother, she is the 12th generation of circus performers on her mother's side (her grandfather worked for both Blackpool Tower Circus and for the great Bertram Mills, while her grandmother was a ballet dancer), and seventh generation on her father's. Still today, her uncle, brother, sister-in-law, husband and now her own 13-year-old daughter are all performers, whilst Germaine's own act of foot juggling with fire on the back of a motorbike is as popular as ever.
The act, which she performs for Zippos Circus, is animated, exhilarating and dangerous (her fire cross once snapped and fell on her pregnant stomach, then near the motorbike's petrol tank). Yet Germaine is softly spoken and has an unexpected sereneness about her. She explains: "My earliest memory is in South Africa. I must have been about three years old. We lived on a train, stopping in different towns. I can remember running up and down the corridor each morning waking everyone up. I felt so excited, so alive. But then, as I got older, I became more introverted and something of a loner. I still am."
Attributing it partly to her natural character, she also acknowledges that on many of her childhood tours – which took place all over the world from New Zealand to Finland to Sicily – there were no other children present. "I had a brother, but he was seven years younger than me, so I was more like a second mother to him."
read more:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/circus-life-it-was-chaotic--but-we-were-one-big-family-8145009.html

Fair organizers: Good turnout despite rain

LES HASSELL
Children take a spin Wednesday on a ride at the Gregg County Fair.
from: news-journal.com
By Glenn Evans
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Longview, Texas--A new event added muscle to the Longview Jaycees Gregg County Fair this year while an old standby unexpectedly ran away with the show, the event’s producer reported Monday.

Billy Clay was still compiling attendance numbers, but he also was looking back with satisfaction on the decision, three years ago, to stretch the event across two weekends.

“We ought to be in good shape all around,” Clay said. “We lost Thursday night and Friday night. On both of them, we got a washout. People say, ‘Why do you do nine days?’ If you get a washout, you need it. And we needed it.”

This was the 63rd year the Jaycees have produced the fair, which supports several nonprofit groups such as Ambucs, Safe Haven Horse Rescue and Teen Court.

Rains Thursday held off long enough to crown Ashley Phillips from Spring Hill High School as Miss Gregg County 2012. By Saturday afternoon, he said, crowds appeared to shake off the rainy week and filled the Longview Fairgrounds until midnight.
“You couldn’t ask for better weather,” he said. “The temperatures were down, the tempers were down and the crowd was good.”

One returning event became the bell of the ball, Clay said.

“Believe it or not, the pig races were,” he said, adding the fleet of porkers have competed in 12 or 13 fairs but never drew so many squealing fans. “I haven’t got a clue (why).”

A new event, arm-wrestling, provided its own shot in the arm. Clay said the competition might be expanded to include qualifying and final rounds next year.

“It went off really well,” he said.

Clay said to look for the 2013 fair to break new ground. Clay already has set the 64th fair on Sept 6-14.

“We’ve got a whole new show coming in next year — a complete makeover of the rides,” he said. “We’re always trying to do better and 2013 will be bigger and better.”

Monday, September 17, 2012

Big E Attendance 2012
Sunday, Sept. 16----90,241
Saturday, Sept. 15--82,877
Friday, Sept. 14--***62,871

VISIT THE BIG E SUPER CIRCUSWALKWAY OF CIRCUS STARS

Our walkway of Circus Stars honors and highlights the performers who have headlined in The Big E Super Circus over the years. The following circus greats have been honored at our walkway.

Mark Karoly – 1992 • Dolly Jacobs – 1996 • Tommy Hanneford – 1997 • Sylvia Zerbini – 1998 • David Maas & Dania Kaseeva – 1999 • Cesar Aedo – 2000 • Pedro Carrillo – 2001 • Svetlana Shamsheeva – 2003 • Father Jack Toner, Circus Priest – 2004 • The Great Wallendas 7-Man Pyramid – 2005 • The Marinofs – 2006 • Aleysa Goulevitch – 2007 • ; The Flying Pages – 2008 • Struppi Hanneford – 2009 • ; Wayne McCary – 2009.

The Big E Super Circus, sponsored by Coca-Cola

Look for the red & white Big Top tent near the Giant Slide!

Three Free Shows Daily at 1, 4 & 7 p.m. under the Big Top

2012 CIRCUS ENTERTAINERS

TY McFARLAN, Ringmaster

DAVID ROSAIRE'S PERKY PEKES

A Big E audience favorite, this delightful, comical canine display is full of surprises for "children of all ages."

THE MARINOFS

International award-winning superstars, Georg & Luisa present a one-of-a-kind display of aerial excellence high above the center fing of The Big E Super Circus.

GRANDMA

Circus comedian Mark Gindick reprises his loveable, laughable character of The Big Top - Grandma returns to The Big E Super Circus by popular demand!

DANY DANIELS & EDINA

Gracing The Big E Super Circus for the first time ever, from Spain, a dynamic display of balancing perfection and unbelievable equillibristic ability.

BIG E THRILL RIDERS

A Big E Super Circus first! Fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight...Challenging the giant "Sphere Of Fear," motorcycle maniacs defy the laws of gravity within the confines of the mighty thunderdome

First time ever at The Big E! An extraordinary exhibition of balance, strength and endurance

The Big E, the largest fair in the Northeast, is home to The Big E Cream Puff & Craz-E Burger. It's a New England extravaganza with top name entertainment, The Big E Super Circus, The Avenue of States, Storrowton Village Museum, animals, competitive exhibits, rides, shopping, crafts, a daily parade and a Mardi Gras parade, and foods from around the world —- for 17 days each September!

It's the last blast of summer — celebrate at The Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts!

Cotton Candy and Elephant Stuff
1979
(opening clip)

Uploaded by jkrawitz1 on Mar 2, 2010

The arduous lifestyle of a traveling circus often contradicts the romantic notion of "running away with a circus." This film documents the daily routines of the small, family-owned Franzen Bros. Circus which performs in a new town each day. While focusing on those aspects of the circus which are not generally accessible to the circus audience, Cotton Candy and Elephant Stuff captures the magic and the banality of circus life.