Founded: 1971

Present owner: The Arli Family

Present tent: 2-pool orange and yellow tent from 2024 with a diameter of 18 meter and a seating capacity of 220 people.

Summer Season : April to late August

Winterquarter: Hulgårdsvej 27, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV

Link to homepage: www.arli.dk (language: Danish)

Brief history of the show:

Søren Arli Hansen (1935-2011) was a skilled house painter who got tired of painting. Together with his wife Lotte, née August (a half-sister to award winning Danish movie director Bille August) he created a comical juggling act called Lott and Arli. Furthermore Soeren performed as whiteface clown and Lotte did thought reading using the artist name Madame Zarina. With acts like those Søren and Lotte toured with circuses among those the Danish circuses Moreno and Arena.

As many artists Soeren and Lotte Arli had a dream about establishing their own circus. In 1971 their dream came through when they opened Circus Arli in a tiny 1-pool big top they had made themselves. The staff consisted of Soeren, Lotte and their son Martin (born 1960).

The first two seasons was spent in Jutland Mini Zoo in Haustrup. Since 1973 Circus has toured Zealand.

Several of the acts are performed by members of the Arli family: Martin and his wife Bettina (born 1962) and their son Alexander (born 1987). In addition, there are some foreign artists of excellent standard. For the first several years, the music was on tape, helped by the drummer music director Anton. From 1995 to 2000, the performance was accompanied by a 2-piece orchestra (drums and keyboard). In 2001, they switched back to pre-recorded music. 

The performance is very friendly to small children. The children are not least happy about the clown act. The number originally had Soeren Arli as the white-faced clown and Martin as his partner in baggy-pants with exaggerated make up and clothing. From 2001 Martin took over the act assisted by his son Alexander. In the later years Alexander has been the show's leading clown with different partners under the name Alejandro & co, assisted by either Martin or Bettina, who also is the shows ringmistress.

Cirkus Arli 1985