When the Circus Comes

Yesterday was Circus Day. Helen, Madison, Juliana, Jen and I went to the amazing Big Apple Circus. They’re set up in Government Center — the perfect place for a big top. Without the tents and hoopla, Government Center is a desert of brick, hurricane fencing and construction rubble. Nasty. The circus brings joy and excitement to a wasteland.

The last shows of their two and a half month stand are today.

The first circus I ever went to was Ringling Brothers. I fell asleep. Seriously. OK, the show wasn't dull — much of my snooze action was surely due to the fact that the very next day I was to head into Mass General for my very first brain do-up.

The three ring dealie with it’s SEVEN Motorcycles in a Steel Cage, the regal, annoyed, sad lions made to jump through hoops and the endless, dreadful and irritating clown acts were overwhelming. I couldn’t take it all in AND I didn’t want to. What I really wanted and needed on that jittery night, was to be transported into the fairy tail-like universe of the acrobats, trapeze artists and high wire walkers. They seemed to all be performing at the ring furthest away from where I was seated though.

What I'd like from a circus is to be close enough to really see and appreciate what’s going on. I don’t want animal acts, DEATH DEFYING motorcyclists and wholly charmless, unamusing clown gangs.

At The Big Apple Circus I mostly get what I wish for. It’s a one ring affair, the show goes on in one tent versus a Boston Garden-esque arena, there’s NO imprisoned big cats and they’ve plenty of awesome aerialists

There’s trapeze wonders The Mongolian Angels, the high wire team of Duo Guerrero and the beautiful balancing act AcroDuo, While this last pair is earthbound they’re every bit as beautiful and mesmerizing.

Just as amazing, even though they never left the ground, are the Acro-Duo. They came dressed, er, half-dressed as construction workers — snug pants and hard hat, no shirts.

Yup, a total treat for appreciators of the male physique.  *ahem* Me, Jen and Helen specifically.

I couldn’t help but wonder if all three of these pairs were in fact couples. The incredible amount of trust, mega watt synergy and symbiosis would, seems to me, lead to that. Or maybe they had that to begin with and the daredevil acts are an expression of what already exists between them.

I sense a romance novel coming on.

The show finished with the Dosov Troup, a crew of teeterboardists. Meh. Too, too much with the jazz hands and 1980’s ham handed, stomp footed, music video choreography. Also, the men did all the flashiest spinning, flipping and tumbling through the air. The women? They got the simplest, pretty bits. They were decoration not flash.

Almost forgot! The show opened with a brilliant 16 year old juggler named Ty Tojo. What a fabulous way to be living at such a young age. Envy!

Now, here’s something that impresses the fuck outta me:

Not just a traveling band of entertainers. Big Apple is a not-for-profit group. They support and lift up their community through an interesting array of programs.

Some of those programs are:

Circus After School
Circus After School offers young people a unique opportunity to develop life enhancing skills such as teamwork, trust, commitment, and responsible risk taking through a structured program of learning and performing circus arts.

Circus for All!
Circus for All! distributes free, discounted, and subsidized tickets to schools and not-for-profit organizations serving disadvantaged children, enabling them to experience the laughter, joy, and magic of the Circus under the Big Top

AND something I’d have loved

Circus of the Senses
Circus of the Senses is a unique performance that enables children and adults with vision or hearing impairments and other disabilities to experience the magic and joy of the circus.

American Sign Language interpreters are strategically positioned in spotlights to sign throughout the performances

Vaudeville Caravan
Vaudeville Caravan brings the uplifting power of the circus to delight the residents of nursing care facilities.

Clown Care
In partnership with a participating hospital's chief medical and administrative staff, members of the Clown Care team conduct 'clown rounds,' their own version of medical rounds, where the healing power of humor is always the prescription.

Just FYI, the clowns, aren’t kitted out like Bozo. They don’t sport make up, fright wigs or giant brightly striped pantaloons. Nope, no nightmare inducing, Insane Clown Posse-esque jesters these.

The Big Apple Circus, this fabola troupe opens in Queens (Cunningham Park) on Sunday May 18th and are there through Sunday, June 15th.

If you’re in the area, you should really go. Really.
When the Circus Comes—Los Lobos