THE BALLOON MAN

Ringmaster touts 'Sphere of Fear' and quick-change artists as featured acts

by BRETT ANNINGSONTIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFFfrom: timestranscript.canadaeast.comCircus Mondo, in town today for two shows, touts a traditional circus experience with a few modern twists.
There are some death-defying stunts, trapeze artists and clowns and, yes, exotic animals.
"It is a new circus, just started it up this year," says Louis Leonard, president and ringmaster. "We believe there is still a place for this and it is a great family outing. It is a really cheap ticket when compared to other shows and that is part of what we are all about. People still want family entertainment at an affordable price."
Tracing its roots back to Ancient Rome and the Circus Maximus which usually included chariot racers, gladiators and animal shows, the modern circus actually came into being in England during the late 1700s when Philip Astley brought the shows into the amphitheatres of London. In reality, these shows focused on horses. A few years later he added tumblers, tightrope-walkers, jugglers, performing dogs, and a clown to fill time between his own horse-riding demonstrations.
Leonard, who is in his early 50s, has been working in circuses since he was 18 years old. He knows that only people who are passionate about the show could do it. There are so many nights on the road, so much hard work, so many people and animals to deal with.
"It depends on the time of day," he laughs, "but the main reason we do it is because we love it. You could pick almost any other job and it would be more stable and regular, but we travel to different cities and countries and leave loved ones, but when we see it come together, it is worth it."
Circus Mondo has been through 56 communities already on this tour, many of them in the Maritimes.
"The animals have a certain magic in a child's eyes," says Louis. "Then you look at the parent and see that they are happy as the kids are happy."
It might not be the huge travelling circus that was the norm in the 1930s and '40s, but when Circus Mondo rolls into town there will be about 30 people involved.
"We all have more than one job," says Louis, "but it is actually a pretty good group of people travelling, and I think travelling is a big part of why I enjoy what I do. Also the love for animals and sharing the animals' lives, and the other thing is that when you live 24/7 with people, it created bonds and relations that last forever. The circus is more my family and community than I know any of my neighbours in Montreal. These people you are around all the time."
As for the featured acts, Leonard says, "there is also something we call the Sphere of Fear. It is a motorcycle, then two motorcycles, then two more people, all riding and being inside a metal sphere cage. It is a real daredevil act that the people really love."
They also have motorcycles which ride on an incline wire from the floor to the top of the building, contortionists and trapeze artists.
"We have also just hired a quick change artist from Belgium," Leonard says. "It is the kind of act we are not used to seeing around here. The person plays different instruments and changes costumes for different songs, all within a short period of time. You watch an unbelievable eight to 10 costume changes right before your eyes in less than a minute, while he plays up to four instruments in the same moment."