Sunday, July 10, 2011

Circus brings old-time fun to Brockton Fair


Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise.Contortionist Juliet Carballo, 10, performs with the Walker Brothers circus on Friday at the Brockton Fair.

By Amanda Cripps Enterprise Staff Writer

Jul 09, 2011
BROCKTON — Juliet Carballo was just 4 when she began stretching. Now, at age 10, her contortion act is the show-stopper of the Walker Bros. Circus at the Brockton Fair.
The fair has not featured a circus in recent years, but this summer, a free circus featuring traditional aerial, animal and other acts has been offered every day to patrons.
Jason Walker, the circus ringmaster, performed as a clown many years ago when his grandfather brought the family circus to Brockton. He was too young to recall what the fair was like at the time, but is happy to be visiting again.
“It’s unusual for us to be at a fair,” said Walker. “It’s like a vacation.”
The circus typically operates independently, moving every day. It has put on more than 40 independent shows so far this year, according to Walker.
Carballo, like most members of the circus, is from a family of performers that dates back several generations.
Her father is a retired trapeze artist who now performs as a clown, two of her brothers are jugglers, and the family dog, Skip, recently retired from his act as a wind-up toy. The family is from Lima, Peru, and has performed internationally for 11 generations.
In her signature move, Carballo peeks between her knees while her entire body sits above her head. At one show this week, a crowd of more than 100 clapped wildly as Carballo held the position, smiling, for several seconds before hoisting her legs upward into a rigid handstand.
A circus has a lot to offer fair patrons, Walker said.
“A traditional circus is great for the people,” he said. “It brings old-style family entertainment and culture.”
The circus will run shows at 3:30, 6:30, and 8:30 p.m. today and Sunday. All shows are free with fair admission.Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/archive/x1498054411/Circus-brings-old-time-fun-to-Brockton-Fair#ixzz1RhLynVr1

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