SARASOTA NEWS

FROM CIRCUS PETE

 

**************ATTENTION SHOWFOLKS***********
Our monthly dinner is coming up - Saturday Dec 1st
Guests of honor: John and Brigitte Pugh*

Menu
Carved Roast Beef
Baked Potato
Mixed Vegetables
Salad
Dessert

$10.00 per person

Anyone wanting to make a reservation can call or text my number: 941-224-7244 or 941-677-8515. Or email me: info@showfolks.com. Or message me on Facebook.

Also.... The list of acts for this years Showfolks Circus has been posted on our website www.showfolks.com.

******* TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE NOW *******

Advance tickets are $10.00 for adults. Free kids tickets are available in stores and restaurants around town or can be printed on the website. Kids 12 and under can get in free with a coupon but must be accompanied by a paid adult.

If you are not going to be in Sarasota for the circus, check out the website and consider making a donation to the club.

Thank you, Leigh

*************************************************
Pete Adams

Circus Krone TV- Diashow 1. Winterprogramm 2012/13

Published on Nov 18, 2012

More: www.circus-krone.

 Circus Oz: Fun 'From the Ground Up’
Aussie production takes its inspiration of an iconic 1932 New York photo

 

Working out their trapezius muscles: Mason West (l.) & Shane Witt hit the heights for Circuz Oz.
from:  nydailynews.com
by Joe Dziemianowicz
November 30, 2012
I f the visuals in “Circus Oz: From the Ground Up,” starting Friday at the New Victory Theater in advance of a U.S. tour, look familiar, there’s a good reason.

The Australian production’s imagery, set and costumes seize their inspiration from Charles C. Ebbets’ 1932 photo “New York Construction Workers Lunching on a Crossbeam,” also known as “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper.”

No matter what you call it, the spectacle of men roosting like birds, without a tether or, seemingly, a care as they tuck into a midday meal, on a steel girder 800 feet above the city street might make your belly do a flip-flop.

In the show, set to live rock music, a huge construction beam spanning the New Victory stage is where aerialists and other daredevils will do their high-flying somersaults.

“The theme of the show takes us back to our own identity,” according to Mike Finch, artistic director of the 34-year-old globetrotting Circus Oz. “What does it mean to be Australian? We’re all really into the idea that we’re still building it from the ground up into a diverse community of people.”

The notion of construction is also intended to advance the idea of building a society where are all welcome and appreciated.

“Ground Up” relies on muscle, grace, cheeky humor and multitasking. Musicians double as acrobats, acrobats double as jugglers, jugglers double as trapeze artists and everyone gets a go at comedy.

“Circus Oz” runs through Dec. 30 at New Victory, 209 W. 42nd St. Tickets: $11-$36; (646) 223-3010.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/circus-oz-offers-fun-ground-article-1.1210382#ixzz2DnmsYI00

Electro the Smoking Robot at the 1939 New York World's Fair

(Is that Johnny Carson?)

Uploaded on Apr 16, 2008

http://thehistoricalarchive.com/products/a667.html

See Electro the Smoking Moto Man - from an exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair. This robot, created by Westinghouse, is an amazing technological feat for that era and makes for a fascinating clip.

This film clip is part of the film The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair

Revisit The World's Fairs of the 1930s At MCNY Next Month

from:  gothamist.com
By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment
November 30, 2012
The days of the World's Fair may be gone, but the epic exhibitions will live on at the Museum of the City of New York starting this December. Their "Designing Tomorrow: America’s World’s Fairs of the 1930s" opens on December 5th, and will explore fairs from across the country, including New York, Chicago, San Diego, Dallas, Cleveland, and San Francisco.

The exhibition provides a glimpse into all that was sleek and futuristic in the 1930s, as the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. "Designing Tomorrow" includes a full-scale replica of Elektro, the talking robot created for Westinghouse, and modern conveniences (like toasters) exhibited at the fair. The show also features fantastic photographs of the fairground from the Museum’s collection and Kodachrome slides showing the fair in color.

 



Traveling exhibit of exotic animals stops in Bryan

 
Empress, a Bengal tiger walks in its cage at the Jungle Safari exibit in Bryan Friday, Nov. 30, 2012.
(Eagle Photo/ Stuart Villanueva)
from:  theeagle.com
By Brooke West
December 1, 2012
Jungle Safari, a free exotic animal exhibit, set up in the 3700 block of Texas Avenue on Wednesday and will stay until Sunday at 5 p.m.
Mathilda, a four-year-old kangaroo, shoved her nose through a wire square, giving passersby a curious sniff. Empress the three-year-old Bengal tiger -- all 425 pounds of her -- slept soundly in her cage. A tiny but busy Zeus, a 9-week-old Bengal tiger cub, circled behind a fence, purring and nuzzling against the warm hands of caretakers who reached in to pet his fuzzy head.
The owner and manager of Jungle Safari, Robert Engesser, said he's glad to be in Bryan for the first time.
"This enables us to share these guys with the public," Engesser said, gesturing toward the monkeys, lemurs, goats, ponies, and the camel on display.
Engesser said the traveling zoo provides a chance for people in areas that don't have permanent exhibits to see, learn and interact with the animals.
Engesser has been showing his variety of animals across the United States for 31 years, he said. He and his crew of handlers and caretakers are on the road for nine and a half months out of the year. The other two and a half months are spent on his land in Chiefland, Fla.

 

Dale Larock, of Jungle Safari carries a monkey on his shoulder at the exibit tent Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012.
(Eagle Photo/ Stuart Villanueva)
Admission to the exhibit -- equipped with eight goats, one cow, two llamas, one camel, three ponies, one spotted mule, two monkeys, two lemurs, and two tigers -- is free. There is a cost, however, to ride the camel or ponies, feed the animals or take pictures with them. There is also a white tiger and black leopard on display for a $1 charge.
Engesser said the free admission is "doing it the old-fashioned way." He said the profits made through pictures, feeding and rides pays all of the employees and allows them to keep the exhibit on the move.
Dealing with large exotic animals safely, Engesser said, is a matter of their weight.
"You have to know what you are doing," he said. "Size dictates how they should be handled. We want to protect the public from the animal and the animal from the public. These are still wild animals."
The full-grown Bengal tiger was raised in captivity, Engesser said, and has grown up "socialized."
"Anytime an animal is on display and confined, there is not a stress factor," Engesser said. "Inevitably you will have the extreme view. There are a number of ways to be raised healthily in captivity."
Engesser said his grandparents and parents were operating the traveling zoo before him.
read more:
http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/article_c6aceee5-f2f2-5429-a7e9-e1939c28409e.html

MARXX SUPER CIRCUS
CIRCA 1950'S

 

This is what ignited Bill and Dick's interest in the circus.
We received on of these when, I beleive, we were 6 or 7 years old!
That's ne reason why I have The Toy Story in the blog.
What a way to start a young child's interest in the circus.
Give em a circus toy for Christmas!
 

I got in a fight at the circus!
(Big Apple Circus LEGENDARIUM Review)
from mom in the city.com
November 28, 2012


Earlier this month, Sean and I went (as press) to see a brand new show, Big Apple Circus LEGENDARIUM. Reggie and Michael didn’t want to attend because they had seen the Big Apple Circus perform in the past and thought that it would be too similar. (While they enjoyed it the first time, they rarely want to see things multiple times.) It ended up being their loss, because Sean and I had a blast. As Sean said, “They made a big mistake!”
On the way to the circus, I was speaking with some random lady on the train who had struck up a conversation with Sean and me. When I mentioned that we were on our way to the circus, she commented that circuses treat animals badly. While some circuses probably do mistreat animals, I really don’t think that is the case for the Big Apple Circus. It actually has a positive reputation for being humane in their animal treatment. They only work with domesticated animals (such as horses and dogs) and I also like that the dogs used in LEGENDARIUM’s “Central Park Dogs” act are rescued shelter dogs.
Anyway, the show was amazing…totally different from past Big Apple Circus shows. In addition to experiencing nostalgic aspects of past circus shows, the underlying theme of the production (for me) was the importance of imagination. It really is amazing what imagination can bring about. Everything really is created more than once since thoughts become reality. The various acts – a solo trapeze act, a contortionist who did archery with her feet, a man who rode a bicycle on a wire, tango dancing jugglers and much more – really left me thinking, “I need to imagine more!”

Oh yes…the fight. In Part Two of the circus, I got in a fight with one of the Acrobuffos (a husband-and-wife clown team) clowns. The husband pulled me into the ring and his “jealous” wife and I fought over him. There were fists up, air kicks and battling with foam whips. SO FUN! Prior to this “fight”, I had always thought that those “pull out of the audience” circus things were planned beforehand. (Actually, when the clown first motioned for me to come on stage, I looked behind me to see whom he was calling.) In any event, I now know that they are not. I can now cross another thing off my “I didn’t know that I wanted to do this BUT I’m so glad that I did it because it was AWESOME” list – perform in a circus ring! My only regret is that I don’t have any pictures or video of the interaction since Sean was the only familiar person who was with me at the circus. That’s fine though…I still have the memory.
 

 

In any event, LEGENDARIUM will run through Sunday, January 13th under the Big Top at Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. Tickets start at $25 and are available at www.bigapplecircus.org, by calling (888) 541-3750 or at the Circus Box Office that is located in front of the Big Top. The show runs for 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission. (On a side note, I was impressed with the reasonable concession prices. During the intermission, I only spent $8 to buy Sean chicken fingers, fries and fruit punch.) I’m not doing an “experience gifts” section to my holiday gift guide, but I think that tickets to see LEGENDARIUM would make a great holiday gift for the kids in your life.
 

Raw: Deer Take Over Pa. Racetrack

Published on Nov 30, 2012

A group of deer took over a Pittsburgh area racetrack on Wednesday. The race announcer at The Meadows even called their unexpected race before the deer took off. (Nov. 30)

Eight Days of Cirque
The world-famous theater troupe give fans a chance to see what happens behind the scenes


Cirque Week Times and events vary through Dec. 8, two- to seven-show packages from $150-$450 per person, plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
from:  lasvegasmagazine.com
By Susan Stapleton
Photography by jacob kepler
Few people get to see how the music and lighting come together in The Beatles LOVE, behind the scenes of the vertical stage at KÀ or get up close with the Chinese pole performers in Mystère. But for one week, Cirque du Soleil, the circus and street performance company that has grown to a worldwide phenomenon with seven shows in Las Vegas, gives fans a chance to experience just how these shows come together during Cirque Week, through Dec. 8.

Every day features a different behind-the-scenes experience that can be packaged with one of the shows for a compare and contrast. “We designed Cirque Week three years ago,” says Lou D’Angeli, Cirque du Soleil’s senior director of marketing and public relations. “Our fans really want to get more interactive and engaged.”

 

The week started Dec. 1 with “O”—Behind the Water, which gave only 100 guests a chance to see the water stage of the show above and below. Fans saw the props used in the show at the Bellagio and received a souvenir after the backstage tour. Another set tour takes place Dec. 2 at the LOVE Sound and Set Demonstration, where guests can get a whole new perspective of The Beatles’ music. The tour at The Mirage includes a look at the 6,300 custom-made speakers in the theater as well as some of the scenes performed in the show.
read more:
http://lasvegasmagazine.com/2012/11/30/eight-days-of-cirque/

Cirque Chinois — from China to Niceville

 

from: thedestinlog.com
Special to The Log
November 30, 2012
Direct from Beijing, the National Circus of the People’s Republic of China will perform their new international sensation "Cirque Chinois" at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State.
The National Circus has toured 80 countries around the world and is renowned for their unique acts, award-winning talent, and innovative “non-animal circus” concept, which influenced the pioneers of “Cirque du Solel” in the 1980’s.
The show features incredible performances of masterful contortion, graceful aerial acts with silks and rings, powerful Chinese martial arts, the Golden Award-winning “Great Teeterboard” act, magic acts including one featuring Chinese opera masks, and much more. The “Cirque Chinois” program also features an opening ceremony displaying the traditional Chinese culture and ancient artistic legacy of the performers. The National Circus was founded in 1953 making it one of the longest running and most distinguished circus troupes in China.
read more:
http://www.thedestinlog.com/entertainment/cirque-chinois-from-china-to-niceville-1.57118

The Circus Comes to Town


Hard work to set the stage
By Bruce McKinney
from: americanexchange.com
As a child there were few announcements of greater import.  Even the big towns in the Hudson Valley were too small for significant events but when both your town was small and you were small it didn’t take a lot stir the imagination.  Because the circus and their more frequent cousins, carnivals, came almost every year they were regular punctuation in the relentless small town calendar that began with the new school year and ambled on through football season, the falling of the leaves, the shortening of daylight, Thanksgiving, the winter solstice and then Christmas.

Next snow and the coldest month February followed by Easter that never arrived predictably, being on the lunar calendar.  With spring came flowers and mud and later the flowering fruit orchards that made the Hudson Valley seem briefly a magical place.  In June summer would arrive but not until exams, the gatekeepers to ten weeks off, were successfully navigated.

Summer had it’s own punctuation.  Many families had summer plans.  Did we have any?  Most went to places.  My family went away as if escape was the key, and really, my Mother’s key.   The Hudson Valley wasn’t where she wanted to be but I wouldn’t know this for many years.  Once the big summer plans were known I would work on the smaller ones.  Would there be a parade on the 4th of July and if so, could I go, and possibly even march?  The criterion for inclusion was a beating heart and mine beat particularly fast when I wore my Little League Red Sox or Cub Scouts uniforms.   Early on we lived a mile from town leaving me dependent on parents who had other things to do.  When we moved into town in 1954 I never asked again.  From then on I made my own schedules and commitments.

 

So when posters went up for the carnival or circus each July I was ready.  With an allowance of a quarter and opportunities to earn more I could make plans to spend, a dime on the cotton candy, a dime [for one] or a quarter for three rides and a couple dimes for the games of chance.  I could turn these coins into two hours of entertainment and feel like I was observing real life.  My parents didn’t like these events but if I earned the money and could get there on my own I could go.  Earning your own money was something my family respected.  Money always seemed to be the key.
read more and see more:
http://www.americanaexchange.com/AE/AEMonthly/AEMonthlySingleArticle.aspx?ArticleID=1382&Month=12&Year=2012&Page=1

 

www.gibtownshowmansclub.com

 

 

On Friday, June 15, 2012, Nik Wallenda became the only person in the world to cross directly over the precipice of the Niagara Falls. Drawing in over 19 million viewers on live TV, the Niagara Falls stunt achieved ABC's highest ratings of a summer non-sports telecast since 2006.

There is more high wire excitement to be had as Nik Wallenda is joined by members of his daredevil family and world-renowned international performers for a spectacular circus experience opening Friday, January 25 showing through Friday, February 15, 2013. Perfect for the entire family, this show is not to be missed!
Circus Sarasota invites you to embark on a journey of discovery and thrills, under the big top at Circus Sarasota. Tickets start as low as $10...multiple discount opportunities are available. Tickets can be purchased by clicking below, visiting www.CircusSarasota.org or via phone at (941) 355-9805.

 

Book Report: Sights and sounds under the big top
When I was a kid one of the biggest deals of the year was when the Al G. Kelly and Miller Brothers Circus came to town.
By: Dave Wood, columnist, River Falls Journal
November 29, 2012
When I was a kid one of the biggest deals of the year was when the Al G. Kelly and Miller Brothers Circus came to town.

It was a mid-sized circus, nothing like Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, which always stopped in Eau Claire. But it always featured 20 elephants and made sure we high school students knew we were finally growing up.

That’s because when the show came to town, boys were dismissed from high school to help put up the three-ring big top, for which we were given free passes and a mammoth breakfast at the mess tent, along with the real circus hands.

So it was with excitement that I opened a beautiful new book, “The American Circus,” edited by Susan Weber, Kenneth Ames, and Matthew Wittmann (Yale University Press, n.p.)

It’s a fascinating look at the development of the circus in the U.S. with 17 essays ranging in topics from how our circus culture differed from Europe’s, chapters on circus posters in startling colors, a remembrance of the circus’s parade down main streets all over the U.S.

I learned about circus companies who never made it to western Wisconsin, like Forepaugh’s, and ones that had, like The Cole Brothers.

I learned that even F.D.R.’s WPA got into the act during the depression and operated a federally funded circus in New York City for four years.
read more:
http://www.piercecountyherald.com/event/article/id/103605/publisher_ID/19/

The Blackpool Tower Circus 2012

 

Published on Sep 11, 2012 by thebpltower

The 2012 video of The Blackpool Tower Circus.

A piece of Cirque du Soleil
James Cameron-produced movie brings seven Vegas shows to the cinema

 

“Cirque has been interested for quite a while in the notion of creating a film, something for the big screen,” says Jacques Méthé, executive producer of Worlds Away.
 Photograph by: Photo: Mark Fellman
from:  montrealgazette.com
By Jay Stone, Postmedia News
November 29, 2012 
LAS VEGAS — If you walk through the clatter and lights of the slot machines and blackjack tables of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, you come to the Kà theatre where — 10 times a week — two Mexican circus performers, Sabu and Francisco Alegria, make audiences feel like their stomachs are falling through the floor.

The Alegria brothers are the stars of the Wheel of Death, one of the show-stopping numbers in Kà, which is one of seven shows that Cirque du Soleil puts on in Las Vegas. Some of them, like Viva Elvis or The Beatles Love, are rock ’n’ roll acrobatic extravaganzas. Others, like Kà, are fantasies with elements of hair-raising athletics.

The Wheel of Death is an old circus act updated for Cirque: two giant hamster wheels that swing on a pivot, rising some 15 metres above Kà’s unique floating stage. The Alegrías walk around the wheels, which in turn spin on the pivot, taking this or that Alegria so high that you get woozy watching them, especially when they climb onto the outside of the wheels and start running and then skipping rope.

And now that feeling, the dizzy sensation of second-hand vertigo, is coming to a motion picture theatre near you.

The film is called Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away, a dreamy compilation of all seven of the Cirque shows, filmed with the Fusion 3D system that James Cameron — one of the movie’s producers — developed and used in Avatar.
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movie-guide/piece+Cirque+Soleil/7627566/story.html#ixzz2DhxftDcI

Photo of the Day
Tug Of War
Photos Big Geek Daddy Likes

 

Riot Police and Protesters work together to help this man get his jeans off. Similar scenes can be viewed on Black Friday when the People Of Walmart fight over discounted items.
from: http://bgdphotooftheday.com/tug-of-war/

Circus benefits Boys Ranch

 

Nevada, MO Daily Mail
Friday, November 30, 2012
The Santa Claus Holiday Circus from Hugo, Okla., will stage benefit performances for Bar H Boys Ranch at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 4, in the organization's Mo-Kan Building, at 11357 E. Nebo Hill Road.

Ranch Groundskeeper Mark Lusk said Thursday that circus owner B.K. Silverlake had decided to bring the show to Bar H and give the ranch a percentage of the proceeds upon learning that facilities at the county fairgrounds had been booked.

"The Mo-Kan Building can hold up to 350 people, so we're hoping it will be another good benefit to go with the adult camps we had in early May and late September," Lusk said. "We hadn't had any kids here in over six years when I took over 4 1/2 years ago and we had 17 boys and 22 girls for a week each last summer, sponsored by members of the Eagles Lodge."

Advance tickets are on sale for $8 for adults and $6 for children at Aaron's Sales & Lease and the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce.

Gate admission on the night of the shows will be $12 for adults, $10 for members of the military and senior citizens and $8 for children.
read more:
http://www.nevadadailymail.com/story/1918165.html

NY premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Totem

 

from:  ticketnews.com
By Jessica Turgeon
Nov 29th 2012 
In March 2013, Cirque du Soleil's "Totem" will make its New York premiere under the big top in a parking lot at Citi Field in Queens. "Totem" opened in 2010 in Montreal, Canada, where it was described as “a true wow” by the Montreal Gazette according to Felicia Lee of the New York Times. This opening will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil's first New York show. According to troupe members, "Totem" “traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly,” as told to Kenneth Jones of Playbill.com. According to the cast, "the characters evolve on stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.”
"Totem" is written and directed by Robert Lepage, who also directed "KA", which currently plays at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Lepage has many stage and opera credits. The founder of "Totem" is Guy Laliberte, with Gilles Ste-Croix as the artistic guide. The show’s director of creation is Nielson Vignola, with set and prop design by Carl Fillion and costumes by Kim Barrett. Fillion created the set design with a large oval framework, to represent the skeletal substructure of a turtle shell, which houses some acrobatic equipment. For costume designs, Barrett researched animals, plants, birds, and designs of tribal and cultural origin which would be represented in the show.
read more at:
http://www.ticketnews.com/news/ny-premier-of-cirque-du-soleil-totem-111229743

'Batman Live' show at coliseum adds to character's legend with lavish production
See the Caped Crusader in action during shows Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

The touring “Batman Live” arena show features a Batmobile designed for this production. (Courtesy photo)

from,: new-sentinel.com

By James Grant of The News-Sentinel

November 29, 2012

Fort Wayne--The legend of the Batman character looms large in American pop culture.

Since 1939, America has followed the adventures of the crime-fighting caped crusader through countless comic books, films, television shows, games and several mega-successful movies.

Now, in 2012, a show called “Batman Live,” which roars its way to Memorial Coliseum next Tuesday and Wednesday, brings an enormous production to arenas across the United States featuring 42 actors and circus-trained acrobats, a 3-D Gotham landscape, a 105-foot-wide, bat-shaped LED video wall, pyrotechnics, and a newly designed Batmobile.

“Batman Live,” which premiered in July 2011 in England, was a huge success in Europe, playing to more than a half-million people in 15 countries.

In September 2012, the show began its first tour of America, home of the Batman character. George Turvey, the actor who plays Bruce Wayne/Batman in “Batman Live,” said that, while the production was a hit overseas, American audiences have a special affinity for the show.

“The American audiences certainly get it a lot more than the audiences in Europe,” Turvey said in a telephone interview. “I mean, they definitely enjoyed it in Europe, but here I think everybody's grown up with Batman, so they know him so well and love him so much that they certainly — they get it a lot more than anywhere else we've been.

“It's been so exciting because, as I say, they know these characters so well, and so every time a new character comes onstage, they give him a massive cheer, which is a such a joy to be able to perform to that type of audience,” Turvey added.

read more:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121129/ENT/311299993/1009/HEALTH

PETA squawks at Glendale circus
Animal rights organization wants to run the Ramos Bros. show out of town.

 

from: glendalenewspress.com
By Brittany Levine
November 29, 2012
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Thursday sent a letter calling on Glendale to revoke a permit for the Ramos Bros. Circus, which is scheduled to run through Tuesday.
The smaller-scale operation doesn’t have the big animal draws, such as elephants, but PETA pointed to the brief escape last week of a camel from the circus across from Glendale Community College in calling for immediate action.
“The potentially fatal escape of a camel should serve as the straw that breaks the back of the Ramos Bros.' welcome in Glendale,” Delcianna Winders, PETA’s foundation director of captive animal law enforcement, said in a statement.
Glendale spokesman Tom Lorenz said the city attorney’s office is looking into the matter, but officials feel comfortable with how the circus is operating.
“The situation the other day does not rise to the level of terminating their permit,” Lorenz said, adding that state and local agriculture and animal officials have checked the circus multiple times and have given it a “clean bill of health.”
After the camel trotted across Glendale Avenue near the Civic Auditorium after getting away from a new handler, passersby gawked at the scene, taking photos and videos. The camel was quickly captured by circus workers.
Lorenz said the Police Department has since stepped up visits to the auditorium.
Alex Ramos, a spokesman for the circus, defended his operation as one that employs dozens of people and entertains the public.
read more:
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-1130-peta-squawks-at-the-circus,0,3860107.story

Fort Wayne fire spinners join circus to entertain refugee children in Thialand


Lauren Tourkow, 26, and Brent Helmkamp, 28, will be touring with the Spark Circus in Thailand in January and February. The non-profit all volunteer organization takes circus acts to the children in refugee camps along the Thailand/Burma Borders.
(Photo by Ellie Bogue of the News-Sentinel).
Have you ever wanted to join a circus? Lauren Tourkow, 26, and Brent Helmkamp, 28, have done just that.
The Fort Wayne natives specialize in fiery acts; that is, they use fire in their performances. Helmkamp is a fire spinner. Using a length of heavy metal chain with a fuse attached to one end he twirls the chain through various maneuvers. Tourkow uses metal rings for her act. Fuses are attached at intervals around the rings, at about a four-inch height.
Last year the two were at a Fire Festival workshop when they heard about the Spark Circus. The nonprofit, all-volunteer organization takes circus acts to the children in refugee camps along the Thailand/Burma borders. According to the organization's website, sparkcircus.org: “This project is designed to develop their creativity, physical fitness, communication skills, teamwork, confidence and cultural awareness. Play is a fundamental part of children's development, and we bring a big spark of happiness, love, amusement and entertainment into these children's lives and the lives of those who work with them in the camps and orphanages.

 Lauren Tourkow, 26, a fire spinner will be traveling with Spark Circus. The non-profit all volunteer organization takes circus acts to the children in refugee camps along the Thailand/Burma Borders.
(photo by Ellie Bogue of the News-Sentinel).
The couple decided to apply and recently found out they are two of 20 performers who were chosen from around the world to take part in this year's tour. They are now raising money to donate to the organization.
The money is used to buy circus toys and art supplies that are made into kits and given to each group they perform for. The Spark Circus doesn't just perform, they also hold workshops teaching the kids how to do some of the circus tricks that they do. The kits allow the kids to keep up their newly learned skills once the circus moves on.
The couple will pay for their own food and travel expenses. All money raised will go directly to the ringmaster of Spark Circus.

 

Brent Helmkamp, 28, is a fire spinner. Using a length of heavy metal chain with a fuse attached to one end he twirls the chain through various maneuvers.(courtesey photo)
They will leave the country Dec 30. From Jan. 5-Feb. 22, they will be in Thailand. Besides performing in the Maist area they will travel around the country, performing at schools, hospitals and migrant camps.So far they have raised $200 of the $1,000 they need to go.
Dec 7 there will be a fundraiser at Deer Park Tavern from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to help them raise the rest. There will be music by Scratch and Sniff, Tourkow and Helmkamp will perform as will Pyroscope entertainment. There will be a silent auction of local artwork. Free will donations will be taken at the door. For $5, there will be Burmese egg roll, Samosa and tea for sale. For the more daring, a Thai beer called Singha. Big John's Ragin' Cajun Food Truck will also be there. For more information about Spark Circus, go to sparkcircus.org.

Tribute to Bunnie Bartok Perz

by Leigh Ketchum

Published on Nov 27, 2012 by Leigh Ketchum

A tribute to the inimitable Bunnie Bartok Perz

 

Little circus delights
— By Chesley Oxendine Times Correspondent
from:  muskogeephoenix.com
November 28, 2012


Mel Silverlake, right, and his granddaughter Sierra perform a magic trick using knotted napkins and a paper bag.
 Fort Gibson got a taste of the big tent’s lights, sounds and popcorn Friday night when the Santa Claus Holiday Circus came to town — courtesy of American Legion Post 20.
 Set up inside Fort Gibson High School’s old gymnasium, the circus put on a set of acts specifically geared for smaller locales. Performers included everyone from plate spinners to a group of coordinated poodles, all dressed in vivid outfits.
 The circus’ antics earned raucous laughter from a crowd of more than 100 people. Between acts, guests were encouraged to enjoy cotton candy and souvenirs from a concession stand that filled the small gym with the smell of popcorn.

 

The "Argentine Guacho" performs a dance using whirling blankets during Friday night's Santa Claus Holiday Circus.
The circus’ antics earned raucous laughter from a crowd of more than 100 people. Between acts, guests were encouraged to enjoy cotton candy and souvenirs from a concession stand that filled the small gym with the smell of popcorn.
 Some of the visitors even got in on the fun, like Fort Gibson resident Libby Matthews, who ended up dancing with famous Christmas character the Grinch during an intermission.
 Matthews said even though it was her children that convinced her to come at first, she enjoyed herself.
“I came for my kids, but this was really good,” she said. “I had a good night.”
read more at:
http://muskogeephoenix.com/fgtimes/x1332339771/Little-circus-delights

Ringling Bros Presents BUILT TO AMAZE! -

 Winter Quarters: An Inside Look

Published on Nov 29, 2012 by ringlingbros

Get An Inside Look at Ringling Bros presents Built To Amaze!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents the 143rd exhilarating edition of the Greatest Show On Earth. Surprise and wonder build such incredible anticipation it could only be Built To Amaze!℠

Elephants, tigers, acrobats and aerialists join together from across the globe, each a spectacular piece of the puzzle, forming one exquisite design of magnificence and precision. From the blueprints to the band, from the crates to the clowns, from the hammer to the high wire comes one breathtaking performance of non-stop thrills so astonishing you have to see it to believe it.

Join us as we measure out the perfect mix of marvel and majesty in an imagination equation where the impossible comes to life. Be a part of the brand-new spectacles from around the world immersed in the circus tradition you have come to know and love. Experience it live and feel the amazement! Children Of All Ages will be inspired for years to come at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Built To Amaze!

Contortionist Elayne Kramer Answers Your Questions | Big Apple Circus

 

 

Published on Nov 27, 2012 by BigAppleCircusOrg

Big Apple Circus fans submitted their questions to Elayne Kramer, a contortionist in the amazing new show LEGENDARIUM, and she answered. Now you can find out if she is as good a shot with her hands as she is with her feet!

For more information about our all-new show LEGENDARIUM, visit: http://bigapplecircus.org/

Zippos Christmas Circus
 

from: thestage.co.uk
by Ronnie Haydon
28 November 2012
Wild autumn winds may be buffeting the surrounding Wonderland, but inside the Zippos tent all is warm and twinkly for a seasonal circus especially for the under eights.
With the lighting set to a fuchsia glow and the little circus ring bathed in dry ice and fairylights, children dwarfed by vast snowballs of candyfloss are treated to a little Big Top experience hosted by a red-jacketed ringmaster and a brace of elves.
The acts they introduce are sprightly enough. Chenoa hangs by her toes from the swinging trapeze and the elegant, butterfly winged Duo Steffanelli perform a graceful aerial silk show, creating footholds in their fabric trapeze to whirl giddily in a mid-air pas de deux. Also impressive is Anya and her multi-hoola-hoop routine, which at one point makes her look like a giant slinky. Such adventures in skill, grace and sheer bendiness, with musical accompaniment and whoops of encouragement from the rest of the circus troupe, makes for saucer eyes all round. Weak links between the acts let the show down.
Paul Winston as the ringmaster seems more middle manager than maestro. He’s an embarrassed straight man in an ineffectual, if not downright unhygienic, slapstick routine that involves spitting mouthfuls of water at hapless volunteers from the audience. Children, confused by the change in focus, may miss a spot of proper clowning. Whatever happened to custard pies? At least they would be a more expansive expression of elfish insurrection than an inconsequential skit resulting in a faceful of spittle.

UniverSoul Circus Performs At The Greensboro Coliseum

Nov. 27-Dec. 2

from: digtriad.com

Written by Tracey McCain

Nov. 28, 2012

Greensboro, NC - You won't sit still for a moment! The UniverSoul Circus is full of energy and excitement and it's in town now with performances only at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Wednesday on the Good Morning Show, Onionhead The Clown gave us a sneak peak of all the excitement at the show.

Click on the video to see all the performances!

The UniverSoul Circus is in town at the Greensboro Coliseum Parking Lot from Nov. 27th until Dec. 2nd.

Tuesday, Nov. 27 @ 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28-30 @ 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 1 @ 12 noon, 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 2 @ 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15.00- $28.50. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

WFMY News 2

http://www.digtriad.com/news/gms/article/256323/67/UniverSoul-Circus-Rolls-Into-Greensboro-Nov-27-Dec 2

Oh, what a circus – YouTube roundup

from: guardian.co.uk
To celebrate the return of five-star show Du Goudron et des Plumes, we share some of our favourite circus-inspired videos – from Buster Keaton to Gandini Juggling's Smashed

 

High times … Piccadilly Circus Circus perform at er, Piccadilly Circus in London. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian

It's been a terrific year for circus in the UK, which made a major contribution to the Olympic opening ceremonies, wowed London with Piccadilly Circus Circus, saw NoFit State in residence at the Eden Project in Cornwall and also saw a number of young companies including Ockham's Razor hit their stride.

With the London International Mime festival to look forward to at the start of next year, Cirque du Soleil readying for their annual visit to the Royal Albert Hall, and the brilliant Du Goudron et des Plumes at the Barbican this week, we're going circus crazy.

Below are some of my favourites – and if you want to see more circus on film look at Crying Out Loud's terrific Circus Post on the Arts Council's the Space website, which includes a number of films that add context to the history of circus.

If you thought Cirque du Soleil were good at tumbling, check out this 1902 clip showing Julians Troupe Acrobatics in action. The quality of the film may not be great, but the stunts are hugely entertaining.

Circus tricks were an integral part of silent movies, and many of the early stars, such as Buster Keaton, were highly skilled and did all their own stunts. This is absolute classic slapstick from the 1920 Buster Keaton short Neighbours, a backyard Romeo and Juliet story.

For something more modern but with just as much wow factor, check out this clip from Alexandre Lane and Emilie Fournier, who as aerial duo Chilly and Fly won the Golden Pierrot at the 2012 Budapest circus festival.

read and see more at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2012/nov/28/circus-youtube-roundup