In Center Ring – Episode 10: Noeli Acoba: “Circus Is My Heart”
In Center Ring presents, the delightful, Noeli Acoba. The budding circus star turned YouTube sensation. In this episode, Noeli takes…
Read more
Meet the Artist
How Prosthetics Transformed A Circus Performer’s Art
Circus performer Erin Ball thought her career was over when she lost her feet in an accident in 2014. She…
Read more
You can’t Breathe Fire in Your Apartment: Circus Artists Confront a Summer With No Circus
Crista Marie Jackson has been practicing handstands in her dad’s house in upstate New York. The 33-year-old New Yorker had…
Read more
Hideaway Podcast – Jenny Vidbel, Third Generation Animal Trainer
On this episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about the We See You WAT campaign and grapple with issues of racism…
Read more
Meet the Circus Graduate from NECCA –Marysia Kochac
It’s an uncertain time for all of us in the circus community, not the least of all the graduating students…
Read more
Hudson’s Circus – Shane Lennon Makes Traditional Circus Modern
Shane is from the Lennon Family that has owned and operated circuses in Australia and New Zealand for over 120…
Read more
Meet the Circus Graduate from Le Lido – Eyal Bor
It’s an uncertain time for all of us in the circus community, not the least of all the graduating students…
Read more
Ventriloquist Kevin Huesca Talks About ‘Extravaganza’ Experience
Ventriloquist Kevin Huesca chatted with Digital Journal about being a part of the “Extravaganza” production at the Jubilee Theater at…
Read more
Act in a Moment–Marco Motta
So much can happen in a moment, and so much can be conveyed, but with circus, the art is usually…
Read more
Against All Odds–A Circus Success Story
If you can spare me a moment of your time, I’d be honoured to share my journey with you all…
Read more
Flying High! Woman, 22, Who Started Circus School at 14 Now Makes a Living Performing Acrobatic Stunts on AIRPLANE Wings
A self-confessed ‘adrenaline junkie’ has revealed she loves ‘being in the spotlight’ after securing a career performing aerobatic movements on the wings…
Read more
Circus Aerialist Discusses the Art of Circus Performance
While circus arts are generally on the descent — the company that owns the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey…
Read more
A Candid Interview with Circus Legend Jeanette Williams
In mid-September, at the 2019 Circus Fans Association of America convention in Springfield, MA, I had the immense honor to…
Read more
Circus From Within– Marco Motta, Winner of the CircusTalk Critic’s Choice Award
When Marco Motta was a little boy growing up in Salvador, Bahia in Brazil, he lived a happy life, which…
Read more
Ask a Clown Anything–An Audience Generated Interview with Les Foutoukours
Les Foutoukours is a production company with a special mission to help the world understand clowning and physical theater. Since…
Read more
Meet the Artistic Director: Kristian Kristof Chats About Flying Circus
At the last show of Flying Circus, I met with Kristian Kristof at Capital Circus of Budapest (Fővárosi Nagycirkusz). Kristof…
Read more
Greg Kennedy–From Cirque du Soleil to Juggling Inventions in the Workshop & Beyond
As Circadium School of Contemporary Circus welcome its 3rd class of students in Philadelphia, it is a good time to…
Read more
From Plan to Premiere: Creating a Show with Cirkus Cirkör
I’m standing on the stage at Södrateatern in Stockholm, hands linked with some of my closest friends, taking our third…
Read more
Meet the All-Female Circus Troupe Flipping Gender Expectations
The circus might conjure up images of burly strong men, ringmasters in top hats and dainty acrobats in frilly outfits….
Read more
Adaptive Circus Arts at Camputee 2019 with Erin Ball
Erin Ball is a circus artist and coach based in Kingston, Ontario, the owner of Kingston Circus Arts and a…
Read more
Mongolia-Bound: A Month-Long Contortion Pilgrimage
Contortion is sprinkled through cultures the world over. Maybe mention of this performing art makes you think of the explosive…
Read more
Under the Tent with the Cuban National Circus
Journalist André Chung visited Cuba in 2017, teaching photography and photo journalism, when he bumped into a rehearsal of Circuba…
Read more
Meet the Graduate from ENC, Ron Oppenheimer
Meet ENC (École Nationale de Cirque, Montréal) graduate Ron Oppenheimer! As the youngest of four siblings growing up in California,…
Read more
Jonathan Lardillier’s Harmonic Throws– a New Juggling Notation
“In all the other languages all over the world juggling is a verb, it’s an action. In the French language…
Read more
The Reinvention of Ringling Clown Joel Jeske
“You have a sense of humor, you know what’s funny, but what’s your sense of humor?” is how Joel Jeske…
Read more
Magie Nouvelle: The New Language of Magic–A Conversation with Raphaël Navarro, Valentine Losseau and Etienne Saglio
What is magie nouvelle you ask ? Just as contemporary circus brought a new approach to the traditional circus that…
Read more
Dumbo: The Circus Angle
Circus movies have a long and interesting history: From classics such as The Greatest Show on Earth to modern day…
Read more
A Quick Talk with Nieuw Circus Founder Etha Struick
Etha Struick is a Dutch circus artist, a coach, a prize winning circus choreographer and the founder of Nieuw Circus….
Read more
Brains, Heart and Space for the Simple: a Conversation with Gravity and Other Myths
“Bigger is better” is a long time American circus tagline. It needs no interpretation. Adhering to this slogan, one would…
Read more
3 AM Theatre– The Time to Dream About (& Plan) Circus
3AM Theatre is one of the new breed of small circus companies like Cirque Us and Acrobatic Conundrum that is…
Read more
Meet a Circus Grad – Inbal Ben-Haim of CNAC
In this series called “Meet a Circus Grad” we give a voice to recently graduated or graduating circus artists, to…
Read more
Crossed Paths: Birth of a Diabolist
Nico Pires, a diabolo artist in the Cirque du Soleil show Totem, has been passionate about diabolo since he was…
Read more
Devising Circus on the Fly: Lessons from the Plaid Lads
The Plaid Lads, a duo comprised of Sam Malcolm and Tony Steinbach, are darlings of the fringe world, having performed…
Read more
AutoCannibal–Circus Gets Dark
This dark work-in-progress (AutoCannibal) by Captain Ruin (aka Mitch Jones) was what he came up with in creation mode with…
Read more
Crossed Paths: Life Stories from the Circus World and Beyond
Nico Pires, a diabolo artist in the Cirque du Soleil show Totem, has been passionate about diabolo since he was…
Read more
Chasing Smoke is Pushing the Boundaries of Circus
The Australian circus scene is getting a very deadly shake-up with the arrival of ‘Chasing Smoke’, the only all-Indigenous contemporary…
Read more
Meet a Circus Grad–Mizuki Shinagawa of ENC
In this series called “Meet a Circus Grad” we give a voice to recently graduated or graduating circus artists, to…
Read more
Juggling with Duo M&M–Act in a Moment
Circus Talk’s series “Act in a Moment” continues to explore the idea that circus artists have a lot to share…
Read more
The Flawless Irina Naumenko, The Hand Balancer
In circus, talent isn’t hoarded, but shared. Long before the advent of circus schools, which continue to grow exponentially, there…
Read more
Entering a New Realm in Circus–An Interview with Gypsy Snider
In this video, Lea Toran Jenner visits with Gypsy Snider, one of the co-founders and co-artistic directors of 7 Fingers, at…
Read more
Another Big Magical Honor for Criss Angel, Who’s Ready for the Next Chapter of His Career
Criss Angel is one of the most recognizable and awarded illusionists in the world. His Las Vegas Strip show “Criss…
Read more
‘Under the Big Top’ Part 1: Circus Heirs Adapt to Life Without Elephants
News 12’s Tara Rosenblum spent one week “Under the Big Top” with the heirs to America’s oldest circus before the…
Read more
Present: Suzi Winson
It is no coincidence that the subject of my first blog interview is the inimitable Suzi Winson. She is the…
Read more
Using Circus Humor–Act in a Moment–An Interview with Vincent Bruyninckx
Circus Talk’s series “Act in a Moment” continues to explore the idea that circus artists have a lot to share…
Read more
RoboPole–Circus of the Future
In Paris this past January, at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, a giant robot took center stage and…
Read more
Act in a Moment –Lea Prinz
Circus Talk’s series “Act in a Moment” continues and explores the idea that circus artists have a lot to share…
Read more
Meet a Circus Grad–Noora Pasanen of CNAC
We are starting a new series called “Meet a Circus Grad” to give a voice to recently graduated or graduating…
Read more
The Juggling Wizardry Of St. Jules
There’s an ease that permeates from Réjean St. Jules. A kind of seasoned effortlessness that very few achieve in their…
Read more
Embracing Technology with Lea Toran Jenner: A Circus Artist and a Youtuber
We are watching the world around us change as technology becomes more integrated into our lives. Why leave circus behind?…
Read more
Solène Albores and Rodrigo Hernández, Dúo Cardio, Perch Balancers and Hand-to-Hand Artists
Solène Albores and Rodrigo Hernández perform as Dúo Cardio. Solène comes from just outside Paris, grew up in Mexico City…
Read more
Act in a Moment – Slippery Dan
So much can happen in a moment, and so much can be conveyed, but with circus, the art is usually…
Read more
Send in the Clowns: As Times Change, ‘Clowning’ Hangs On
Christopher Hudert did not plan to be a clown. He started stage acting at age 11, performing in the 1960s…
Read more
Breaking the Boundaries of Juggling and Acrobatics – Meet the LAZUZ Company!
LAZUZ is an Israeli/ French/Swedish contemporary circus company created by Ron Beeri & Itamar Glucksmann.Through their personal approach, Itamar and…
Read more
250 Years of Circus: Why Straps Are the Most Balletic and Stripped Back of Aerial Disciplines
I do straps because it’s just me and the air up there. It’s the most stripped back of aerial disciplines….
Read more
The Secret Life of Clowns by Jeff Raz: Part Storytelling, Part Curriculum—All Heart
I don’t know if it’s ever been said that a clown is the heart of circus, but it sure rings…
Read more
The Quebec 4
As spring begins its slow, sporadic thaw, we find ourselves thinking of the crisp early autumn days when Midnight Circus…
Read more
Sylvia Zerbini Has Always Done it Her Way
For many circus performers once they reach a certain level of technical expertise and professional success, their act becomes, as…
Read more
Act in a Moment – Tristan & Eve
So much can happen in a moment, and so much can be conveyed, but with circus, the art is usually…
Read more
A Circus Talk with the Artists of the 39th Edition of Cirque de Demain
Recapping the Festival Circus Talk was behind the scenes at the 39th Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain this February…
Read more
Act in a Moment – The Silhouette
So much can happen in a moment, and so much can be conveyed, but with circus, the art is usually…
Read more
10 Incredible Irish Circus Duos
In 2018, Ireland is celebrating 250 years of Circus! While we’re all reflecting on Circus in the last centuries, we…
Read more
Secrets of a Modern Circus Family
In a time when so many people are considering downsizing, learn how one family makes their silver trailer work for…
Read more
31 Tricks for a 31 Year Old
Each year Thom Wall has celebrates his birthday by making a video featuring a new trick for each year of…
Read more
Calixte de Nigremont, Master of Ceremonies
The word ‘unique’ is misused and overused these days but it is the only fitting description for the wonderful Calixte…
Read more
Sasha Harrington and Andrew Adams, Straps Artists, Cirque de Demain
Americans Sasha Harrington and Andrew Adams have quite a story to tell. Sasha grew up in southern California, near Los…
Read more
A Madcap Journey of Clowns and Crypto-Currency–Making The Pitts Circus Movie
At first glance, Ken Fanning is perhaps an unlikely film director for a mockumentary about an Australian circus family. Busy…
Read more
When Circus Dreams Come True: The Career of Viktor Franyo
Viktor Franyo is a guy whose face you may have seen before, either behind the clever makeup of his character…
Read more
Laszlo Simet, High-Wire Walker, Wheel of Death, Motorbike on the Wire and Semaphore Artist
2018 may mark 250 years of circus but there is another significant milestone to note. Veteran multi-award-winning Hungarian high-wire artist…
Read more
Reflections on A Glass Room; An Interview with Director Benoit Landry
On a cool September evening in Montreal, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Benoit Landry (co-founder…
Read more
Behind the Scenes at Mullum Circus Festival With Ciara Thorburn
Mullum Circus Festival is an exciting 3 day event in Mullumbimby, on the east coast of Australia near the Gold…
Read more
Quick Talk with Grandma the Clown’s Alter Ego, Barry Lubin
In 2015, when Barry Lubin’s memoirs Tall Tales of a Short Clown were about to be released, I had the…
Read more
Put It In Your Back Pocket–The Rise of the Small Circus Company, A Case Study
Back Pocket is an international start-up circus company with big plans. They want to create their show and do the…
Read more
Circus Life, Between Cues: A Photo Essay of Chicago’s Midnight Circus
Midnight Circus tours every fall in public parks around Chicago. I’ve worked with the company on-and-off since I was 14…
Read more
Contemporary Juggling Star Wes Peden Tells All–A Quick Talk
My 17-year-old son had just returned home from the European Juggling Convention where he was fortunate enough to see many…
Read more
Meet Ellie Dubois — The Force Behind The Award-Winning No Show
Director and artist Ellie Dubois’s show No Show won a Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year. Circus Talk’s…
Read more
How a Budapest Circus Brings Paris Nightlife to Edinburgh
On his return to Edinburgh, Bence Vagi tells Katharine Kavanagh how seeing a variety of contemporary circus performers in the Scottish capital…
Read more
Add This to Your Circus Library–A Nofit State Circus Coffee Table Book
This project is about that book; a coffee table book full of the wonder, passion and beauty of circus, suitable…
Read more
The Australian Circus Influence via Antonella Casella of Circus Oz
Antonella Casella’s influence on Australian circus reads like a fascinating historical primer on this contemporary art form. Whatever company she…
Read more
The Three-Ringed Life: An Aerialist Reflects on Soaring with the Circus
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s Blog features a series of interviews exploring the lives of people in the circus and their experiences on…
Read more
Acrobatic Conundrum’s Terry Crane Keeps Spinning Yarns–An Interview
This past March in Chicago I sat down at a chai cafe with Acrobatic Conundrum’s artistic director and co-founder, Terry…
Read more
Big Top Life for New Circus Family
Taylor & Kelly Spring are a nouveau circus family, and just like the old circus families they are continuing the…
Read more
Underbelly Festival Exposed
What do you get when you combine the Udderbelly Festival and London Wonderground Festival? You get Underbelly Festival, a mash-up…
Read more
For Performers, the Circus Is a Way of Life
Meet two Ringling Bros. performers, Viki Zsilak (Hungary) and Stephen Craig (USA), in The Weekeder‘s article, who are looking to continue their careers, life…
Read more
‘Circus Helped Me Realise that Academic Abilities Aren’t the Be All and End All of Success’
Luke Hallgarten grew up in Golders Green and attended Hampstead Garden Suburb primary and King Alfred’s before running away to…
Read more
“Circus 1903” Uses Modern Stage Craft & Pachyderm Puppets to Recreate a Turn-of-the-century Traveling Show
30+ years ago, David Williamson almost ran away with the circus. “I was a teenager growing up in Ohio,” Williamson…
Read more
Circus Act Comes Out Spinning As Adelaide Fringe Opens
Showtime star Lisa Lottie creates an ever-changing kaleidoscope of coloured patterns in midair using special hula-hoops which contain computer-controlled LED…
Read more
The 7 Fingers’ Shana Carroll on Jumping Through Hoops & Hanging From the Rafters To Make the Tastiest Banana Bread
Better Lemons’ Gil Kaan interviews Shana Carroll about her latest creation “CUISINE & CONFESSIONS.” Montreal-based Les 7 Doigts de la…
Read more
Circus Royale Performer Talks about Life As A Clown
Francisco Reyes remembers his first circus performance at only 11 years old when he took to the solo trapeze with his…
Read more
From Battambang to Canada: Circus Performers Make It Big
With talent and determination, it was a dream come true for Dina Sok and Sopha Nem. After being discovered in…
Read more
In Love and in The Circus
He’s a magician with muscles and a tan. She’s a Latin dancer with a megawatt smile. Together Sixto and Lucia…
Read more
Looking Up with Circus Artist Vladimir Hrynchenko
Most people know Vladimir Hrynchenko as a circus artist. He was trained at Kiev Circus Academy as a hand balancer…
Read more
Meet the Death-Defying High-Fliers of Cirque du Soleil
Meet flying trapeze artist Zane Frazer and trapeze team coach, Miguel Vargas in the “La Nouba” show. Cirque du Soleil performers…
Read more
The Story of Robert Mermin, Founder of Circus Smirkus
At 19 years old, Robert Mermin ran away from home to join the circus. Armed with $50 in his pocket…
Read more
Inside Ephemeral Architectures with Gandini Juggling
Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala have been the backbone of the juggling company Gandini for 24 years. Their signature style,…
Read more
Cirque du Soleil’s ‘TORUK’ Aerialist Gabrielle Martin’s Big Dream Pays Off
Cirque du Soleil present “TORUK – The First Flight” inspired by James Cameron’s AVATAR. This live experience envisions a world…
Read more
How the Circus Saved the Life of a North St. Louis Native
Sidney ‘Iking’ Bateman is one of the many fearless performers of Circus Flora. “A backflip for me is walking,” Bateman…
Read more
NICA graduates Find a Place to Call Home in the Circus
“I’m the supreme alien overlord goddess who comes down and basically abducts the whole show.” Welcome to the world of…
Read more
Identical Acrobat Twins Make You See Double at ‘Paramour’
On Broadway these days is a pair of brothers who, quite literally, put their lives in each other’s hands every…
Read more
The Circus Is in Town
The Donnert family has left a lasting impression on horse lovers all over the world with their spectacular shows. Their…
Read more
Even Bill Irwin Says Clowns Are Scary
Bill Irwin is friendly, funny, and, at 65, surreally boyish. He’s the sort of guy you could take home to…
Read more