Last night, my husband and I attended Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth. We have been been attending the circus for several years now, and both agree this seasons performances were far beyond anything we had ever encountered before. Though the story line was not as good as last years "Zing, Zang, Zoom," the "Funundrum" kept us smiling the entire show.
Even before the show started, I enjoyed watching the pre-show festivities from my seat. Last year, my husband and I did go down on the "stage" for the all-access events, but I much preferred observing them from a distance this year. I saw one of the "Trinidad Stiltwalkers" dancing with a baby, and almost had a heart-attack! The clowns also kept the laughs coming with their hilarious broom and garbage can routine. As much as I think it's cool an elephant can "paint" I have seen it every year, so was not that impressed with this aspect of the pre-show. Overall, the host of All Access Pre-show, Andre McClain, did an excellent job of keeping the audience involved, and the fun flowing before the curtains even opened.
When the show did begin, and the circus train carried the Ringmaster into the center of the arena, I was captivated. The opening parade was amazing to witness. The unique use of Segways, made for a unforgettable opening act. The costumes, with their thousands of sequins, were so exquisite I could have spent hours examining the details.
The first performers after the opening act involved two giant steel rings, with three rings hanging from each. Three girls dangled from each of the steel supports on their own rings, dancing in the sky. In the middle, a single male and female performer hung suspended by a single string. In a synchronized fashion, they whirled, twirled, and spun to the music. Though beautiful and enjoyable, this portion of the show was not unique, and honestly quite forgettable in comparison with what was still to come.
The Asadulin Troupe from Russia was much more enjoyable, in my opinion. Using bending balance beams, they performed aerial gymnastics that included stacking beams up to three people high! It was amazing to see their control and strength. Along with the muscle man, Meetal, I believe this performance was not appreciated by the audience as much as it should have been.
The contortionist and strength performers were next. I was absolutely stunned by the strength of the husband and wife team "Duo Fusion." The reversal of normal roles was probably the most surprising feature of the entire event for me. My husband's favorite performers were the trio of gymnasts called "Balancing Body Benders. All three of them squeezed into a tiny box, and performed mind-blowing moves once out. Finally, the Bionic Brothers were good, but I honestly had my eyes dancing between the other two performances during this set too much to offer any honest critique on their performance.
I lost track of the order of performances following the above trio, so will use the program to comment on the remaining spectacles. The tight rope family, known as the "Sky High Ice Gliders" did some outstanding tricks I never imagined possible. So as not to ruin the surprise, I will only say these 5 tight rope walkers were the best I have ever seen live. The ball of steel was also pretty good this year. Seven bikes fit into the tiny ball, and drove in fast circles and loops. The performers, known as the "Torres Family," from Peru, include a single female daredevil, which I think is super cool.
I know little girls love the miniature ponies. I did as a child. But as an adult, the horse and llama portion of the show was pretty boring. The horses didn't want to listen, but the elephant carrying the dog around on the little crate was cute. The tigers were another story altogether. I love the big cats portion of the circus, and this year was no disappointment. We were so close I could actually see how the trainer, Daniel Raffo, uses meat on the end of his stick to reward the tiger's after they perform a trick.
The trapeze artists were good, but not great. I found myself clapping for "Trupe Fantasy's" pirate act much more. Some of the vaulting moves the female performed were incredible. And the strength of the men was beyond compare. Along with the final performers, the "Barnum Bouncers," the final two acts of the show were exciting, but not too climactic. Of course, in Barnum and Bailey fashion, the grand parade at the end included dancing, confetti, and a stroll across the stadium by all of the evenings performers.
It is so hard to pick a favorite part when everything was so spectacular. Looking at the program, I can't find a single act I didn't enjoy. In addition, my favorite clown, Yvinson "Bibi" Acero, performed unexpectedly (they usually don't appear two years in a row). Seeing baby elephant "Barrack" was also a real treat. I didn't enjoy the music as much this year, but the choreography was exceptional. I especially liked the Egyptian-based routine. I can't wait to see what surprises next year's show will have in store!
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