Older circus news from 2024

27 September 2024

Halloween and circus. The American phenomenon Halloween has overtaken Mardi Gras as the year's costume and monster party. Most of the country's amusement parks are open during the school children’s autumn holidays in week 42 with Halloween as the theme.

In 2022 and 2023, Circus Arena tried their luck by presenting a Halloween circus in Copenhagen. The attendance figures were disappointing, and especially in 2023, the performance had little to do with the circus other than the fact that it took place in a circus tent. Many spectators were disappointed when they left the tent. This year there will be no Halloween circus in Copenhagen.

But Halloween is celebrated in the theme park Circusland in Circus Arena’s winter quarter in Aarslev by Slagelse. They write (my translation):

Experience the craziest and scariest Halloween show of the year: Count Spiegelberg's Monster Ball in Circusland for young and old. Every day from 12 to 20 October from 10 to 16.

Together with Count Spiegelberg, we will be un-spooky with fun competitions, children's songs, zombie dancing and morning monster gymnastics. We are going on an exciting treasure hunt, have fun with pumpkin carving, a slime workshop and lots of silliness.

And of cause there are a genuine circus performance: Every day during the autumn holidays you can experience Circus Landino's performance with truly impressive circus performers. Circus Landino begins at 15.15. You will meet clowns, cute dogs, impressive aerial tricks, incredible balance and much more.

Circusland closes at 16. But there are also activities in the evening, where, as mentioned on this page 5th September, they offer HORROR DRIVE THRU, where you drive through a 1.2-kilometre-long decorated track in your own car and with an intensive soundtrack on the car radio. At the track you will be presented with one horror scenario after another. There are 25 actors disguised as monsters and other disgusting creatures.

Until 2022, Circus Arena produced every year an autumn performance for Kolding Shopping Mall. In 2023, it was changed to a special Halloween show. They repeat that this year. Kolding Shopping Mall writes (my translation):

Throughout week 42 of the autumn holidays, something very special is happening around the enchanted labyrinth on the large square. Skilled performers enter the stage and deliver terrifyingly funny shows every day at 11, 13 and 15. These performances are a true feast for the senses, where the audience is amazed by the artist's most impressive tricks. With both humour and a touch of creepiness, the artists manage to create a magical atmosphere. The scary fun elements ensure a lot of smiles, and the mystery fits perfectly with the dark and cool atmosphere of autumn.

27 September 2024

Baldoni's Christmas Circus.

Circus Baldoni writes (my translation):

Our ringmaster from our tent circus in the summer, Mickey has the task as the prankster Nis, and Nisseline is the sweet and naughty Matilde. They will create excitement and laughter for both young and old. Santa Claus and the talking pig Anton Antonius (a ventriloquist’s doll) are of course also part of the performance.

In addition, we have artists with us who have never been in Denmark before. The bouncing and hat juggler Alfio Macaggi, the hula-hoop princess Marina Durand, bicycle artists and funnyman Steven Carolli, the graceful Emi Velkova with her ring act and much more in Denmark's only real Christmas circus, which visits 25 cities from 16 November until 15 December.

The performances take place indoors in sport centres etc. Even if it doesn't take place in the tent, we do everything to create the right atmosphere. In places where there is room for it we bring a real circus grandstand so that the audience gets the best possible experience and view.

Tour list in What’s on.

Alfio Macaggi and Marine Durand have both spent the 2024 summer season with the Norwegian Circus Arnardo.

Alfio Macaggi. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

26 September 2024

It all happens at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre. Copenhagen

Show with Peter Nørgaard

Monday to Friday in week 42, the museum present at 11 a show with the ventriloquist Peter Nørgaard. It is important to have the laughter muscles well lubricated when Peter Nørgaard present us for his various ventriloquist dolls, from Dennis the Dragon to Charlie the dog. Peter Nørgaard, who has appeared in several TV programs, is one of Denmark's very best ventriloquists. In the show, he supplements his fantastic ventriloquist skills with an extraordinary singing talent and a good deal of magical abilities.

Peter Nørgaard was trained as an electrician, but quickly changed career and has worked with magic, ventriloquism, balloons, Christmas shows, magic shops and musicals for many years. For two seasons he was ringmaster in Circus Baldoni and he has staged the Baldoni performances for the last couple of years.

One Night in Las Vegas with Guest Star Benny

Friday 18 October at 20.00 you can see Peter Nørgaard's show One Night in Las Vegas

with Guest Star Benny in the museums Fencing Hall. Experience singing and ventriloquism at top level when Peter Nørgaard in the company of, among others, Elvis, Tom Jones and Charlie the dog will provide outstanding entertainment for adults. Peer Nørgaard has taken Benny from the Olsen gang with him, who wants to start the show. Circus connoisseurs will recognize Benny as Circus Baldoni's former clown Daniel "Danilo" Dimitrijevic. Daniel is known as Denmark's best Benny impersonator.

(The Olsen Gang is a Danish comedy film series about a eponymous fictional criminal gang. The gang's leader is the criminal genius and habitual offender Egon Olsen and his accomplices are Benny and Kjeld. The gang members are harmless, extremely rarely target ordinary citizens, and never deliberately use violence).

As something new, at the museum you can get close to the mouth bite used by Leonardo "Jaws" Costache in the act in Circus Arena’s 2023 performance, where he lifted his wife Vita "Iron Lady" with his teeth while she was sitting on a motorcycle. It is to John Lington's credit that the mouthpiece has ended up at the Circus Museum.

The museum's small exhibition about the Dubsky circus family has been taken down to make room for the museum's next special exhibition, which deals with the small Jutland Circus Krone. The exhibition opens for the autumn holidays in the room formerly known as Barly's room.

20 September 2024

Wallman's Jubilee – a world-class show

★★★★★★

There are plenty of discos and other places where the very young can have a festive night. But not so much for those who are 30+. And not at all for those who have turned 40!

It is therefore great that, with Wallman's dinner shows in Copenhagen's old circus building, we have a place where other than the very young can have a festive evening. First with a terrific dinner show with singers, dancers and artists, where a delicious 4-course menu is served in the breaks between the performances. And after the show, a nightclub where you can dance.

Apart from the corona years 2020 and 2021, Wallmans has offered a new show every year since 2004. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary, they have called this year's show Jubilee.

All shows have been great and spectacular and played from the end of August to the middle of June. Every time they premiere a new show, you ask yourself: "Can they do it again? "

The answer is once again yes.

This year's show is based on the same concept as the last several shows: There are six big medleys, three artist acts and a Celebration number.

The guests are welcomed by three singers who, using the canopy over the entrance as a stage, give a few numbers.

The well-playing live band with keyboard, drums, bass and guitar. Smartphone photo taken during the gala premiere on 17 September

One can always discuss the choice of the singers the medleys is based on. This year, Taylor Swift and Coldplay have been chosen, among others. Their songs are known by the young, but not by many of a more mature age. At the table I was sitting at and the table next to it, no one knew Taylor and Coldplay by anything but name. It was only at the end of the evening's fourth medley with the Prince song Purple Rain that we recognized a piece of melody.

Is there perhaps a little too much for the very young, who probably do not belong to Wallman's core audience?

Smartphone photo taken during the gala premiere on 17 September

The medley that caused the greatest excitement - not just at our table, but in the entire hall - was a Danish medley of songs such as ”Giv mig Danmark tilbage” by Natasja, “Natteravn” and “Lidt i Syv” by Rasmus Seebach, “Kun for mig” by Medina and “Lækker”, “Boing” og “Hot” by Nik & Jay.

As in recent seasons, the evening's hostess was the fast-talking Danish drag quinn Megan Moore, who solves the task very good. She was also responsible for the evening's Celebration feature, where 3 birthday people from the audience were honored and allowed to play wheel of fortune with cava or champagne as a prize.

As always with Wallman, the language is English, except for the above-mentioned medley.

As in previous years, the show featured 3 skilled circus performers. But it is difficult to understand why this year they have chosen 3 artists with aerial acts. It would have given a bit of variety if one of the artists had been a juggler, for example. Preferably one with a bit of humor. Like, for example, Swedish Johan Wellton, who has just had great success at the night cabaret in Aarhus. Or Strahlemann & Söhne, who for their performance in Zirkus Nemo received the award for the best act of the year for their entrée, where they juggled with clubs while removing their suits, ties, shirts and trousers - to finish the number as impeccably dressed as when they started it. Such act would have given the performance an extra twist.

But even if it was perhaps a bit monotonous with 3 aerial numbers, the artists were good.

Martyna Majak from Poland performed with a prop I don't recall seeing before. An Aerial Spiral, which offers slightly more options than the well-known Aerial Hoop. See photo.

Martyna Majak in her Aerial Spiral. Press photo from Wallmans. Photographer John Resborn

Dmitriy Karpenko from Ukraine performed just like last year in aerial straps. A great entrée. Even better than the one I remember from last year.

Dmitriy in aerial straps. Press photo from Wallmans. Photographer John Resborn.

The third artist Kamila Ganclarska comes from Poland. She combines the hair hanging with Aerial Hoop. Beautiful and inventive.

Kamila can both hang by her hair and work in the Aerial Hoop. Smartphone photo taken during the gala premiere on 17 September

The remarks above about music selection and artist selection are not meant as criticism, but as suggestions for how a good show can perhaps be made even better in the future.

In Danish schools, you get 12 for an excellent performance with no or few minor defects. According to that scale, Jubilee must get a 12. It must be exchanged for reviewer stars to become 6 stars. 5 for the show and the last one because there is live music and not just pre-recorded music as in Wallman's first seasons.

The season at Wallmans usually ends in mid-June. But Jubilee already ends in March, after which the 5-month renovation of the Circus Building begins

From the final. Smartphone photo taken during the gala premiere on 17 September

17 September 2024

New circus variety show in the Circus Museum's Fencing Hall.

★★★★★☆

As part of this year's Ta' daa Artist Festival, there was Friday 13 September at 20 a contemporary circus variety shows in the Circus Museum's Fencing Hall with 6 young Danish artists.

It was a good evening. But it was not easy to understand why the performance was presented as contemporary circus. All the acts could be shown in a classic circus without significant changes.

In the old days, there were variety shows both in Copenhagen and in a number of provincial towns.

Today, the closest we in Denmark get to variety shows is Wallman's Dinner Show in the Circus Building in Copenhagen and the annual night cabaret in connection with Aarhus Festival. But the team behind the variety show in the museum's Fencing Hall hopes that the performance can also be shown elsewhere in Denmark.

The main characters in Friday's performance were the “talking waterfalls” Peter Frimand and Andreas Brunsborg. The latter is chairman of Magic Circle Denmark. The two magicians have been performing pairs for many years. They mix magic and mind reading with artistry, including riding on a unicycle and juggling. Among other things, a feature where the juggler balls mimed famous people!

All their entrées were elegant and highly entertaining. It was also Peter and Andreas who introduced the other performers. And ended the show with a fountain of cards blown out of Andreas' mouth.

The evening's hosts: Peter Frimand and Andreas Brunsborg

Andreas blows cards out of his mouth with the help of a kind of amputated leaf blower which Peter is holding. However, Andreas keeps one of the cards marked by a spectator, which has been inserted between the cards - he is not a magician for nothing!

The performance also featured the young Danish juggler Jonathan Zeuthen, who both had the technical skills in order and understood how to “sell” his acts. An entrée where he juggled four luminous cones that could change both colour and pattern was particularly spectacular. In addition to juggling, he also had a short entrance with diabolos.

Jonathan Zeuthen

The luminous clubs

From North Jutland, we were visited by the only 14-year-old Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov. She presented the excellent act in the aerial ring, which earned her a nomination for the year's talent prize from the Danish Circus Award. This year she didn't get the prize. But she is a clear talent. If she persists, she may be able to join the ranks of world-class Danish aerial artists alongside names such as La Norma, Greta Frisk and Hanne Weaver. All with a great career at Ringling in USA.

Frida – a rising star?

We experienced Mads Panik and Jonathan Bendtsen partly as soloists and partly as

members of the troupe Volantes. Usually, Jonathan's brother Daniel is also part of the troupe.

Together, Mads and Jonathan did acrobatics and juggling. As a soloist, Mads, who has his roots in the tine Danish Circus Panik, performed an entertaining act on a tall unicycle, where he was helped by three members of the audience. Jonathan performed as a soloist in cyr wheel.

Mads Panik and Jonathan Bendtsen

Finally, they performed together with high jumps on the springboard. Usually, springboard is a discipline for a large troupe. However, you sometimes see a springboard troupe with just 3 members. There are few restrictions when there are only two members. But Mads and Jonathan showed that, despite this, they could put on a show worth watching. However, I would have liked to have the third person in the act.

The performance lasted two hours.

From the final. Photo: Circus Museum. Other photos: Ole Simonsen

Ticket sales for the performance had not been quite as good as the Circus Museum had hoped for. A Friday evening at 20 is perhaps not the very best time to show such a performance, even if it was aimed at an adult audience and it was possible to buy drinks in the bar both before the performance and during the break.

Five well-deserved stars for the Ta' daa variety show. The four are for the performance

itself, the fifth for the initiative. Let's hope it won't be the last time we can see a variety show in the Fencing Hall.

By the way, the Ta' daa variety show will not be the only Friday performance this year in the Fencing Hall. Friday 18 October at 20.00 you can see the ventriloquist Peter Nørgaard's show One Night in Las Vegas with guest star Benny from the Danish Olsen gang-movies.

13 September 2024

Katja Schumann turns 75. Katja Schumann turns 75 on Monday 16 September. She lives in Løkken, where she runs the Circus Farm together with Luffe Bøgh.

Katja is daughter of Max and Vivi Schumann. At the age of 10, she made her debut in Cirkus Schumann in the Copenhagen Circus Building, where she performed as a ballerina on horseback. In the following years, she was seen together with other members of the Schumann family with high school riding and liberty horses. When Cirkus Schumann stopped in the Circus Building after the 1969 season, Katja Schumann performed in a number of other circuses all over the world. At the very first Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 1974, she was awarded the La Dame du Cirque award. In 1976 she won gold at the first Circus World Championship in London.

When her father Max Schumann started a tent circus in Denmark in 1977, Katja was one of the driving forces, both artistically and in other areas. When Cirkus M. Schumann stopped after the 1982 season, she moved to the USA, where for many years she was responsible for the horse acts in the Big Apple Circus and was married to the director Paul Binder. The marriage was dissolved in 2004. Katja then joined the American Circus Flora until she returned to Denmark in 2008, where she performed in Circus Dannebrog. After that, for a few years she was involved in Luffe Bøgh's No Name Circus project in Solbjerg, north of Hadsund. In 2012 and 2013, Katja toured in the summer season with Circus Mascot.

In 2015, Katja Schumann bought a disused agricultural property outside the Danish seaside resort Løkken, where she and Luffe Bøgh have created an impressive circus farm with a focus on animals. There is also an arena with a ring for performances, a museum and an environment that attracts many visitors every summer and where performances are held during the summer months. Both with animals and with young talented artists who are trainees with Katja. In 2022, Katja Schumann was the first woman ever to receive the honorary award The Danish Circus Award, which is the most prestigious award in the Danish circus and artist world. The award was presented by the then Minister of Culture Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen.

12 September 2024

The small Jutland Circus Trapez periodically has several units, and the performing artists can change during the season.

At September's shopkeeper’s fair at Bellahoj in Copenhagen, you have for many years experienced Karsten Mathiasen and his small Circus Bella Donna. But Karsten had a job on September 7 with his circus for the 25th anniversary of a disabled housing facility in Taastrup. Thus, this year he had to say no to Bellahoj, where the fair was held on the days 6 to 8 September.

Instead, Michael Deutsch, who is responsible for the fair, booked Isabella Enoch Sosman's Circus Trapez, which presented approx. 40-minute-long performances with free admission for guests at the fair.

Jörgen Börsch saw the performance and writes (my translation)

With the family "trademark": the wide Enoch smile, Isabella Enoch Sosman welcomed the audience to Trapez's "2nd unit's" (!) 40+ minute free performances, two performances each day.

Tent between stalls. All photos smartphone photos taken by Jörgen Börsch

The clown Mr. Zap (from Holbaek) walked around in the tent among the audience and calmly and kindly ensured a pleasant atmosphere, so that children and adults sat comfortably on carefully wiped chairs. . .

And then a fast-paced opening: Duo Fantasia from Ethiopia on roller skates. Well-known tricks - 2 times round each.

Mr. Zap had a great deal of trouble unfolding his music stand, and the children in the audience eagerly and laughingly corrected him. Good eye contact created good interaction.

Katja Enoch stood next to the Calculating Pony, which apparently had the same problems with + and ÷ as the elementary school students.

With skill and many intricate variations, Mr. Fantasia (Asmare Dress) let the diabolos twirl - and was surprisingly complemented by Joseph (Katja's 11-year-old son) in an equal partnership that really thrilled both children and adults.

Again, with a good report from the children, Mr. Zap got his dress coat on correctly after trying countless wrong ways.

Miss Fantasia (Yetinayet Melese) impressed with her Hula-Hoops in several new (?), difficult variations.

"Rock-classic-modern" music was the theme where Mr. Zap played the drums..., no ! piano ..., no! violon..., no! saxophone! cheered the child spectators. And then he divided the audience into 3 groups, each clapping to its own beat - and the clapping concert clapped nicely!

4 black ponies in the ring volted and pirouetted with Katja as the quiet centre and emphasized that Trapez is not just an artist performance, but a circus!

Then time had come for the finale, where all five artists individually received the audience's applause, and director Isabella thanked and offered the audience "welcome back next year" and "keep having fun at the fair"!

- The rectangular tent, with the audience to the left and to the right of the ring, made it difficult to create the right atmosphere. The direction of the performance was a little "loose", which was negated by the relaxed, family atmosphere, the tenacity and charm of the three artists and not least the Enoch family.

10 September 2024

Circus Arnardo and Circus Agora. On 7 August I wrote that the two Norwegian circuses probably ended the season on 1 and 5 September respectively. It has turned out not to be true: Circus Arnardo's tour schedule shows that the season is not over yet, and that they are, for example, visiting the Norwegian capital Oslo from 2 to 13 October. And Circus Agora has published a tour schedule with performances until 5 October

5 September 2024

HORROR DRIVE THRU IN CIRCUSLAND DURING THE AUTUMN HOLIDAYS

In 2022 and 2023, Circus Arena presented Halloween Circus in a tent at Bellahoj in Copenhagen. It was themed performances, produced in cooperation between Jackie Berdino/Circus Arena and the rapper Clemens (Clemens Telling). The latter was responsible for both the script and putting on stage. Both years the attendance figures for the Halloween performances were disappointing. Thus, this year there will be no Halloween circus at Bellahoj.

Instead, from 12 to 20 October you can experience HORROR DRIVE THRU in Circusland in Slagelse. Circusland is a theme park at Circus Arena’s winter quarter in Aarlev by Slagelse.

Cirkus Arena writes (my translation):

We are the new location for the Halloween success HORROR DRIVE THRU - the wildest Halloween experience of the year - which in recent years has been presented with sold out in Copenhagen.

THE WORLD'S LONGEST GHOST TRAIN

When darkness falls, Cirkusland opens the gate to Horror Drive Thrue, where in your own car and with our intensifying soundtrack on the car radio, you roll through a fully decorated track, where you are presented with one horror scenario after another.

Along the 1.2 kilometres track you will meet our 25 live actors disguised as monsters and other disgusting creatures. They take rolled-down windows and unlocked doors as an invitation.

A unique mix of joy and fear packed into 25 minutes of thrilling adrenaline rush.

Order your ticket today at www.horrordrivethru.dk

1 ticket gives access for 1 passenger car with up to 5 passengers. Prices from DKK 489 excluding booking fee.

In previous years, Horror Drive Thru has had Reffen in Copenhagen as its location.

Photos from Horror Drive Thru's gallery

1 September 2024

Aarhus Festival’s International Night Cabaret - an evening at the highest level. Jørgen Lorenzen was at the premiere of the performance Mind the Magnificent on 31 August in Hermans, Tivoli Friheden in Aarhus and writes (my translation):

In the old days, before there was anything called disco, most towns had a variety show or a cabaret. The two concepts overlap, but they have in common that they offer live music, good food, good service, atmosphere, aesthetics, and often dancing. And always entertainment by artists.

Aarhus has had entertainment temples throughout the years where there were variety shows, revues and cabaret. Names such as Vennelyst, Kasino and Varna come to mind when you delve into the city's entertainment history. That's where it happened.

Now the old days are gone. But there is still variety shows. The only permanent one in Denmark is Wallmans Dinner show in the Circus Building in Copenhagen. And then there is the annual Night Cabaret in Aarhus - during the festival week. No Aarhus festival week without the night cabaret!

This year, too, it was a wonderful experience for the good-humoured premiere audience. Many had dressed up, the atmosphere was tense, and when the good dinner was over, the show began. A string of top acts, framed in an aesthetic framework, where light and sound largely supported and complemented the individual acts. And then there was a live band with Jesper Gruschy with inciting, grinding saxophone playing, while Marc Thierry laid the foundation with pulsating drumming.

The headlining act was the magician Winston Fuenmayor from Venezuela. Playing cards flew around in the air around him. He performed bare-armed, so it was impossible for him to have anything hidden up his sleeve. The air was thick with cascades of cards which - apparently - lived a life of their own, disappearing and reappearing as they pleased - without the spectator understanding anything. Which was also the point! Other magicians have presented a deck of playing cards suddenly falling out of their mouths. Here it was the opposite: the playing cards flew into his mouth. It was so intense and incomprehensible that the spectator thought: I have to see this again!

Winston Fuenmayor from Venezuela has wowed the 'America's Got Talent' audience with his superior and highly dramatic card tricks. Now it's time for Aarhus and the International Night Cabaret. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

And there were two aerial acts. Duo Sweet Darkness. Two beautiful bodies, because in these times you dare not use the word female bodies. But beautiful! The one act in hanging, red fabric strips (aerial silks), so delicious, aesthetic and beautiful. And the main act, where they both swung in the aerial hoop. Like a whirlwind, they rotated around the hoop, only to stop in acrobatic positions the next moment. The costumes, the music, the sound – it was so coordinated, harmonious and beautiful. And furiously difficult. But it is the artist's gift of grace to make the difficult and incredible look as if it is effortless and quite easy.

SWEET DARKNESS aka Anne-Charlotte Joguet and Héléne Kolessnikow perform high up under the roof in Hermans. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

Tyrone Laner and Margo Tsavaro threw knives and shot with crossbow. Knife-throwing acts are occasionally seen in the circus, but here it was dramatized with a staging in black colours and with leather and patent leather. And with dance, which gave the number a lightness. A dramatic act, because it is always exciting when knives are thrown at – or of course: next to – a living target. And when shooting with a crossbow at balloons – 4 at a time, while the female artist stands directly in front of the target.

Tyrone Laner and Margo Tavara. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

The Swedish master juggler Johan Wellton juggled balls which was thrown towards the floor against inclined surfaces - and which therefore return at all possible angles, surprising the spectator. But the juggler knows their path and knows where the balls will come. This evening his own props had not arrived so he had to borrow others. With the result that there were many ball losses (in a word from another sport!). But he managed that with cheerful comments and the great routine that characterizes the talented artist. The main trick came when he juggled with tape over his eyes – 3 pieces of black tape so no one could believe he was cheating. And then he could talk on the handheld phone with his mother while juggling 4 balls!

The Swedish juggler Johan Wellton has stepped in at short notice, when another of the booked acts fell due. Apart from a performance at a festival in Elsinore in 2013, this is probably the first time we see him in Denmark. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

Jan van Dyke is a skilled comedian and entertainer who, with his professionalism, created bursts of laughter. He got into fights with a microphone and a microphone stand and with gags and jokes he had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Jan van Dyke in battle with microphone and microphone stand. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

Philip Huber was the puppeteer. Puppets danced and performed, both artists, samurai and apparently even a Buddha. It is a bit difficult to see from the seats when the dolls are no more than half a meter high, but they were projected onto large screens in the hall so that everyone could follow along. His final trick came when a figure who appeared to be a Chinese soldier from the past in a split second transformed into a monster.

Philip Huber and one of his many dolls. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

The props were small and simple – with one exception. A large swimming pool filled most of the stage, and Max Weldy came in shakily as a drunkard, but quickly showed his skills as an artist who can fall and tumble around without hitting himself. And eventually he ended up as a trampoline jumper. All the time with good audience contacts, visually and verbally.

Max Weldy has just turned 60 and is one of the veterans of comic trampoline. The Danes saw him for the first time in Circus Benneweis in 1991. In 2003 he was with Charley Kaye at the Red Inn Theater in Copenhagen and the following year at Open Air Stage in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. In 2010 he toured with Circus Arena. This year you can experience him in the Night Cabaret during the festival week. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

It was an evening at the highest level. Reviewer stars must be awarded. How many? 4, 5 or 6? It must turn out to be many, and the best thing you can do is to show up yourself and see for yourself and see and experience all the glories. Because it was magnificent. Mind the Magnificent!

29 August 2024

Ta’ daa Artist Festival. The Circus Museum at Hvidovre, Copenhagen, writes (my translation):

From 13 to 15 September you can see some of Denmark's best artists and clowns doing precarious acts and comedy. The festival, which takes place around Hvidovre (a Copenhagen suburb), offers entertainment ranging from street perfromers to contemporary circuses for everyone, regardless of age.

Friday 13 September at 20 you can see a contemporary circus variety in the Circus Museum's Fencing Hall where some of Denmark's most talented artists perform. Here you will meet contemporary circus troupe Volantes in crazy jumps on a teeterboard, which is a type of seesaw that can "shoot" the artist many meters into the air. The variety show also features Jonathan Zeuthen, who is one of Denmark's absolute best jugglers, who can juggle up to 7 balls, the talented aerial acrobat Andrea Ormaza, as well as Peter Frimand and Andreas Brunsborg, who throw themselves into magic and much more with great comedy. The variety show has been created especially for the festival and is a unique opportunity to have a fun and different experience on a Friday night, where there will also be the opportunity to buy drinks. The performance is aimed at the adult audience, and you can buy your ticket here.

On Saturday 14/9, the festival moves out into the city, where you can see some of Denmark's best and funniest street performers David Skunk and Jon G. Lør at Frihedens Shopping Mall and at the Giants Marked at Hvidovre Town Hall. Later in the afternoon, the two clowns move on and perform at a nursing homes in Hvidovre.

On Sunday 15/9, the festival is back at the Circus Museum, where puppeteer Alex Mihajlovski at 12 performs with his quirky partner Mr. Barti in the Fencing Hall. With the help of 40 strings, Alex manages to make Mr. Barti starring in the comedy show where Mr. Barti will charm audiences of all ages. Alex Mihajlovski has performed over most of Europe and i.e. participated in the German version of the TV program Got Talent. You can buy tickets here, which also give access to the Circus Museum on the same day.

Alex and Mr. Barty. Press photo from the Circus Museum

On 13/9, the kindergartens and the youngest classes at Hvidovre's schools will have the opportunity to see the legendary artist Benny Schumann in a show with balancing act, juggling, ventriloquism and much more at the Circus Museum. The performance is completely sold out.

The Ta' daa festival is supported by the Danish Artist Association, Frihedens Shopping Mall, Hvidovre Municipality and Hyundai-Hvidovre.

29 August 2024

Southern Sweden Circus Festival is Sweden's new international circus festival. It takes place from 6 to 15 September in Lund, Malmö and other places in Scania. The program is now published at https://www.circussyd.com/ The festival offers many events. Including both classic circus performances, contemporary circus, circus parade and cabaret.

28 August 2024

Winter circus in December in Malmö, Sweden. In 2013, the young Albin Ganovic took the initiative to present a Christmas circus on the harbour square in central Helsingborg. It was a success. The same was not the case in 2014, when the circus was relegated to a dull location a few kilometres south of the city centre, to which not many visitors found their way. In January 2019, Albin Ganovic presented winter circus, first in Malmö and then in Helsingborg. He repeated this in 2022: first in Malmö during the days 25 November to 3 December and then in Helsingborg from 9 to 18 December. Despite the time of year, it was presented as a winter circus and not as a Christmas circus.

This year, Albin is again producing a winter circus on the days 6 to 8 December. This time only in Malmö and indoors: on the Children's stage in Malmø's people’s park. There are 5 performances, plus two school performances.

Albin writes (my translation): Winter Circus is back with a brand new and dreamlike performance, in the middle of Peoples Park in Malmö. Winter circus celebrates its 10th anniversary with a dreamlike circus performance filled with astonishing circus arts, swinging music from our orchestra, juggling and flying artists. Everything is led by our hearty clown Cito! (Cito is Albin's stage name).

The smell of popcorn and cotton candy, flashing lights, laughter and applause - nothing beats the ability of the circus to bring people together. Come and enjoy a couple of hours of entertainment around the circus ring with our fantastic performers.

This year's show is presented at the historic Children’s Scene in the middle of Peoples Park in Malmö. children’s Scene, built over 140 years ago, has over the years entertained thousands of people with circus, theater and dance. The circular architecture makes children’s Scene perfect for the circus!

Among the performers are, in addition to the clown Cito, the young Danish juggler Jonathan Zeuten and the "Lord of the Rings" Anton Monastyrsky, who was also part of Albin's Christmas circus in 2014, and who the Danes experienced at Circus Benneweis in 2005.

Many circus friends will appreciate that there is a large live circus band and not just pre-recorded music.

Malmö is the third-largest city in Sweden, as well as the fifth-largest in Scandinavia. Since 2000, a road and railway bridge, the Öresund Bridge, bridges the Sound and connects Malmö with Copenhagen.

21 August 2024

The Danish Circus Award 2024. As mentioned on this website 16 August, the Danish Circus Award this year was given to Freddi Steckel, who has spent his entire life in the circus world. The talent prize went to the Garcia Brothers from Circus Arena. The prize for best act in 2024 went to the jugglers Strahlemann & Söhne from Zirkus Nemo and the effort prize to the Circus Museum in Rold.

As it has been the case since 2016, the award ceremony took place in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen. And as in previous years, it was a festive event attended by more than 100 people. Including several members of the Danish parliament.

Museum curator Mikkel Knudsen welcomed and then gave the mike to the well-prepared compere, the actor and stage director Jan Hertz.

It is a tradition that before the award ceremony you can see one of the season's artist acts. Thus, Jan welcomed Connor and Antonio Garcia, being 17 and 21 years old. They come from well-known artist families. On their father's side the Irish Garcia family and on their mother's side the English Fossett family. They have chosen to follow the family tradition and become artists.

From the Garcia brothers' performance. Photos: Bent Hjarbo and Ole Simonsen

The two brothers then presented the act which day after day has excited the audience in Circus Arena. Everyone understood why it was them who got this year's talent prize, even though the other two nominees, 21-year-old Jennifer Saabel and 14-year-old Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov, also has shown excellent acts during the season.

The talent prize was presented by Hvidovre Municipality’s culture committee chairman Kenneth Bak.

The Garcia brothers with their diploma. In addition to the diploma, the prize consisted of DKK 10,000, sponsored by the Simon Spies Foundation. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

The prize for the best act of the year went to the jugglers Strahlemann & Söhne from Zirkus Nemo. Here too in tough competition with the other two nominees: Duo Garcia and Duo Vilja. The prize was presented by Inge-Mette Gudum from Cirkushuset museum association in Rold and the Danish Circus Friends’ president Lotte Ramsing.

Strahlemann & Söhne, whose civil names are Leif Gordon and Thomas Zeh, together with Inge-Mette Gudum and Lotte Ramsing. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

This year's effort prize went to the Circus Museum in Rold. It was Martin Arli, chairman of the Danish Circus Directors Association, who handed it over to museum curator Lykke Olsen and Inge-Mette Gudum from Cirkushuset museum association.

Martin Arli, Lykke Olsen and Inge-Mette Gudum. Photo: Ole Simonsen

As mentioned, this year's honorary award went to Freddi Steckel. It was presented to Freddi by the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt, who in his speech, among other things, praised the award recipient for always being helpful to young artists.

Freddi Steckel and the Minister of Culture. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

Danish Circus Directors Association chairman Matin Arli, painter Viggo Salting and Freddi Steckel. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

You met one of Freddi's apprentices shortly after, when the young artist Julia Myllykangas together with Freddi showed a part of his formidable knockabout table act.

Julia Myllykangas and Freddi Steckel. Freddi has trained Julia and her little brother Joakim in the table act. Today it is usually them who present Freddi's old act. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

In 2022 and 2023, the Foundation after the late Nelly Jane Benneweis awarded grants to young Danish artists. But not in 2024. Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov would otherwise have been an obvious candidate for a grant from the Foundation, which can provide support for training stays, study trips, etc. for artists associated with Denmark.

In his closing speech, jury chairman Ole Simonsen said, among other things (my translation):

"Dear Jakob Engel-Schmidt. In connection with last year's award ceremony, you said that there was perhaps a need for you in the Danish Parliament to do something to ensure that future generations also will have the opportunity to experience the enchanting universe of a circus.

All of us who care about circuses are grateful that it turned out to be possible to put action behind words, and that a broad majority in the Danish Parliament's Finance Committee agreed that the traveling circuses deserved some kind of public support to ensure that the circus does not end up as something you can only experience in a museum. A special thanks to the members of Parliament Anders Kronborg and Mogens Jensen, who are both present here today, for your efforts to convince politicians from other parties that the circus is something that should be protected.

Going to the circus is always a great experience. To see how the artists can make the impossible possible. Both when it comes to rising stars and the many other talented artists we have met during the season. When I see acts like this, I am sure that circuses and artist entertainment are not just something from the past, but also something that future generations can and will enjoy. I hope that also in the future there will be a political understanding that the circus must be supported in one form or another."

The jury chairman hoped that next year the Danish Circus Prize will have the opportunity to award circus prizes for the 9th time, and ended by tradition with three cheers for the Danish circuses.

The chairman of the jury speaks. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

Jury chairman Ole Simonsen, Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt and jury members Jan Hertz and Lars Wallenberg. The last jury member Niels Chr. Hansen was due to travelling not present. Photo: Bent Hjarbo

Before the award ceremony, Julia Myllykangas had a chat with the two Garcia brothers. Photo: Ole Simonsen

20 August 2024

Strahlemann & Söhne, who on 16 August received the Danish prize for the best act of the year, are not father and son, and their real names are not Strahlemann, but Leif Gordon and Thomas Zeh, also called Pat. They met as young, but both of them worked for different engagements and as soloist at the beginning of their careers. Their way together started in 1997 when meeting again at Berlins Microvoltmeter at Friedrichstraße. Inspired by a video of a juggler taking off his clothes, they developed their unique partner juggling act where they juggle clubs while shedding their suit, tie, shirt and trousers - to end the act as impeccably dressed as when they started the. They have now performed with the act for 27 years. But season 2024 is the first time they are with a touring circus. Otherwise, they have mostly appeared on variety shows, etc., especially in Germany. Including several times in Berlin's famous variety Wintergarten. They have also performed in England as well as at a number of festivals. Some may have seen them in the French TV program Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde. The act is especially difficult when they stand on one leg and juggle while taking their pants off and on. There have been a few occasions where they have stumbled, they told an Indian newspaper a few years ago in connection with a performance in Coimbatore.

Click here to see a video clip of their act.

19 August 2024

Schumann costume to the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen. Benny Schumann has just donated his beautiful Wiener costume from 1962 to the Circus Museum in Hvidovre. He wore this costume when, together with his father Albert and mother Paulina, he presented a liberty dressage with 12 Arab stallions in a number they called Vienna atmosphere. The act, which was in the Circus Schumann program in 1962, was also shown in the Bertram Mills Circus in London from 18 December 1962 to 2 February 1963. Bertram Mills presented for many years a winter circus at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, for several seasons with the Schumann family among the stars.

Benny's and his father's costumes were produced by Vicaire in Paris. The same company had also made their "Schumann in Mexico!" costumes, which were also in the 1962 program. Benny Schumann donated his Mexico costume to the Circus Museum in Rold a few months ago. His mother's costume was given by the Circus Museum in Hvidovre a few years ago.

Photos by courtesy of Benny Schumann

17 August 2024        

Small program change in Aarhus Nightcabaret. You could see the names of the performers on this page on the June 21. Since then, there has been a slight change: the bike acrobat Jonathan Rossi has replaced Les Vitamines.

Jonathan Rossi has performed for the Pope in Rome and in 2022 was among the participants at the circus festival in Latina (23rd Int. Circus Festival of Italy). Now it's the audience in Hermans who can enjoy the daring Italian's dynamic and break-neck cycling tricks - where you as an audience can never be completely safe! Click here to watch a video clip from the Latina Festival.

The night cabaret takes place on the days 30 August - 7 September. Both days included. The place is, as it has been in recent years, the theater house Hermans in Tivoli Friheden in Aarhus.

16 August 2024

This year, the Danish Circus Award was given to one of Denmark's oldest still active artists: the 74-year-old Freddi Steckel, who has spent his entire life in the circus world. The talent prize was given to the Garcia Brothers from Circus Arena. The prize for best act to the jugglers Strahlemann & Söhne from Zirkus Nemo. The effort prize was given to the Circus Museum in Rold.

Press release from the Danish Circus Award

The Danish Circus Award to Freddi Steckel

The Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt today presented the Danish circus and artist world's most distinguished award, the Danish Circus Award, to Freddi Steckel.

Freddi Steckel is the eldest son of the late circus director Frederik Schmidt, better known as Gugele the clown, and his Norwegian-born wife Dina. Until 1950, Frederik Schmidt ran the Schmidt Brothers Circus together with his brother Arnold. After the 1952 season, Arnold became the sole owner of the enterprise, which continued until 1955. Frederik, together with Mrs. Dina and the couple's children, went to Norway, where they performed in Circus Empress in 1953, 1954 and 1955. After the engagement in Norway, Frederik Schmidt continued for many years with his clown act Gugele & Co., assisted by Mrs. Dina and the children Randi, Freddi, Jacki and Heidi. The 4 siblings also had their own acts, among other things under the name 4 Steckels with a number which would undoubtedly have brought them a gold or silver clown in Monte Carlo, if the festival had existed at the time.

Freddi Steckel changed his act over the years, and his knockabout table act Steckel's became one of the very best on the market. In 2004 he toured with Circus Dannebrog. In 2008 and 2009 you could see him in Circus Baldoni. In 2013 he was back in Circus Dannebrog, this time as ringmaster. His last circus season in Denmark was in 2018, when he toured with Circus Baldoni and had the director René Mønster Baldoni as a partner. In recent seasons, he has worked for Circus Jesper in Kristiansand Zoo in Norway.

Freddi Steckel

Previous recipients of the Danish Circus Award:

1968 Albert Schumann

1969 Eli Benneweis

2016 Benny Berdino

2017 Søren Østergaard

2018 Martin Arli

2019 Benny Schumann

2022 Katja Schumann

2023 Marianne Deleuran

This year's talent prize to the Garcia Brothers from Circus Arena

Conor and Antonio Garcia are resp. 17 and 21 years old and sons of Pablo and Vicki Garcia, who are known for their aerial act under a rotating space rocket. In this year's Arena performance, you not only meet the parents, but also Antonio and Connor, who have their very own entrée with one of the strongest and most innovative handstand acts we have ever seen in a Danish circus ring. It is the intention that the two boys will take over their parents' act with the space rocket.

Garcia Brothers

The prize for the best act of the year went to Strahlemann & Söhne from Zirkus Nemo

STRAHLEMANN & SÖHNE (Leif Gordon and Thomas Zeh) present a great and highly entertaining act, where they juggle with clubs while removing their suits, ties, shirts and trousers - to end the number as impeccably dressed as when they started it. In 2022 they performed in the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival This year, it is the audience in Zirkus Nemo who are excited by a number that is a little - or rather a lot - out of the ordinary! They have performed together since 1997.

Strahlemann & Söhne

The effort prize to the Circus Museum in Rold

The chairman of the Danish Circus Directors Association, Martin Arli, presented the year's effort prize to the Circus Museum in Rold. The museum is set up next to Cirkus Miehe's old winter quarters and the riding house is Denmark's only preserved wooden circus building. The museum gives an insight into the circus as a workplace in the past 200 years. A world that consisted of much more than applause and admiration from the audience. In the square between the museum and the riding house, there are old circus wagons with various exhibitions. During the year, various circus events and lectures are held. There is also an active school service. The award was received on behalf of the museum by the curator Lykke Olsen and deputy chairman of the Circus Museum Association Inge-Mette Gudum.

The photo shows the Rold museum to the left and in the middle the old riding house of the Miehe family. The fence is from Circus Moreno. Several years after Moreno closed in 1967 the fence ended up in Rold thanks to Anders Enevig's efforts. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The award ceremonies took place in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre.

Photos from the event when this page is updated next Saturday.

12 August 2024

Southern Sweden Circus Festival is Sweden's new international circus festival. It takes place from 6 to 15 September in Lund, Malmö and other places in Scania. A press release with further information will be published on 22 August. You can read more at https://www.cirkussyd.com/

8 August 2024

The Danish Circus Award. This year is the ninth time that the Danish Circus Award will be awarded. The date is 16 August at 13. As it has been the case since 2016, the venue is the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen.

The Danish Circus Award was first time awarded in 1968. The recipient was Albert Schumann of Circus Schumann. The following year, Eli Benneweis of Circus Benneweis received the award. After that, there was a break of almost 50 years, before the awards were resumed in 2016. Now, in addition to the honorary award, a talent prize and a prize for the year's best act were also awarded. From 2017 also an effort prize. Apart from the corona years 2020 and 2021, the prizes have since 2016 been awarded every year in August. At all award ceremonies, it is the Danish Minister of Culture who has presented the honorary award.

The award is presided over by a jury of four members. The chairman is Ole Simonsen, former artistic advisor to Circus Benneweis, former deputy chairman of Danish Circus Friends Association and since 2000 editor of circus-dk. In addition, the actor and stage director Jan Hertz, who has also been entertainment manager at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens and for several years staged the performances for Circus Benneweis, the theater and culture reviewer Lars Wallenberg and Niels Chr. Hansen, who is chairman of the Circus Museum Association in Rold. Ole Simonsen and Jan Hertz have been members of the jury since the award ceremonies resumed in 2016.

The four jury members choose the recipient of the year's honorary award. The effort prize is awarded on the recommendation from the Danish Circus Directors' Association.

Each year, the jury nominates 3 artists/acts for the talent prize and the prize to the best act of the year. Below you can see photos of the 6 artists/acts nominated this year. The artists/acts are listed in alphabetical order.

Garcia Brothers – Antonio and Connor Garcia being resp. 17 and 21 years old – present in this year's Arena performance one of the strongest and most innovative handstand acts we have seen in a Danish circus ring. The brothers have been nominated for this year's talent award. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein.

Duo Garcia - Pablo and Vickki Garcia, née Fossett - showed their acrobatic act under a rotating space rocket at Circus Arena in 2001. Later, we have seen them several times in Danish circuses. Each time it has been one of the top acts of the year. This is also the case this year at Circus Arena. By the way, they are the father and mother of Antonio and Connor. The couple is nominated for the award for the best act of the year. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov has just turned 14. For many years, she has gone to training at the Circus Factory in Salling. This summer she performed at Katja Schumann’s Circus Farm in Løkken with an impressive act in aerial hoop. Frida is nominated for the talent award. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Strahlemann & Söhne (Pat and Leif Gordon) has an act in which they juggle with clubs while taking off their suits, ties, shirts and trousers – to end the number as impeccably dressed as when they began it. In 2022, they performed in the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival. This year, it is the audience in Zirkus Nemo who are excited by an act which is something out of the ordinary. They have been nominated for the award for best act of the year. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Jennifer Saabel is the youngest member of the Saabel family. She is 21 years old. In Circus Arli, she and her mother present the family's dog number, but she also has a solo act where she with the grace and elegance of youth shows her skills as a foot juggler with props from a candy store. The act ends with her juggling 4 scarves while being hoisted up under the circus dome. Jennifer is nominated for this year's talent prize. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Duo Vilja consists of the Swedish twin sisters Jenny and Sara. In season 2023/24, they showed an impressive acrobat and contortion ac as well as a strong act in aerial hoop at Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building. In 2022 they toured with Zirkus Nemo. They are nominated for the award for the best act of the year. Press photo from Wallmans, taken by John Reborn

A nomination shows, just like a Michelin star, that it is an excellent act. This also applies to the four acts which, despite being nominated, does not get a prize. Who gets the 2024 prizes will not be revealed until August 16. You can the same day from 14 see it on the award's Facebook page.

7 August 2024

The Scandinavian circus season is coming to an end. The Danish, Swedish and Norwegian circuses will soon end the season. Hurry up if you want to see this year's performances!

Circus Arli ends the season on 17 August in the Copenhagen suburb Værløse. The following day, Circus Arena ends the season in Slagelse. Circus Baldoni has its last tented performance on 27 August in the winter quarter in Ulstrup. Then tour in arenas on the Faroe Islands 2 to 11 September. Circus Mascot, who plays in sport centres etc. has the last performance of the year on 20 October in their home town Roslev. Zirkus Nemo ends the season on September 10 in Odense. Cirkus Trapez ends the season on September 24. Circus Krone has not yet announced a date for the end of the season.

Sweden's largest circus Brazil Jack ends the season on September 15 in Malmö. On the same day, Cirkus Olympia ends the season in Klippan.

In Norway, the stationary Circus Jesper ends its season on August 11. Circus Agora probably ends the season on 5 September in Bjørkheim and Circus Arnardo on 1 September in Lillestrøm (25 km from the Norwegian capital Oslo).

6 August 2024

Circus Solvej. Jens Chr. Sørensen has sent me these photos from the tiny Danish Circus Solvej, which since 9 July has visited a number of campsites etc. in Jutland and Funen.

Their season ends August 11. The performers are the director Victor Høeg Abrahamsen, who on a daily basis is a teaching assistant at a school and a preschool in Hjørring, and the artist Zora Nikodemova. The performances have also featured one or two guest artists. Mostly quite young Danish girls coming from Ejnar Trie’s Circus Factory in Salling. The ventriloquist Preben Palsgaard has also been with them for a short period. Circus Solvej's small tent has room for approx. 60 spectators. Some acts, such as Zora's fire act, must be performed outside the tent. The performances can win by proximity, but cannot be compared to the performances at Arena, Arli, Baldoni, Krone, Mascot, Nemo and Trapez.

2 August 2024

Swedish circuses in Scania. Scania is the southernmost of the provinces of Sweden. Scania's largest city, Malmö, is the third-largest city in Sweden, as well as the fifth-largest in Scandinavia. Since 2000, a road and railway bridge, the Öresund Bridge, bridges the Sound and connects Scania with Denmark.

Circus Olympia visits Landskrona on August 8 and 9, Helsingborg (20 minutes ferry both ride from Elsinore, Denmark) on August 10 and Malmö on September 2 to 4. They are known, among other things, for their beautiful and well-kept animals, which are presented by the owner family: the director Niklas Bengtsson with Friesian horses, his mother Henrika presents her dog act and his wife Natascha playful goats. The show also features talented artists. As the only Swedish circus, Olympia has live music: Bandmaster Valentin Smirnov with 2 musicians for good-sounding musical accompaniment assisted by pre-recorded music, arranged by Alex Bozic. The performance was reviewed by Jörgen Börsch on this page on April 2, 2024.

Niklas and his black Frisian horses. Photo: Jörgen Börsch

Circus Brazil Jack, which is Sweden's largest, premiered in Malmö on 29 March. They end the season with a return visit to Malmö on the days 13 to 15 September. The excellent and fast-paced performance was reviewed on this page on April 4. There are no animal acts at Brazil Jack and the clowns are replaced by comic acrobats.

The globe of death is always an audience favourite. The Diorio’s troupe ends the performance in Circus Brazil Jack with 4 riders in the globe.

30 July 2024

Contemporary circus variety at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen

The Circus Museum writes (my translation):

Experience some of Denmark's best artists when the Circus Museum invites you inside for a unique contemporary circus variety show on Friday 13 September at 20 for young people and adults.

Experience the contemporary circus troupe Volantes in crazy jumps on the teeterboard, the juggler Jonathan Zeuthen, the aerial acrobat Andrea Ormaza and not least Peter Frimand and Andreas Brunsborg, who throw themselves into magic and much more with great comedy. The bar will be open from 19.

The young juggler Jonathan Zeuthen. Photo from performance in connection with World Circus Day 2024. Photographer: Mikkel Knudsen

The performance is part of the artist festival Ta´daa, which is supported by the Danish Artist Association, Hvidovre Municipality, Frihedens Shopping Mall and Hyundai – Hvidovre.

Link to ticket ordering

26 July 2024

Zirkus Nemo 2024. Zirkus Nemo is owned by the Danish actor and comedian Søren Østergaard. It is a combination of a circus and a comedy show. It was established in 1999 and was at that time mainly a comedy show with Søren as the main star. He is still the main star in the performance, but today also international top artist are part of the performance. Both in 2016, 2018 and 2022 the Danish Circus Award’s prize for the best circus act of the year was given to artists working in Zirkus Nemo.

In a foreword in this year's printed program, former chairman of Danish Circus Friends Association Kim Thanning Olsen and chairman of the Danish Circus Award Ole Simonsen write (my translation):                                                                                

Dear Søren Østergaard

Let's be honest: When you and Anders Lund Madsen started Zirkus Nemo in 1999, there were many circus friends who thought it was a bit too crazy. An actor and a journalist in a crazy show with no artists could probably not have more to do with a circus than Piccadilly Circus. But as time went by, we became much wiser and we fell for your unique combination of your own characters such as Baker Jorgen and the Smashing Man with artists who, as the years went by, became world class. So talented that there have almost always been nominees from Zirkus Nemo since the Danish Circus Award was revived in 2016, and that the prize for the best act of the year has gone to one of your artists several times. Just as in 2017 you received the Danish circus world's most distinguished prize, the honorary prize The Danish Circus Award. Something that everyone but the Smashing Man found extremely well-deserved.

Where most other circuses make performances for children with parents or grandparents, you have chosen to make shows for adults. Performances where we alternately find your own characters hysterically funny and are impressed by the skills of your artists. And we are amused by the fact that the orchestra does not just accompany, but also are involved in the performance.

25 years with Zirkus Nemo has gone well. A big congratulations, and thank you for continuing, even when it at times has been a little bit difficult. We hope that we can continue to cheer for many years when we meet you and your many characters and your team of artists and orchestra members in Zirkus Nemo.

Zirkus Nemo's 25 years anniversary performance gives the audience reason to cheer to the highest degree when they meet Søren Østergaard as the red sausage Ove Rudolf, as the ventriloquist with a burka, as Baker Jørgen, as the animal trainer with "liberty" geese, as the Smashing Man and as the Measurer Man, etc.

The artist acts are also top class. The two muscular men from Duo Kvas were also at Nemo in 2019. At that time, the newspaper reviewer Rud Kofoed wrote the following about their act (my translation):

“This year's head act is literally said Duo Kvas. It is their neck vertebrae that you can almost hear the crunch when the two Ukrainians Vladimir Kostenko and Anton Savchenko present their absolutely incredible acrobatic strength. There is a more than usual good head on Vladimir, because not only can manage that Anton stands on his own head on top of it, but at the same time Vladimir can go to his knees and up again. The power demonstration is world class.”

A description that still fits. Too bad that Rud, who passed away in 2020, didn't get the opportunity to see them once more. He would undoubtedly have given them – and the show – a well-deserved 6-star review.

Duo Kvass

New to Nemo are the German jugglers Strahlemann & Söhne (Pat and Leif Gordon). They present a great and highly entertaining number, where they juggle clubs while removing their suits, ties, shirts and trousers - to finish the number as impeccably dressed as when they started it. Last year they performed in the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival. This year, it is the audience in Zirkus Nemo who are excited by an act which is a little - or rather a lot - out of the ordinary! The Danish Circus Award has just nominated the act for the prize for the year's best act.

Strahlemann & Söhne

Duo Solys has been with Nemo for several seasons. In 2018, they received the prize for the best act of the year from the Danish Circus Award. The impressive number that Hector and Tatiana show this year is completely new.

Duo Solys

Isabela and Ernesto Alves present an aerial number in what is known in professional language as Russian cradle. From his cradle, Ernesto throws Isabela around, letting her go and catching her as she does one somersault after another. Impressive. And without a safety net - but with an inflatable rubber mattress in the ring, should he fail to catch her. Fine – we have not come to the circus for the artists to risk their lives to entertain us. The mattress was not needed in the performance I saw.

Isabela and Ernesto Alves

We should also mention Søren Østergaard's long-time personal assistant Laura Kvist Poulsen, who, among other things, has an entrée with trained pig carcasses and one with Weber grills!

Weber grills in liberty dressage

We must also not forget the trumpet-playing bandmaster Peter Marrott and his 3 musicians, who to a high extent are part of the performance. When I saw the performance in Køge, the orchestra members were bursting with laughter at Søren's entrées where the choice of words seems to change from day to day.

24 July 2024

Circusland summer 2024. It's been a few years since I last visited the theme park Circusland in Circus Arena’s winter quarters in Aarslev by Slagelse. At that time together with grandchildren, who have now outgrown for that kind of thing. It was interesting to see how Circusland has developed. Gone are all the many animals. Instead, there is a number of rides such as merry-go-rounds and a roller coaster. Something that will please small and medium-sized children. But none of the "dangerous" rides that the older children love. Most of the rides are outdoors. However, there is a small train, some moon bounches and a climbing area in the large hall.

For circus enthusiasts, the three daily shows are probably the most important: a magic show, a children's show and the approx. 40-minute performance in Circus Landino.

In the magic show, you meet the Hungarian illusionist Christofer Eötvös (Christofer Eötvös Dobritch), who, assisted by 3 young female artists, conjures them in and out of boxes, etc.

The magic show begins with Suzanne Berdino having a short interview with Christofer. Suzanne has a busy day in Circusland: she is the one who presents the magic show, she is part of the children's show, she is the head of the Circus School and performs in Circus Landino.

In the children's show, you meet Suzanne Berdino together with the clown Michael (Michael Alves) in a performance where, among other things, they juggle a bit and end up making big soap bubbles.

In Circus Landino, the central figure is the clown Michael, who ends the show with a fun and entertaining number with a balance on a ladder. A discipline that he definitely masters, and where he e.g. on the ladder jump over obstacles. An act that would also do well in the touring Circus Arena.

Suzanne Berdino is ringmistress. Furthermore, she presents 3 dogs, a goat and the pig Gulli, who, among other things, can score goals.

Kelly Folco performs on a unicycle and jumps, among other things, up and down a staircase. The act ends with her throwing cups onto her hat with her foot, see photos.

Aerial acrobat Georgina Szotkó performs on the ropes.

Circusland is open until and including 10 August. Every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first show is the magic show at 12. Children's show at 13:15 and Circus Landino at 15:15.

21 July 2024

Nominations for this year's circus prizes - Press release from The Danish Circus Award

Members of the jury have seen more than 50 artists/artist acts this year. The jury has now decided which of these to be nominated for the prizes for the year's best act in Denmark and the year's talent award.

The nominees for this year's talent award are:

FRIDA (Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) – The Circus farm in Løkken (Katja Schumann)

GARCIA BROTHERS - Circus Arena

JENNIFER SAABEL - Circus Arli

The nominees for the award for the year's best act are:

DUO GARCIA - Circus Arena

STRAHLEMANN & SÖHNE - Zirkus Nemo

DUO VILJA – Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building

The award ceremony will take place on Friday 16 August at 13:00 in the Fencing Halleat the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, with the participation of the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt.

4 prizes are awarded:

TGE HONORARY AWARD "THE DANISH CIRCUS AWARD"

THE TALENT PRIZE

THE PRIZE FOR BEST ACT OF THE YEAR

THE EFFORD PRIZE

Nominations are not made for the honorary award and the effort prize.

About the prices

The board of the Danish Circus Award selects the nominees and prize recipients each year based on the following criteria:

The honorary award is given to a person in recognition of his/hers particularly meritorious efforts to promote circus art in Denmark. The honorary award can only be received once. Nominations are not made for this award. The honorary award consists of a painting by the "master of clowns", the painter Viggo Salting.

The award for the best act of the year is awarded to the artist act which in the opinion of the board, is the best of the year. The prize consists of a diploma and a lump sum of 500 Euro.

The talent award is mainly awarded to a younger artist. The prize consists of a diploma and a lump sum of DKK 10,000.

The effort award goes to the politician or public figure, etc., who has done the most for the circus in the past year. Nominations are not made for this award. The prize consists of a small painting by Viggo Salting.

About the nominees

GARCIA BROTHERS – Antonio and Connor Garcia, being resp. 17 and 21 years old - are the sons of Pablo and Vicki Garcia, who are known for their aerial act with a space rocket. In this year's Arena performance, you not only meet the parents, but also Antonio and Connor, who have their very own act with one of the most impressive and innovative handstand acts we have ever seen in a Danish circus ring. It is probably the intention that the two boys will eventually take over the parents' number with the space rocket.

DUO GARCIA shows with their acrobatics under the space rocket that it is not only the young and beautiful, but also the slightly older and experienced, who can be considered for the prize for the best number of the year. John Pablo Garcia has turned 60. The first time we saw him and his wife Vickki in Denmark with their space rocket was at Arena in 2001. Later we have seen the couple in Circus Dannebrog and in a comic Mary Poppins version with an airplane in Circus Benneweis. Each time it has been one of the top acts of the year. That is also the case this year at Cirkus Arena.

FRIDA LINDSKOV DYRHOLM NØRSKOV is 13 years old. She lives in Nørre Thise and for many years has been training at the Cirkusfabrikken in Roslev, where she has had various international artists as teachers. This year she is performing with Katja Schumann at the Circus Farm in Løkken. With Katja, she is, among other things, trained by the legendary American aerial acrobat Dolly Jacobs via video clips that are sent back and forth. Not least Frida's act in aerial hoop is absolutely fantastic.

JENNIFER SAABEL is the youngest daughter of the artist couple Tiziana and Bernhard Saabel, known for both for school riding and an act with Siberian husky dogs. She is 21 years old. In Circus Arli, she and her mother present the family's dog number. But she also has a solo act where she shows her skills as a foot juggler with the grace and elegance of youth. The props are inventively disguised as goodies from a candy store. The number ends with her juggling 4 scarves while being hoisted up under the circus dome!

STRAHLEMANN & SÖHNE (Pat and Leif Gordon) show a great and highly entertaining number, where they juggle clubs while removing their suits, ties, shirts and trousers - to end the number as impeccably dressed as when they started it. Last year they performed in the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival. This year, it is the audience in Zirkus Nemo who are excited by a number that is a little - or rather a lot - out of the ordinary!

Under the name DUO VILJA, the Swedish twin sisters Jenny and Sara show an impressive acrobat and contortion number, i.e. appear as what in the old days were called snake people. Only 13 years old, they were bitten by the circus bug and joined a children's and youth circus, where they performed as clowns with a small pig. Later they went to circus school. First in Sweden, then in Montreal. Since then, they have taken the whole world by storm and performed on a large number of leading varieties shows and circuses. In 2022 you could see them in Zirkus Nemo. In season 2023/24 they were at Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building.

19 July 2024

Soft circus lots. The recent heavy rain in Denmark means that many circus lots are so wet that you can only drive onto them with difficulty. And not at all without leaving clear traces of the heavy circus wans.

Circus Arena was scheduled to visit Birkerød on Wednesday 17 July. But the lot at Byagervej is at the foot of a slope and is very swampy when it has rained a lot. After looking at the conditions on Tuesday morning, Arena gave up on entering the lot and cancelled Wednesday's performance. On Tuesday they played in Allerød and on Thursday in Farum. In both places, the lots were good enough for the performance to be carried out.

Circus Arena on the lot in Allerod. Many circus lots in Denmark are grassy lots owned by the municipality. In the past, the municipalities cut the grass before the circus came to town. But such costs are cut in many municipalities. Thus, the lots almost look like a wild meadow when a circus comes to town.

Other circuses have also been bothered by the fact that the heavy rain has made some lots almost swampy. Circus Baldoni was thus supposed to have visited Hillerod on 15 July, but chose instead to stay a day longer in Elsinore due to the wet lot in Hillerod.

In terms of number of visitors, the circuses that visits campsites notice that the number of campers is much lower than before. Rain and weather forecasts mean that many campers choose destinations other than Denmark or leave their tent or caravan at home.

17 June 2024

Circus Krone. Jørgen Lorenzen reviewed the premiere performance here on this website on 11 June. Below are some photos from the performance on 15 June at Camp Hverringe, which is located north of Kerteminde.

Circus Krone on the scenic site at Camp Hverringe. In the background is the Great Belt.

"This season, the show will still be for the whole family, but will especially be aimed at the youngest, from 2 years and up", Circus Krone writes. And the many smaller children rejoice over the entrée with the clown Allando and the mischievous rabbit in the bin. The entrée ends with Allando juggling empty plastic bags.

Allando also has an entrée with a mischievous penguin.

In the show you meet Sacha the Frog.

Sacha has brought his wife Aurélie along. However, not as a frog, but with an elegant handstand act.

Some of the acts are accompanied by the director Frank Thierry, who is also the show's ringmaster. His main act is Circus Krone's artist school, where he and his mother Irene first have a couple of children and then a young woman in the ring. The GDPR regulations mean that we cannot post photos from this act online without the consent of the volunteers.

16 June 2024

Circus Trapez in Madsbyparken. True to tradition, Circus Trapez has a unit during the summer holidays that shows approx. 1-hour long performances in Madsbyparken in Fredericia. This year it is David Sosman who is at the head of the artists in Fredericia, while his mother Isabella Enoch Sosman, assisted by Bernhard Kasselowsky, leads the touring circus.

Circus Trapez should in Fredericia have used a brand-new tent, which they bought in Hungary. But they have not yet had the tent certified, so they used an older elongated tent they had in their winter quarters. Danish rules require a circus tent seating more than 100 to be certificated. This requires a lot of technical documentation for tent construction and security

Inside the tent, there are 2 rows of ringside chairs and a grandstand with 4 rows of benches of which only the back one has backrests.

The performance began with the well-known illusion number, where an empty box turns out to contain two female artist

Next, David, who was also the show's ringmaster, had an entrée where he played bells

Duo Fantasia comes from Ethiopia. It was intended that they should have been with Circus Trapez for the whole season. But it has dragged on to get the necessary work permits. Now the permits are given and they are part of the performances in Madsbyparken. Their first act was a roller-skating number. Unfortunately, their podium had not yet arrived. They therefore had to use a hastily assembled podium.

Next, we saw David's girlfriend Soley with a dance act

Then David came back into the ring. The act started with him playing on bottles. Then followed a bit of juggling with wine bottles and finally balancing with first a bottle and then glasses on a stick, which he held in his mouth.

Yetinayet Melese, who is the female partner in Duo Fantasia, performed with hula hoops, where she stood on a large ball, among other things. Something I don't recall seeing other hula hoop artists do.

The other half of Duo Fantasia is called Asmare Dress. He showed a number with diabolos.

After an act where David took advantage of the centrifugal force when he swung a full glass of water around in a ring, came a number that is completely unusual in a circus ring: trained lambs, trained and presented by Barbara Schnegg, who even did the splits in front of her lambs.

13 July 2024

Norwegian Circus Jesper: "New and better - The performance "Circus Jesper" in Kristiansand Zoo excites and impresses in a new and more complete version," the theater reviewer Amanda Øiestad Nilsen wrote in the Norwegian newspaper Fædrelandsvennen. Later in the review it is stated. «I allowed myself to be impressed and excited by spectacular circus acts and charmed by the good contact with the audience contact. The circus acts chosen fit in the universe... To conclude: «Circus Jesper» is both new and better this year.» (My translations from Norwegian).

Below some press photos which Lasse «Bonbon» Nørager has been kind enough to send me.

The actor Håkon Sigernes as the circus director Jesper. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

Julia Myllykangas impresses on the tight wire. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

Philippe Renaud in full swing. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

Joakim Myllykangas juggles while his older sister Julia looks on. They are the children of Lasse Nørager and Mrs. Tiina. At last year's Danish circus awards, the two talented siblings received travel grants from the Nelly Jane Benneweis Foundation. Photo: Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

Light in the lamp. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

The ensemble in Circus Jesper. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

11 July 2024             

The Circus farm in Løkken. Many things have happened since Katja Schumann bought a dilapidated agricultural property outside the Danish seaside resort Løkken in 2015 to establish a circus farm with a focus on animals. Together with Luffe Bøgh, she has created an impressive circus farm. For several years there has been an arena with a ring for performances and an environment that attracts many visitors every summer. And the plans for a circus museum focusing on the Schumann family are being implemented. The premises already contain a collection that is absolutely worth seeing.

The entrance to the arena is decorated with Viggo Salting's beautiful clown paintings

Grandstand and ring

The entrance to the museum is not yet fully completed

From the museum. In the middle photo, you can see the clown painting, which is the visible proof of the honorary award The Danish Circus Award, which Katja Schumann received in 2022. In the bottom photo, the painter Viggo Salting looks at the exhibition.

During the summer period, there is an almost 2-hour-long performance every day at 16, however not on Mondays. For the many who like to see horses in a circus, a visit to the Circus Farm is a must. Today, the farm is the only place in Denmark where you can see a liberty horse act in high quality. Part of the performance consists of Luffe explaining how to train horses etc. with the animals in the ring. And where Katja, when she enters the ring, shows that she is what you call a horse whisperer. The contact between her and the horses is absolutely fantastic.

In addition to Luffe and Katja, you will meet 3 young girls, Frida, Lilje and Liv, in the ring. They all have a past with Einar Trie at the Circus Factory. At Katja, they get the opportunity to improve their skills in a professional environment. Katja says (my translation):

We have a talent program where young people are helped into the real circus world.

When they come here, they have the dream, they have played and learned, but mastering is what separates pranks from art. We can't always do it ourselves, which is why we have assigned the very best supervisors:

Paul Binder choreographer, frequently asked questions, can this be sold.

Dolly Jacobs technical.

The animals. Freddie Knie Junior. Liv has been in Zurich and trained with the famous Circus Knie. Liv is an apprentice and now, after high school, 100% enters the role of trainer student.

Lars Rasmussen, rider. Daily horse training.

Norman Barrett, Ethics and Discipline.

Eric Smiley, horse trainer.

Bjarne Pedersen, officer and medal winner at the Olympics. Coach for the young.

Frida (Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) opened the performance with a fine act in a prop kindly provided by Agnete Louise Enoch.

Luffe explains how to train a pony

The talented Liv is a trainer student with Katja Schumann

Katja with one of her horses

Luffe in the saddle

The just 13-year-old Frida presented the best act in the aerial ring (aerial hoop) that I remember seeing. With help of videos that are sent back and forth, she is trained by, among others, the legendary American aerialist Dolly Jacobs.

Liv with goats. Photo: Jens Chr. Sorensen. All other photos: Ole Simonsen

Lilje in trapeze

Luffe with ponies

The horse whisperer Katja Schumann with four beautiful Arabian horses. The Circus Farm is the only place in Denmark where you can see high quality liberty horses.

10 July 2024

Obituary: Bjoern Schult – Bjoernlys. The German-born artist and animal trainer Bjoern Schult-Bjoernlys has passed away after a long time of illness. He was 75 years old. He had performed in several Danish circuses and felt something special for Denmark, where he lived for the last several years.

He was born in Freiburg, Germany, where his mother and father were respectively ballet master and chief technical officer at the local theatre. In 1963, Bjoern joined the Cossack rider troupe Golgojew, where he was for three years. In 1968 and 1969 he worked with the Adamski bears, three brown bears that ran on a bicycle etc. He worked also for a while as reprise clown in Circus Busch-Roland and as Cossack rider. In 1970 he established in partnership with Alex Wandruschka a jockey riding act ”Three Hansel” in which they appeared in musketeer costumes. In 1970 they toured with Circus Bouglione. Afterwards, they performed at circus festivals in Lisbon and Madrid. In 1971 they worked in Spain and in 1972 and 1975 in Norway at Circus Berny. Following that Bjoern created together with his wife at that time a jockey riding act "Bjoernlys" which first appeared during the winter of 1975 in Cirque D' Hiver in Paris. They also took a young man into the troupe which then had three persons.

In 1976 Bjoern toured Denmark with Claus Jespersen’s newly established Circus Dania. The troupe's young man didn’t like life in a touring circus and left the Bjoernlys troupe shortly after the start of the season. Thus Bjoern and his wife decided to become "Two Bjoernly”. In 1977 they were at the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth, England. In 1978 they toured Denmark with Circus Dannebrog. Later Bjoern became head groom in Circus Benneweis. In season 1980 the Benneweis audience could see him with a comical entrée called Bjoern and his horse. With the same act he appeared in 1982 in Circus Arena where his act was called Bjoernlys and partner. After the season 1982 Bjoern left Denmark and worked in Italy (Circus Nando Orfei / Circo Berlin) and later in France with Circus Amar, Circus Pinder-Jean Richard and Circus Diana Moreno.

From 1990 to 2005 Bjoern worked for Berufsförderungswerk Schomberg in southern part of Germany. Then he got an interesting offer from Luffe Bogh who at that time run a permanent circus No Name Circus in connection with the socio-educational institution No Name. Bjoern was artistic director of No Name Circus until 2008.

Since he came to the now closed Christianshede Zoo Circus and trained at the same time animals which he rented out to the show, movies, commercials, etc.

Bjoern Schult - Bjoernlys in No Name Circus in 2008

Recently he published his memoirs "Sägemehl im Blut". The book has 304 pages with more than 50 photos etc. It costs 25 Euros + shipping. It can be ordered from Dr. Friedrich Hoffmann, at friedrich-hoffmann-bs@t-online.de.

9 July 2024

Circusland summer 2024. In the theme park Circusland, located in Circus Arena's winter quarter in Aarslev by Slagelse, you can during the summer holidays see:

The magician Christofer Eötvos (Christofer Eötvös Dobritch). He comes from Hungary and has performed in a number of European circuses.

Michael the clown (Michael Alves), who also performs with ladder balance

Kelly Folco on unicycle

Suzanne Berdino with her dogs, goats and the pet pig Gulli

Aerial acrobat Georgina Szotkó in aerial rope

There is a magic show at 12, children's show at 13:15, Circus school at 14 and performance in Circus Landino at 15.15.

Changes may occur. Circusland is until 19 August open every day from 10 am to 4pm.

1 July 2024  

Circus Trapez in Madsbyparken in Fredericia. Isabella Enoch Sosman tells that it is her son David Sosman, who manages the performances in Madsbyparken as ringmaster and with juggling, comedy and illusions, assisted by his girlfriend Soley.

You will also meet Duo Fantasia. Two young Africans who should have been with Trapez for the entire circus season, but whose work permit has only just gone through. That's why they perform in Madsbyparken with a roller-skating act, diabolo, hula hoop on a ball and aerial ring. Furthermore, Barbara Schnegg performs with something Isabella Enoch has never seen before, namely trained lambs.

Trained lambs are not an everyday sight in a circus ring.

Performances from 6 July to 4 August. Every day at 11 and 14:30, 6 July, however, only at 11. No performance on 14 July. The performance lasts approx. 1 hour. Tickets cost DKK 125 for adults and DKK 95 for children under 12.

28 June 2024

Circusland summer 2024. The theme park Circusland, located in Circus Arena's winter quarter in Aarslev by Slagelse, writes (my translation):

CIRCUSLAND OPENS FROM JUNE 29 - every day during the summer holidays. Have fun in the playground, watch a magic show, try rides, train with artists and see this summer's new circus show – experiences await the whole family when Circusland in Slagelse opens its doors.

Ticket price: DKK 179 (children under 2 are free)

Once admission is paid, all activities, rides, shows and parking are free.

OPENING DAYS during the Summer holidays 29 June - 10 August. Daily at 10 - 16.

A long-awaited dream has been to have tiles on the outdoor area in Circusland. On Saturday, we will inaugurate the new tiled forecourt, where you can, among other things, try the new roller coaster COLORADO EXPRESS and the RADIO CARS.

It has lifted the whole area, and we look forward to presenting it to you.

Here's a overview of the daily shows. Changes may occur.

MAGIC SHOW AT 12

The magician Christofer has tricks and miracles up his sleeve in his impressive and spectacular magic show.

CHILDREN'S SHOW AT 13.15

Suzanne Berdino and her four-legged friends entertain with an enchanting child-level performance that will make everyone's hearts melt. It takes place on small stage.

CIRCUS LANDINO AT 15:15:

A genuine circus performance with artists and animals. Experience dogs, pigs, goats, impressive balance, incredible aerial tricks and much more.

All photos are press photos from Circusland.

Address: Aarslevvej 6, 4200 Slagelse

26 June 2024

Circus in Madsbyparken - A mini show for the whole family. Circus Trapez writes (my translation):

True to tradition, Circus Trapez visits Madsbyparken in Fredericia during the summer holidays with a magical, cozy and adventurous circus performance. This year's performance in Madsbyparken offers a super nice and exciting program for the whole family.

The performance offers high-flying diabolos, fantastic juggling, an impressive roller-skating act, beautiful aerial acts, comedy, illusions, dance and much more.

Among the performers in Madsby is the juggler and multi-artist David Enoch Sosman, who also is ringmaster

Both children, young people and adults are guaranteed to have an unforgettable experience with our performance 2024, which will be both fascinating and hilarious, as well as super exciting with lots of thrills.

See you in Madsbyparken for a nice circus experience.

The performance takes place in our circus tent by the lake in Madsbyparken in the period 6 July to 4 August. Duration: 1 hour

The tent in Madsbyparken

25 June 2024

A happy Kaya Janacek, who last year received the talent award from the Danish Circus Award, says that he is going to the prestigious European Youth Circus Festival in Wiesbaden. Every two years Wiesbaden is host to a magnificent festival featuring talented, up-and-coming artistes. This year it is held in the days 31 October to 3 November. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

25 June 2024

Guest artist at Circus Solvej. The driving forces in the tiny Circus Solvej are the young Victor Høeg Abrahamsen and the multi-artist Zora Nikodemova. This year they have chosen to have a guest artist in the performances. From 24 July to 2 August, it will be the ventriloquist Preben Palsgaard. They will later announce the names of other guest artists.

Preben Palsgaard is one of the veterans in Danish show business. He made his professional debut in 1971, but became better known when he starred in "TV IN THE TENT" in 1981. Here he appeared for the first time with the talking shoe. Over the years, he has performed in a large number of circuses and variety shows as well as participated in several revues. He is one of Denmark's best ventriloquists. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

21 June 2024

Aarhus Festival's International Night Cabaret takes place on the days 30 August - 7 September. Both days included. The location is, as it has been in recent years, the theater house Hermans in Tivoli Friheden. Aarhus Festival writes:

Experience one of the highlights of the Aarhus Festival, featuring world-class entertainment in magic, comedy and artistry.

Journey into a dreamy world of poetry, magic, comedy and artistry when Aarhus Festival invites you to the original production International Natcabaret.

Some of the world's best comedians, performers and magicians come together with one purpose: To give you and your guests a hair-raising, hilarious and highly magical night you'll never forget. The Night Cabaret is, in short, a show out of the ordinary. 

The special Night Cabaret experience takes place in the Hermans theater house in Tivoli Friheden. The event starts in the foyer, where you and your companions are offered a welcome drink. Then you can look forward to a three-course gala dinner in the theater from the renowned Restaurant Terrassen. And then it's time for some spectacular entertainment!

In the performance you will meet:

SWEET DARKNESS (FRANCE)

Experience amazing aerial acrobatics never seen before when Anne-Charlotte Joguet and Héléne Kolessnikow perform high up under the roof of Hermans.

LES VITAMINES (CANADA)

Experience a fantastic dose of madness and mad-cap humor when Cebastien Tardif and Jean-Francois Faber dance ballet with large training balls or perform a powerful and entertaining round of boxing acrobatics

WINSTON FUENMAYOR (VENEZUELA)

Experience an award-winning and innovative magician as Fuenmayor spices up high-level magic with a highly dramatic visual show. There's a reason Winston Fuenmayor had audiences falling over with admiration when he appeared on 'America's Got Talent', where judge Simon Cowell was ready to give Fuenmayor his own solo show in Las Vegas.

Winston Fuenmayor from Venezuela has wowed the 'America's Got Talent' audience with his superior and highly dramatic card tricks. Now the turn has come to Aarhus and the International Night Cabaret. Press photo from Aarhus Festuval

JAN VAN DYKE (BELGIUM)

A hilarious comedian who entertains with his musical and hilarious act where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Jan Van Dyke has performed his act on the biggest stages and you can prepare your laughter muscles - they're going to get to a workout!

PHILLIP HUER (USA)

Experience a show with large puppets in unique interaction with music. Huber is a recognized puppet master, and as part of the audience you will forget that they are “just” puppets once Huber and the puppets start performing.

TYRONE LANER AND MARGO TSAROVE (ITALY)

Look forward to a performance with all the drama you can get with a combination of knife throwing and passionate dancing. The pair have performed all over the world and have appeared in the semi-finals of both 'American Got Talent' and 'Britain Got Talent'.

The Italian duo Tyrone Laner and Margo Tsarova. Press photo from Aarhus Festival

MAX WELDY (FRANCE)

Experience crazy and hilarious trampoline stunts that you won't see in any Danish garden. A seesaw and a trampoline are all Weldy needs to get the audience laughing and slapping their thighs.

Max Weldy has just turned 60 and is one of the veterans in comic trampoline. The Danes saw him for the first time in Circus Benneweis in 1991. In 2003 he was with Charley Kaye at Red Inn Theatre and the following year at the open-air stage in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens. In 2010 he toured Denmark with Circus Arena. In 2011 and 2016 he toured with the Swedish Circus Maximum and in 2015 with the Norwegian Circus Arnardo. The photo is from Circus Maximum 2011.

Marc Thierry's trio plays during the night cabaret. In addition to Marc Thierry himself the trio consists of Jesper Daus and Jesper Gruschy.

Reed more at https://www.aarhusfestuge.dk/en/events/night-cabaret-2024

20 June 2024

The photographer Per Krogh Petersen writes: As always, Circus Arena visited the beautiful island of Langeland. Click here to see pictures from their tent setup. There are also pictures taken outside the beautiful tent just before their show was about to start. You can also see pictures from their show

19 June 2024

New tent for Norwegian Circus Jesper. As previously mentioned on this website the Norwegian Cirkus Jesper has got a brand-new tent. Cirkus Jesper is a stationary circus in Kristiansand Zoo. The Zoo is a combination of a zoo and an amusement park. It has developed into one of the most visited tourist attractions in Norway.

Lasse "Bonbon" Nørager tells that Circus Jesper's new tent is 21.6 meters in diameter. The odd measure to exactly make room for an extra grandstand row and at the same time keep the tent as small as possible, as the circus lot is very small. The ring is 8 meters in diameter, and the tent has room for 419 spectators. Dome height is 9.5 metres. We expect later to bring photos from this year's performance, which premiered on June 15.

13 June 2024

New Facebook page about Danish circus posters. Do you like circus posters? If so, visit Kim Thanning Olsen's new Facebook page about Circus Posters.

12 June 2024

State subsidies to Danish circuses. In connection with the distribution of circus prizes in August last year, the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt said, among other things (my translation):

"In a circus you enter a fascinating universe. Under the big top you experience the laws of nature being put out of force. The circus is traveling and tour all over the country. Excites and entertains. Thanks to the circuses for giving all of us opportunity to see performances all over the country. I think that maybe we in the Danish Parliament needs to do a little bit more to ensure that future generations also get that opportunity." Photo: Bent Hjarbo

Now something has happened: a majority in the Danish Parliament together with the Minister of Culture have decided that five million DKK (approximately 670,000 Euro) will be distributed as a government grant to the Danish circuses.

The Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt says (my translation):

"The circus is a unique part of our cultural heritage. An art form and a tradition that in Denmark goes back more than 150 years. Unfortunately, it is also an industry in which several circuses have had to give up travelling due to financial difficulties. Several of our largest circuses are now a thing of the past. A development that I regret on behalf of culture and circus artists. The circus is an original and unifying cultural offering that travels to all corners of the country for great entertainment for both children and adults.”

The government wants to give seven selected circuses a financial help in the form of a total of DKK 5 million in operating support in 2024 from the remaining cultural distribution funds. The seven circuses are Circus Arena, Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni, Circus Krone, Circus Mascot, Circus Trapez and Zirkus Nemo.

The seven circuses have been selected because they are all professional, traditional circus companies which tours Denmark and operate as traveling units. Of the 5 million DKK a basic subsidy is provided to Circus Krone, while the remaining 4,8 million DKK is distributed to the remaining six circuses in relation to their ticket sales in 2023.

The Danish Parliament's Finance Committee must approve the document that distributes distribution funds for operating support for the circus in 2024. (The present government has the majority in the Committee).

Here you can see how much each circus in Denmark will receive:

Circus Arena: DKK 1,8 million

Circus Baldoni: DKK 800,000

Circus Nemo: DKK 800,000

Circus Mascot: DKK 600,000

Circus Arli: DKK 400,000

Circus Trapeze: DKK 400,000

Circus Krone: DKK 200,000

Martin Arli, who is chairman of the Danish Circus Directors Association, says (my translation).

"I am happy that all circuses in Denmark have been considered. Historically, it is the first time in Danish history that a traditional circus receives public support. We thank Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt and the Danish Parliament's culture committee for their support".

12 June 2023

Great prizes to girls from Salling Cirkus Kids. A proud Einar Trie says that several of the young girls from Salling Circus Kids have done well at foreign festivals etc. The sisters Emily and Lise from Kibæk near Herning have just participated in a major artist competition in Vilnius, Lithuania. Little sister Lise participated in the youngest category and took gold home to Denmark. In older sister Emily's category, she was the youngest participant and there were no prizes to her. But both have now tried to compete at a high level against young talented young artists from Eastern Europe. Lise is 7 years old. Emily is 10 years old.

Lise with her medal, flanked by her older sister Emily

In December 2023, Nicolina and Maja won silver in Lithuania, and in March 2024, Nicolina won gold in the Circus Building in Budapest. Nicolina works with several circus disciplines and, among other things, does a cool number together with Maja, see photo. Nicolina is 13 years old. Maja is 14 years old.

Young talents: Nicolina and Maja

11 June 2024

Danish Circus Krone. Jørgen Lorenzen was at the national premiere in Sejs on June 5 at 17 and writes (my translation):

Finally! Circus Krone is on the road again. For a few years, Krone's summer tour has been on hold but everyone has been hoping and waiting for Krone to come out to the summer country once again.

Circus with heart. That's Krone's slogan. A heart that beats for fun and artistry. A pulse that draws a connection back to the history of the circus, to the rich and colourful culture that is in and around the circus and the market fairs. The performance is probably mostly intended for children. But fortunately, we adults can rejoice together with the children and absorb everything that goes on in the circus and in children's imaginations – a fantasy that the circus turns into apparent reality right in front of our noses.

Circus director Frank Thierry outside his tent. Photo by courtesy of Circus Krone

Krone has chosen a performance that lasts an hour. Probably wise, because after an hour small child have got enough. And hopefully the tour provides the opportunity for kindergartens and school classes to visit the circus in the morning hours. To ensure that the way of life does not become too stressful, Krone has added several rest days between the individual cities that Krone plans to visit.

The clown Allando is the leading figure. In his quiet, calm way, he gets hold of the children. He is slow, waiting, almost hesitant as a good clown can often be. But all the time with an unspoken question towards the children: what should I do? What is happening around me? There will be space and time for the laughter to be unleashed, but also space for anticipation: what will he come up with next?

Allando. Photo Anny Schaldemose

After Alando’s first entrée where he is teased by a rabbit in a trash can, comes a big surprise. After countless calls, it was possible to get Sej's drum majorettes to make a guest appearance. The sharp observer sees, however, that Frank, Irene and Allando and a female artist are hiding behind comic masks.

And another surprise in the next act: the artist Oleksandr Yenivatov jumps around like an overgrown frog. He has a green outfit and a bulge on his stomach - like the frog has when it has just eaten. He is introduced as Sascha the Frog. With his legs on his neck, he jumps on his hands, and he can twist his body into all possible and impossible positions. Oleksandr was last year's among the performers at the Night Cabaret during Aarhus Festival.

Sacha the Frog. Press photo from Circus Krone

Allando now wants the spectators to throw a large ball through a hula hoop. The point: the adults can't at all. But the kids can! He is disturbed by a lion, at least a mixture between a sea lion and a seal, which turns out to be a cheeky penguin. It teases him and he fumbles with it. The children are fully involved.

Then it's time for artist school. Two children have to enter the ring and show how to do it - and how difficult it is to keep your balance when you have to balance on Frank Thierry’s shoulders. But Frank can keep his balance, and his cheerful and well-placed comments bring the act to life. Then a young, tall woman enters. She has to stand on Frank's shoulders and actually manages to get up there.

The final number is a classic, stylish number in handstand. Aurelie Brua seems a bit adagio-like. She holds a rose in her foot and mouth. She is in a white costume, which brings to mind a goddess in Greek mythology. Adventurous, because circuses are also adventures – glimpses of a world where everything is possible and nothing is impossible.

Aurelius. Photos by courtesy of Circus Krone

But it is not quite over. Irene Thierry wants to play the xylophone, but Allando interferes. He doesn't have a ticket himself, but borrows one - on a mobile phone, of course. Irene calls him to order, and no one without a ticket is kicked out. In return, we get an obvious double concert, where Irene and Allan play the Cirkus Renz gallop. And as an encore, the ensemble creates the famous Krone pyramid, where all the actors build a house on two floors.

Irene Thierry and Allando. Photos by courtesy of Circus Krone

7 June 2024

Circus Solvej 2024. From 9 July to 11 August, you can as in 2023 experience the tiny Circus Solvej at a number of campsites in Jutland and Funen, etc. Victor Høeg Abrahamsen is director and Zora Nikodemova is artistic director. They do a very large part of the performance themselves, which, however, also offers various guest artists during the season. Among others the juggler Jonathan Zeuten.

They write (my translation):

Our show is cozy and present family entertainment that is both original and magical. Look forward to the smell of fresh popcorn and a real circus atmosphere in our little red circus tent.

Our show features impressive LED shows, acrobatics, cheeky ponies, juggling, a giant comic balloon, white doves, a fire-breathing circus princess and much, much more, all spiced up with the wacky magician you've surely never seen before.

It will be fun!!

We look forward to seeing you all at Cirkus Solvej

Circus director Victor Høeg Abrahamsen with a pony

Zora Nikodemova is inside her giant balloon

Circus Solvej's tent has room for approx. 60 spectators.

6 June 2024

Wallman's JUBILEE. As always, there will be some circus artists in the performance when Wallmans in August opens the doors for their 20th anniversary dinner show JUBILEE in the Copenhagen Circus Building. The Wallman group's Artistic Director Johan Espeland has sent me the following information about the circus artists:

Martyna Majak. Get ready to drop your jaw when the circus artist Martyna from Poland impresses with her "aerial spiral" high up under the dome of the Circus Building.

Since 2010, Martyna has performed both in and outside of Europe, and now the turn has come to the Copenhagen Circus Building. With her special aerial spiral, Martina challenges the law of gravity when she uses the spiral in the most beautiful way to do world-class acrobatics out in the audience.

Dmitry Karpenko. Look forward to meeting a circus artist out of the ordinary: Dmitriy from Ukraine. Dmitriy is trained in both ballet, circus acrobatics and performing arts, and over the past 13 years has thrilled audiences with his talents in over 1,000 shows in 70 different countries plus a full Wallmans season in 2023-2024 with us in the Copenhagen Circus Building. Hold your breath and get ready to be impressed when Dmitriy with incredible strength and flexibility performs an act in aerial straps high up under the magic dome of the Circus Building.

In season 2023/24 Dmitriy Karpenko performed as the picture shows in tissue. In the upcoming season he will do an act in aerial straps. Press photos from Wallmans. Photographer: John Resborn

Kamila Ganclarska. Our Polish circus performer Kamila was on the Polish national gymnastics team as a youngster. She is trained in ballet, and has also studied dance at the Broadway Dance Centre in New York. Since 2005, she has performed all over the world as a circus performer, has been part of the world's largest touring show “Odysseo" by Cavalia, as well as appearing on “The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. In 2020, Kamila created a completely new and innovative acrobatic act, where she combines her hanging hair with an "aerial hoop", and now it's time to show it off in the magical setting of the Circus Building. Look forward to seeing Kamila when she beautifully combines her technical skills with great flexibility and charisma.

In addition to the circus artists mentioned you will meet singers and dancers in the show. The language is English.

5 June 2024

Small Danish Circus Krone on the road again. In a press release the owner Frank Thierry writes (my translation):

Denmark's smallest but nicest family circus goes on a real circus tour after a 5-year break.

This is good news for families – and especially the little ones – who love the circus.

Cirkus Krone is a cosy, intimate and family-friendly circus that is especially aimed at the little ones. Here, children learn to see a real circus. Krone has 85 years of family history behind it and was founded by 1st generation Regner Thierry. Then Irene Thierry took over and in 2017 the 3rd generation took over the small circus.

Circus director Frank Thierry is looking forward to presenting the family-owned and family-run circus, which is characterized by doing circus with the heart - and down to earth. However, without compromising on the artistic level and entertainment value.

- Due to the pandemic and the resulting pressure on the economy, in recent years we have not been able to present a real circus tour, but we are offering it this year Frank Thierry says. He has still his mother, the 77-year-old circus queen, Irene Thierry, with both in the ring but to the highest degree also as a consultant and adviser.

- Cirkus Krone has always been a family circus, and this will be cemented to that extent by this season. The majority of the staff is family, and we have a new concept this year. After a 5-year break, we thought there is room to do something different from what we usually have done.

We still have performances in a tent - for us, this is how circus should be experienced. It must also be done with heart and lots of humour, and we guarantee that, says the 56-year-old circus director.

Circus Krone starts its season at Sejs on 5 June and then continues touring Jutland and Funen. The new thing this year is that this season we spend several days in the same larger city and thus do not have as many one-day stands on the programme.

- Partly to not wear ourselves out, but also to be able to keep a reasonable ticket price, as we can keep costs down by not moving as much. We want everyone – regardless of financial ability – to be able to take the family and especially the children to the circus. We feel obliged to learn children to go to the circus and to show what the circus is, without the ticket prices skyrocketing in packages of tingle-tangle and bling-bling, Frank Thierry says.

Also new this year is that the performances are of approx. one hour duration - without a break.

- We believe that it gives the opportunity for the little ones and dad to enjoy the whole show, the circus director says.

What can you experience in Circus Krone this year?

In the ring you will find Allando the Clown and his good friend Pingo. Allando is back in his usual and proper folds and has some of his well-known entrées. In addition, he is assisted by the circus queen Irene Thierry in one of their joint musical acts.

Allando and the Penguin. All artist photos are press photos from Circus Krone

We also have a live orchestra under the direction of the only member Frank, who will accompany some of the acts. The very popular number "children's acrobatics" will also be featured in this year's show performed by Irene and Frank Thierry. Here, possible upcoming artists will have the opportunity to get up close to the magic of the circus ring. You will also be able to see a giant frog "Sascha the Frog" who will do a rather spectacular contortion number. Sascha, who is from Ukraine but lives in France, will twist his body in all possible directions. There are arms and legs everywhere.

Sascha the Frog. The guests at the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival saw him last year under his baptismal name Oleksandr Yenivatov. He is educated first at the circus school in Lougansk, Ukraine and then at Nikouline Circus, Moscow. Click here to watch a video clip from his track.

Aurélie comes from France and performs a very beautiful and powerful handstand act on a table. All in all, its simplicity quite impressive. The performance is linked together by our ingenious and whimsical circus director Frank Thierry.

Aurélie (Aurelie Brua Yenivatov). She is married to Oleksandr Yenivatov. She also took part in last year's performance in the night cabaret, where she presented a number in double pole. However, Circus Krone's tent is too low for her to do the pole number.

The tent is smaller, but more intimate, with space room for 225.

- The kiosk wagon is also small, the benches and prices are low (DKK 160), but the entertainment is top class. In short – small but good and as always... circus with heart.

Circus Krone will use the same two pole tent as in 2018.

24 May 2024

Danish Circus Krone 2024. The Thierry family's small Jutland Circus Krone has not been on tour 2018. But from 5 June you can meet them again. First in Jutland and then on Funen and Ærø. They write (my translation):

“Circus Krone once again welcomes you to Denmark's friendliest family circus. After a few years of involuntary break, there is again circus atmosphere in our small tent. Allando the clown has returned to his familiar surroundings; we are happy about that - and I wonder if he will bring a friend with him :)

Allando

Our whimsical and witty circus director guides us through the show, which in addition to members from the Krone family (i.e. the Thierry family) is also peppered with international artists.

New times, new measures. Among other things, new is that we have dropped the interval and made the first set longer, so that the performance now lasts approx. one hour. We believe that even the little ones, and dad, will enjoy :)

Circus Krone is small, but good - and as always Circus with Heart. The seats are unnumbered and therefore all seats are first come, first served. They cost DKK 160 + a fee of DKK 10 when purchased online.

You can find the tour schedule for Circus Krone and the other Danish circuses in What’s on

22 May 2024

New show at Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building.

The season at Wallmans runs from the end of August to mid-June. The current show CAKE has its last performance on Saturday 15 June.

In October 2004, Wallman's very first Danish dinner show premiered in the building. Apart from the corona year, they have presented a completely new show every year since then. The upcoming show, which will be shown for the first time on Friday 23 August, is a 20-year anniversary show JUBILEE.

Wallmans writes:

The countdown is on! On Friday 23 August we open the doors to our anniversary show JUBILEE.

JUBILEE is a tribute to you and all our many, lovely guests, who for 20 years have helped create a huge PARTY here in the iconic Circus Building.

Look forward to a fantastic journey filled with the biggest hits from names like Prince, Coldplay and Taylor Swift, seductive dance, crazy humour, nerve-wracking acrobatics and magnificent scenography.

Soon we can reveal more, but one thing is certain: JUBILEE will be full of spectacular sensory impressions.

The show culminates in a spectacular pop finale, which also kicks off the party on the dance floor in the Circus Building’s nightclub. So come and join us as we celebrate our 20th anniversary with lots of love, confetti and surprises.

Welcome to Denmark’s biggest party!

Wallmans Dinnerparty is an international show that is performed primarily in English and can therefore be enjoyed by both young and old. NB! One of the show acts will be in Danish. Language with sexual references occurs. We reserve the right to make changes in the composition and content of the show, in case the artists are injured or ill.

The names of the performers have not yet been announced. But in addition to singers and dancers, some talented artists usually take part. Some of their artist has been nominated for the prize for the year's best act from the Danish Circus Award.

Fra from the final in he 2023/24 showe Cake

16 May 2024

Circus Trapez 2024. In terms of performers, Circus Trapez has so far had some problems, as several of the engaged artists did not arrive as planned. And the clown Gabor had announced in advance that due to other engagements he could not come until the beginning of May. As mentioned on 9 May, Circus Trapez has had a number of different artists in the performances until now. But at the performance on 14 May in Birkerød, the team of artists which the audience can experience in the coming months was in place.

Circus Trapez small tent in Birkerød. Inside the tent there are two rows of ringside chairs and small grandstands with benches to the right and left of the entrance.

This year's performance is a themed performance called In the world of dreams. It is a story about the young circus princess who has always loved circus and whose biggest dream is to become a circus director. In a dream, she sees that dreams can come true. The character of circus princess is performed by the young aerial acrobat Jasmin Nørgård. She received her first artist training with Einar Trie at the Circus Factory in Salling (a youth circus). Jasmin has previously performed at Katja Schumann’s Circus Farm in Løkken. Last year she was part of Circus Tropez’s open-air performances.

Perhaps due to the changes in the artist composition, including artists who had just arrived, the theme in the performance in Birkerød did not work quite as well as Isabella Enoch Sosman had hoped for.

The performance began with Jasmin sleeping and then waking up to her dream with a short charivari with all the artists in the ring.

Circus Princess Jasmin Nørgård

From the opening charivari

First act was Bernhard Kaselowsky with a pony which could calculate.

Bernhard Kaselowsky with the pony which can calculate

The next act was Swetla Roslyakova with trained ferrets. A number you rarely see in a circus. The last time we saw it in Denmark was at Benneweis in 2014, where it was Swetla's daughter Anelya Roslyakova who presented the act. The act did well in Circus Trapez's small tent.

The Babuska Swetla with one of her ferrets

The ferrets were followed by the young juggler Zsolt Dudas, who was also part of some of Circus Trapez's performances in 2023.

Zsolt Dudas comes from Hungary. He is 23 years old

Now Jasmine Nørgård came into the arena with an acrobat act performed in a rack, reminiscent of the one hotel staff use when they move suitcases around.

Acrobatics in a suitcase rack

After a short run-in with Gabor, where he i.e. presented rola bola with a boy from the audience on his back, the Duo Twins entered the ring with a good act in aerial straps. The two young twin brothers come from Ukraine, but live in Germany, and was engaged at short notice as replacements for artists who have not yet arrived.

The central character of the performance was the Hungarian reprise clown Gabor. He was also with Trapez in 2023 and has performed in a large number of circuses, e.g. for several seasons at Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey in the USA

Duo Twins in aerial straps

After another run-in with Gabor - the one where he throws a big ball out to the audience - Bernhard Kaselowsky entered the ring with 4 ponies.

Bernhard and his ponies

The first act after the interval was a comedy feature with the juggler Zsolt Dudas, who among other things used a drum set.

Zsolt Dudas does a drum solo.

Next, Swetla Roslyakova was back in the ring, this time with a fine act with trained cats.

Swetla with one of her cats

Gabor had a short run-in where he got help from 3 children from the audience to spin plates on a stick.

Next, Zsolt Dudas was back with an entrée that, among other things, offered juggling with hats and cigar boxes.

Zsolt Dudas with cigar boxes.

Now there were animals in the ring once again: Bernhard Kaselowsky with a Friesian horse. If you exclude ponies, this is the only horse we experience this year in a touring Danish circus! Thought-provoking, since the circus originated as horse shows with interspersed acrobatic acts. Today, circuses have far fewer animals than in the past, and some circuses have chosen not to have animals in the performance.

The only horse that we can experience this year in a touring circus in Denmark

After the horse, Jasmin Nørgård came into the ring with an excellent number in tissue.

Jasmin in  hanging strips of fabric, called tissue or arial silks in the circus language

The last act was the best in the performance: Duo Twins with a hand-to-hand number with several comic elements.

Duo Twins ended their entrée with balancing head-to-head

The performance ended with the grand finale, where Isabella Enoch introduced the performers and also mentioned the technical staff. The performance lasted just under two hours, with a break for pony rides for children who did not weigh more than 35 kilos.

Circus Trapez has come to Zealand because they were engaged to perform at the Græsted veteran meeting in the Whitsun. They wanted to try their luck on Zealand when they were there anyway. But it is not easy to draw an audience in a part of the country where the Trapez name is completely unknown. Some performances have been sparsely attended – in Birkerød only approx. 40 spectators. In addition to usual performances, they have had some short performances at nursing homes in Zealand. Last day in Zealand is May 26. The tour then continues to Funen and Jutland.

True to tradition, Circus Trapez will have performances in a tent in Madsbyparken in Fredericia during the summer holidays. This year from 6 July to 4 August. It is Isabella's son David Sosman who will manage the performances in Madsbyparken this year. His girlfriend Soley from Germany will dance and join in some illusions. While the young people are in Madsbyparken, Isabella and Bernhard continue the tent tour. Perhaps with slightly different artists than mentioned above.

13 May 2024

In Jørgen Lorenzen's review on 2 May of this year's performance in Circus Mascot, he wrote that it was the clown Gulio's daughter Juliya who performed as a slinky doll. This was wrong: it is the juggler and parterre acrobat Oleksi who is inside the slinky. The 18-year-old Juliya has two other entrées: as the teeth in Gulio's first act and in an act with dancing dolls – a couple dancing together, where Juliya on all fours uses her hands as the lady's legs, see photo.

10 May 2024

The Circus farm in Løkken 2024. Katja Schumann's circus farm in the seaside resort Løkken in the northern part of Jutland open the season on Whit Saturday, May 18, where there is a performance at 16. Until the end of June there is performances every Saturday and Sunday at 16. From 2 July to 11 August there is a performance every day at 16, however not on Mondays. The address is Vrenstedvej 287, DK-9480 Løkken.

The Circus Farm write (my translation)  

The performances are Schumannship. This means that the horses are in the centre. Animals and people in harmony, it's riding and circus art. Circus dressage, where the foundation is trust and everything is of the highest quality, for which Schumann is world-renowned. It takes 4-6 years to train a good high school horse.

With us, we don't just do tricks, but let you experience real circus dressage! Both in liberty and under when riding. The horses show their ability in all disciplines. After all, we train all disciplines on the farm. The sports horses known from the horse competitions can also be seen with us in the ring.

You will also experience different animals displayed in the ring, where the overarching theme is raising and training animals in the absolute humanistic way.

The circus farm is owned by Katja Schumann. Katja Schumann is born in 1949 as daughter of Max and Vivi Schumann. At the age of 10, she made her debut in Circus Schumann in the Copenhagen Circus Building, where she performed as a ballerina on horseback. In the following years, she was seen together with other members of the Schumann family with high school riding and liberty dressage. When Circus Schumann stopped in the Circus Building after the 1969 season, Katja Schumann performed in a number of other circuses all over the world. At the very first Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 1974, she was awarded the La Dame du Cirque prize. In 1976 she won gold at the first Circus World Championship in London. When her father Max Schumann started a tent circus in 1977, Katja was one of the main forces, both artistically and in other areas. When Circus M. Schumann stopped after the 1982 season, she went to USA, where she for many years was responsible for the horse acts in the Big Apple Circus and was married to the director Paul Binder. The marriage was dissolved in 2004. Katja then joined the American Circus Flora until she returned to Denmark in 2008, where she performed in Circus Dannebrog. After that, for a few years she was connected to Luffe Bøgh's No Name Circus project in Solbjerg, north of Hadsund, Denmark. In 2012 and 2013, Katja toured in the summer season with Circus Mascot.

In 2015, Katja Schumann bought a disused agricultural property outside the Danish seaside resort Løkken, where she and Luffe Bøgh have created an impressive circus farm with a focus on animals. There is also an arena with a ring for performances and an environment that every summer attracts many visitors. 2022, Katja Schumann received the honorary award The Danish Circus Award. It was presented to her by the Danish Minister of Culture.

9 May 2024

Isabella Enoch Sosman's small Circus Trapez has been touring Zealand since 3 May with some changes in the artists in the performances, as not all the engaged artists have arrived or have obtained the necessary visas. When Jörgen Börsch saw the performance on 8 May in Greve, Zora Nikodemova was among the performers with her giant balloon. But it was just a few days that Zora has helped Isabella. Among the others who have helped for a few days are the young magician and ventriloquist Daniel Odvig, as well as the juggler Jonathan Zeuten. Jörgen Börsch, who believes that there must be animals in a real circus performance, was delighted that Circus Trapez offered both ponies, cats and ferrets. Cirkus Trapez will be touring Zealand until May 26. The tour then continues to Funen. Smartphone photos, taken by Jörgen Börsch.

3 May 2024

Sirkus Jesper 2024. The Norwegian Sirkus Jesper's performances are themed performances, built over the character gallery from When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town, where the robber Jesper ends up becoming a circus director. It is a stationary tent circus located in Kristiansand Zoo. This year there are performances from 15 June to 11 August 2024.

Lasse Nørager, aka the clown Bonbon, writes (my translation):

Kristiansand Zoo buys a brand-new tent and grandstand for Sirkus Jesper this year.

It is supplied by Raap Planen und Zelte in Germany and Anceschi in Italy, respectively. The equipment is specially designed for Sirkus Jesper's circus lot in Kristiansand Zoo and there will be details on both the tent and the grandstand which normally isn’t possible for a touring circus. Everything is about to be ready for departure from the suppliers and the first set-up is planned for 15 May.

As our circus lot is on top of a mountain, we had to drill and fasten all anchor points into the rock. We are currently working on this work.

The performance is completely new, which in Sirkus Jesper means that a new script and new songs will be written for the theater part of the performance. Music is written and recorded for both theater and artist numbers.

The Bonbon family is again represented. Bonbon (and Tiina) with a few of his classic entrées which hasn’t been presented for many years in the context of Sirkus Jesper. Julia with a brand-new number on tight wire and in a juggler duo together with Joakim, who also comes with new comic intermezzos. (Julia and Joachim is Lasse and Tiinas children). Freddi Steckel in various comic, musical and artistic run-ins. Heidi Latva from Finland with roller skating and in trapeze. Heidi lives in Odense, where she works with the Dynamo contemporary circus ensemble, but has previously also worked in traditional circuses such as Circus Dannebrog and Finnish Sirkus Finlandia. Canadian Duo Pile ou Face with cyrwheel and their unique swaypole lantern, probably best known to Danes from Wallmans in Copenhagen.

Duo Pile ou Face in Swaypole at the Circus Festival in Budapest

In addition, well-known characters from Cardemom town in the form of the robbers Kasper, Jesper and Jonatan as well as little Kamomilla. Circus director Jesper is played by two well-known musical actors from Oslo, who share part. Kamomilla is played by 3 local girls aged 8-11, who are child actors associated with the Zoo and Kilden (well-known regional theater in Kristiansand). Kasper is played as something completely new this year, by Frodo Sandven, better known as Captain Frodo, who will show completely new sides of himself, e.g. in a chaotic illusion number. Jonatan, who, as you know, plays everything, is played by the drummer and jack of all trade artist Henning Amstrup.

From previous year's performance in Zirkus Jesper. Press photo from Kristiansand Zoo

2 May 2024

Circus Mascot 2024. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance in Ulstruphallen on 1 May at 17 and writes (my translation):

There was a high sky and bright sun outside. Even so, 300 – adults and children l – audiences had opted out of the sunshine outside and instead enjoyed the light from the limelight inside the sport centre.

And they got a child-friendly and happy performance. A circus performance must not only be judged on good raw materials - the artists and what they do - but also seen as a whole, where the presentation is important: how do the lights and sound work? Does it support the artists' performance? And how is the performance's composition, tempo and tempo changes.

Here it worked fine, and you can feel it when the audience maintains their concentration right to the end, and you feel it yourself when you think: I wish there was more. You can feel Daniel Deleuran's steady hand behind everything that happens along the way.

Oleksi started with a stylish juggling act with balls. His plastic movements and playful jumps led the thought of sense and play. Classic, simple - but still hideous. And beautiful. And a pleasure to watch.

Oleksi and his juggling balls. Press photo from Circus Mascot

Daniel Deleuran welcomed, but Gulio the clown interfered, and an overgrown denture broke in, admonishing all the children to brush their teeth after all the candy they ate. Fun, gags, laughs and a bit of splashing with (mouth) water.

Marianne Deleuran's poodles - yes, you've seen them before. And yet not. Because something new is added all the time, and the 8 doggies seem well-informed, trusting and full of canine skills. It seemed fresh and different from the last time you saw it.

Gulio juggled pot lids. Several people from the audience helped to keep the pots moving.

Julia then appeared as a slinky doll – a limbless snake, somewhere between monster, robot and mythical creature. And the superhuman fantasy creature changed colour along the way. The children in the hall were delighted - and dumbfounded by the many impressions.

Gegei had a good acrobatic act – a mixture of handstand and contortionism. It ended with her shooting to the target from a bow with her feet, standing in a handstand – with her back to the target. Oddly enough, you've seen it several times in Danish circuses in recent years.

Gegei. Photo Anny Schaldemose

The last act before the interval was two goats, presented by Marianne.

After the break, Gulio amused himself with a hula hoop. Several people from the audience helped, and great cheers arose when a spectator could really swing the ring - far better than Gulio.

Then came the pigs Yrsa, followed by Sille and Wilma. They could do a little bit of everything, e.g. playing ball, where they used their mouths to move the ball forward. And in the end, Dannebrog came out on top of the flagpole.

The Danish flag Dannebrog was hoisted. Photo Anny Schaldemose

Tex the calculating pony has expanded his skills. Now he can distinguish between the colours, and it proved this by – on command – finding the scarf with the right colour.

Gulio entered as master conductor. The orchestra was composed of 4 from the audience. That entrée is regularly experienced in Danish circus rings. It can succeed if the actors feel safe and play along instead of against. And finally, it must not be too long-winded, because then the comic disappears, which turns into the boring.

The final act was Gegei and Oleksi in a nice parterre number. Acrobatics with lifts, positions, handstands and throws with the bodies. An effective way to end the performance.

Gegei and Oleksi. Press photo from Circus Mascot

As I said: good flow, nice lighting, coordinated music, suitable tempo, variety and a fine interaction between people and animals. All that with only 5 artists. The audience was satisfied, and it is certain that they will want to come back next year. And that is the most important thing of all when the case has to be cut to the bone.

2 May 2024

Circus exhibition at the Theater Museum in Malmö, Sweden. The Theater Museum in Malmö has a number of special exhibitions in addition to their regular exhibitions. They have just opened a special exhibition about the circus and artists, including the in Sweden legendary Brazil Jack. The museum's address is Kalendergatan 5 C, Malmö. Only five minutes' walk from Central Station in Malmö. It is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 13 to 16. The entrance fee is SEK 30. Below, a number of photos from the new exhibition and some from the museum's permanent exhibitions.

In the permanent exhibition you will find this model of the Malmö Hippodrome, which was built in 1899 as a circus building with room for 1,400 spectators. From 1922 to 1949, the building was used as a theater. From 1950 to 1989, the Elim Assembly used it as a church. Since 1994, the building has been used as a theater again. Today, it houses Malmø City Theatre’s large stage.

In the permanent exhibition you will also find this model of Malmö's beloved clown Miko

1 May 2024

At Circus Baldoni's season opening in Hillerød, it was Kelly Saabel and not as stated in the printed program Diana Boiachin who we saw in the aerial ring. Diana was not quite fit to take to the air after given birth to a son in the beginning of March, even with a caesarean section. But at the performance in Allerød on April 30, Diana was ready to go to the air with her beautiful number. At the same time, minor changes had taken place in the order of the numbers in the performance.

27 April 2024

On April 14, I wrote that the small Swedish Circus Rhodin did not have a printed program. They didn't have that at the premiere in Malmö. But now they have a printed program where you can see photos and read about this year's artists.

26 April 2024

Dansk Cirkus Forum is the name of a new Facebook group for people who love Danish circuses. On the page you can e.g. every Friday during the circus season find an overview of where you can find circuses in the coming week. The language of the page is Danish, but there are lots of pictures.

All those interested in circus are welcome as members of the new Facebook group. As well as to make postings about Danish circuses.

 24 Apil 2024

New board for Danish Circus Friends Association. In connection with the association's annual meeting on 20 April, Kim Thanning Olsen, Ole Simonsen, John Lington and Joan Dansberg resigned from the board. As board members, the annual meeting re-elected Irene Hansen and newly elected Charlotte Ramsing Jensen, Pia Mortensen and Brian Behrendt. The board now consists of the persons mentioned and Bente Puggaard-Müller, who in 2023 was elected to the board for a 2-year term.

At a meeting on 24 April, the board constituted itself with Charlotte Ramsing Jensen as chairman, Brian Behrendt as treasurer and Irene Hansen as deputy chairman.

23 April 2024

World Circus Day 2024 in Denmark. As previous years, the day was celebrated at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, in cooperation with Danish Circus Friends Association and Circus Baldoni. On the occasion of the day, there was free entrance to the museum and a free guided tour.

At 11:45 there was an entertaining talk show with Tøffe, whose civil name is Per Tofte Nielsen. He talked about how he got started as a comedian, about the years at the amusement park Bakken, about his film jobs and about his tour as clown with Circus Baldoni in 2023.

At 1 pm you met the only 19-year-old juggler in Jonathan Zeuten in the Fencing Hall with one of the most entertaining jugglers shows I have seen for many years. I had wondered if a juggler could use 30 minutes  - a normal juggling entrée lasts less than 10 minutes. But time flew by in the humorous way Jonathan had chosen, featuring jugglers through the ages.

Photos Jacob Boas Leitisstein, Ole Simonsen and Mikkel Knudsen

At 14:10 there was a gala performance in Circus Baldoni. Normally, on World Circus Day they use a lot only a few hundred meters from the museum. But the heavy rain had unfortunately made the lot so wet that they had to use a lot at Hvidovre 361, a good 3 kilometres from the museum. Fortunately, many people found their way to the new lot and there was almost full house.

18 April 2024

Zirkus Nemo can celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. It is a combination of a circus and comedy show, owned by the actor and comedian Søren Østergaard. They write (my translation):

The anniversary will be celebrated with an anniversary performance, where we will surpass everything, we have presented in previous years. The audience will, among other persons, will have the opportunity to make meet old acquaintances such as Målermanden, Marianne, Baglænsmanden, Baker Jørgen, The Man who can't whistle, Kim Tim, the Smash Man and many more. (Editors comment: all of then parts performed by Søren Østergaard).

Zirkus Nemo is also known for presenting some of the world's most talented artists. This year you can meet nerve-wracking acrobatics from Isabela y Ernesto, the jugglers Strahlemann & Söhne and many more international artists.

Isabela and Ernesto Alves present an aerial act in Russian cradle. It is their first time in Denmark. Click here to watch a video clip from the act.

Strahleman & Söhne (Pat and Leif Gordon) have previously performed in the Night Cabaret at Aarhus Festival. There they presented an act where the juggled with clubs while removing their suits, ties, shirts and trousers - to end the number as impeccably dressed as when they opened it.

The names of the other performers have not yet been announced. But at Nemo, it is mainly Søren Østergaard that the Danish audience comes to see.

The Smash Men believes that he and not Søren Østergaard is the biggest draw. Press photo from Zirkus Nemo. Photographer: Steen Brogaard.

16 April 2024

New premiere city for Zirkus Nemo. For many years, Zirkus Nemo has had its season opening in Horsens. That was also the plan for this year. But the recent months' heavy rain has made the lot in Horsens so soft that Zirkus Nemo now has chosen to move the national premiere on 27 April to Vejle.

Other circuses are also bothered by the soft lots. For example, Circus Baldoni has had to move the performances on April 19 and 20 from Avedørelejren to a lot at Hvidovrevej 361, close to Frihedens Shopping Centre. The performance 20 April is a gala performance celebrating World Circus Day.

14 April 2024

Correction to the reviews of the performances in Circus Arli and Circus Baldoni.

Martin Arli has told us that it was not true when we wrote that Adriana Wolf had not previously performed in Circus Arli. She was part of the performance in 2014, where she did foot juggling. In the same season, her father and uncle toured with Arli under the artist name Wolf Brothers.

It has also been brought to my attention that at the premiere in Circus Baldoni it was Kelly Saabel and not Diana Boiachin who performed in the aerial ring. It is probably the idea that Diana will take over the act later in the season.

14 April 2024

Circus Rhodin 2024. The small Swedish circus had its premiere at the shopping centre Mobilia's parking lot in Malmö on Good Friday 29 March. I saw the performance on April 1st. A nice performance, which will surely please the audience in the smaller Swedish towns that they visit during the season.

The small tent can seat well over 200 spectators on 2 rows of ringside chairs and 3 rows of benches without backrests.

The central character in the performance was the Bulgarian clown Dimo, who has also previously been with Circus Rhodin. He is what in the old days was called a run-in clown, i.e. a clown with very short entrées between the other acts.

The performance started with Dimo briefly entering the ring before circus director Diana Rhodin welcomed.

Diana Rhodin herself presented the numbers in her small circus.

The first artist number was a nice act with glass balance, performed by Maksym with Olena as partner. They both come from Ukraine.

Sword balancing with a tray with glass on top

Dimo now had a short entrée, where he was bothered by baby cries from the rows of spectators. Finally, he found the crying baby (a doll).

Dimo and the baby

Next came Duo Esenbekovi into the ring with a nice quick-change number with many changes. Both in "bags" (see photo) and in a "cabinet" in front of the artist entrance

Quick change of clothes. Later in the performance we met the couple on roller skates

Dimo now had a short run-in with a large ball.

The next number was the 13-year-old Maksym Jr. with an impressive handstand number. He might be a rising star.

If the Swedes had a talent prize Maksym Jr. might be considered

Now followed a short limbo intermezzo with Dimo and two spectators.

The first act after the break was 16-year-old Yana, who did acrobatics in a rotating heart-shaped prop, see photo. She is daughter of Veselka Medieval and Nedyalko Vaskov. As a little girl, she performed with her parents in the small Danish Circus Krone.

As a little girl, Yana performed with hula hoops. Now she shows acrobatics in the rotating prop

After another short run-in with Dimo, Diana Rhodin entered the ring with her 3 dogs. An excellent act that shows that the quality of a dog act does not depend on the number of dogs.

Diana Rhodin and her dogs. In previous years, she has also had ponies in the show.

Next, Nedyalko did cube juggling. Danish circus friends remember him from Circus Baldoni, Circus Krone and Circus Trapez.

Nedyalko with cube juggling

Dimo now entered the ring with a dripping package. He tasted the drops and thought they were whiskey. The package turned out to contain a toy dog. The entrée is presented by many other clowns with a live dog.

The next act was an aerial number with Maksym and Olena.

Maksym and Olena were responsible for the performance's aerial number

Dimo then had the well-known entrée with the radio, which he was not allowed to turn on, and which was smashed and ended up in a rubbish bin. And made a sound every time he lifted the lid.

Last act was Abdynaly Abdi Kydyraliev and Mariana with a nice roller-skating number. Where most roller-skating artists perform on an approx. 1-meter-high podium shaped like a round table Abdi and Marianna use a quite low podium. They come from Kirgizstan, and you met them earlier in the performance with quick change under the name Duo Esenbekovi.

On roller skates

Final

Just as Circus Brazil Jack, Circus Rhodin does not have a printed program. The experience is that fewer and fewer people buy a program. Those interested can find the names of the performers online.

11 April 2024

Circus Baldoni – Nostalgia and new adventures. This year's performance is called Nostalgi og nye eventyr (Nostalgia and new adventures). This covers the fact that the audience meets both veterans and very young artists. In a successful mix.

The tent was packed at the premiere on the somewhat swampy lot at on Kirsebær Allé in Hillerød

Last year, the stand-up comedian Amin Jensen was the performance's ringmaster. Some liked him, but several missed the more youthful style which Peter Nørgaard introduced when he was ringmaster in 2021 and 2022. This year, at the suggestion of Peter Nørgaard, Circus Baldoni has entrusted the task of ringmaster to the young Mickey Juel Prüssing. Judging by the reactions at the premiere in Hillerød on April 9, the choice of the singing and dancing Mickey was very much to the audience's liking.

Lots of dynamics with Mickey as ringmaster. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After Mickey Juel Prüssing's welcome, where he both sang and danced, three riders briefly entered the ring riding on inflatable plastic horses. Baldoni has opted out of having live animals in the performance. It doesn't seem as their audience misses the animals.

The first artist number was three young guys from Hungary, who under the name «Artist of Dance» showed a fast-paced knock-about table act.

One of the classic stunts in a table act. Usually, it is performed by a duo. But at Baldoni there were three in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After a short interlude with Mickey and the lion Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll), Diana Boiachin entered the ring. We saw her last year in Circus Baldoni with an act in hanging pole and an adagio number together with her husband in Nandor Varadi. This year she presented a completely different act, where she made giant soap bubbles and finally wrapped a little girl in a bubble.

Diana Boiachin and her bubbles. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After a short run-in with the clown José Michel, there was an interlude with Mickey singing about how it wasn't him at all, but the artists, who were at the center in the performance.

Next José Michel entered the ring with one of his classics, where he mimed with a mop in his hand to the old 80s hit Save my love. An entrée which always brings happiness. We have previously seen the clown Danilo do it at Baldoni. But it is not José who has been inspired by Danilo. It was Danilo, who was inspired by José's entrée.

The hair on the mop is used as a wig when José mimes Renato's voice. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Now the young Kelly Saabel entered the ring in a Viking ship, the deck of which was used as a podium for her beautiful handstand act. The act ended with her using her feet to shoot an arrow from a bow and puncture a balloon on a target. In first attempt! Impressive.

Kelly Saabel. Her younger sister Jennifer is touring with Circus Arli, assisted by her mother. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After the interval, Diana Boiachin came back in the ring. Or rather over the ring. She did acrobatics in an aerial ring. It was not to be seen that she a month before the start of the season had become the mother of a son – her and Nandor's child no. 2.

A new mother in aerial ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, Artists of the Dance returned to the arena. This time with a terrific breakdance number.

One of the three Hungarian breakdancers. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Most circus performances feature a juggling act. Baldoni's juggler of the year was, just like last year, Nandor Varadi with Diana Boiachin as assistant. The entrée ended with Nandor juggling lit torches.

Nandor can juggle with seven clubs. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Now it was time for the number that the older circus friends had been looking forward to: José Michel and Mrs. Giulia's entrée as musical clowns. José is one of the veterans of the circus world: He was born in 1962. The first time we saw him in Denmark was at Benneweis in 1987, where he was the youngest member of the Michel family's clown trio Los Michels. Many old circus friends found it nostalgic when José and his wife played Over the Rainbow on tenor sax and soprano sax respectively from opposite sides of the tent. Next came their well-known funnel gag. I've seen it done by others, but never as well as José and Guilia do it. They are absolutely terrific! The act ended with another musical feature.

Giulia with soprano sax

Music in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

"I love watching Jose and Giulia Michel and their wonderful water act and always get a little tear in my eye when they stand on opposite sides of the tent between the audience and play "Somewhere over the Rainbow"... They bring back wonderful childhood memories ❤️ Thank you for a lovely premiere evening at Cirkus Baldoni 🌺🎉" writes the photographer Lise Kokholm, who sent me this photo.

Thanks to Circus Baldoni, Danes can experience classic musical clowns for the first time in many years. Even world class clowns.

After an interlude with Mickey and Leonardo, Ukrainian Ruslan Islamov entered the ring with a cool number in aerial straps. His spouse is Kelly Saabel, who, however, was not part of Ruslans act.

A cool guy in the air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, we had reached the final, where Mickey Juel Prüssing led the artists to the tunes of Queen's well-known song We are the Champions song with the text We are in Baldoni.

From the final. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance.

The premiere performance was deservedly greeted with a standing ovation.

From the after-party of the Baldoni premiere: Even if you are a circus director, the season and the lot are not always for patent leather shoes! Photo: Preben Palsgård

9 April 2024

Cirkus Arli 2024 – rush in the skirts. There was a rush in the skirts when the actress and musical performer Tara Toya was the first to come into the ring at the premiere on 7 April. Tara is married to Alexander Arli and thus the daughter-in-law of the circus owners Martin and Bettina Arli. Although she has plenty of stage experience, it was her debut in the circus. She did it very well - "Tara's debut was a breath of fresh air for the show," writes the young circus friend and circus photographer Jacob Boas Leitisstein.

Tara was a breath of fresh air in the performance. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

It was the 44th time an Arli premiere took place next to the Mill Hill in the Copenhagen suburb Fløng. This year in a completely new tent – a 2-pole yellow and orange Scola Teloni tent with room for for 220 spectators. The tent is just like the old tent 18 meters in diameter. But 1½ meters higher, which makes it possible to have more aerial acts than possible in the old tent.

Circus Arli next to the Mill Hill in Fløng

Einlass – the circus term for when you let the spectators into the tent.

As mentioned, the performance started with Tara entering the ring. She sang a brand new welcome song and then handed over the microphone to Bettina Arli, who welcomed and presented the year's first artist number: Polupans with a fine and fast-paced act, where they mixed acrobatics with juggling with buckets. A terrific way to start a performance !

Terrific acrobatics and juggling with buckets

Then Martin Arli entered the ring with cosy magic, something Arli's faithful audience loves. The entrée ended with the floating table trick. The prop teased a bit at the premiere, which the seasoned Martin managed well.

The floating table. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

He was followed by a nice slinky number, where it was Adriana Wolf who was inside the tubes. Adriana is new in Arli's ring, but has previously been around with Circus Arli together with her parents David Wolf and his wife. But without performing. Today she is married to the trapeze artist Antonin Navratil. The couple have two children who are not much older than Martin and Bettina's grandchildren. Thus, with Adriana and Antonin, Martin and Bettina have at the same time once secured themselves skilled artists and playmates for the grandchildren.

In a Human Slinky, the performer is inside a suit made up of a kind of oversized exhaust tubes for cooker hoods

Now Tara came back and lured Alexandro (aka her husband Alexander) into the ring, where she wanted to show that she was the world's greatest marksman. A classic entrée which always brings happiness when Alexandro pops one balloon after another.

"I am the world's greatest marksman". Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

It is not every year that Circus Arli has animals in the performance. But when they have, it's always a high-quality acts. This is also the case this year, when they present the Saabel family's beautiful number with husky dogs. When the Danes first saw the number at Benneweis in 2011, it was Tiziana Saabel who presented the act, assisted by her and Bernhard's eldest daughter Alexandra. This year, the Saabel couple's youngest daughter Jennifer is in charge of the presentation – however, mother is in the background.

I had wondered in advance whether there was room for dogs, igloos and other equipment in Arli’s ring, which is not as big as the ring in the now closed Circus Benneweis. But it went well with having 6 beautiful husky dogs in the ring and proved that you can easily have such a world class act in a small ring.

A dog act far beyond the usual. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The first act after the break was an excellent number in aerial ring, performed by Adriana Wolf.

Adriana in the air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, there was a reunion with Jennifer Saabel, now as a foot juggler with props from Candyland. The act ended with her juggling 4 scarves being hoisted up under the circus dome. A great way to end the act!

Jennifer in the air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Hula hoop acts always works well when there are children in the tent. Jelena Vasiljeva – one half of Duo Polupans – did a fine act, where she was also hoisted into the air.

Jelena in the air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Then Tara once again lured Alexandro into the ring. She wanted to hypnotize him so she could stick knitting needles, a roasting fork and finally a garden hoe down his bum. A well-known entrée which always brings happiness.

When you are hypnotized, you cannot feel anything. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act in the performance was Antonin Navratil with impressive balancing skills in the Washington Trapeze. Finally, he balanced on his head blindfolded!

He is sometimes called Mad Tony. And you might have to be a little crazy before you dare to do this. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance.

In the final, all the performers entered the ring together with the youngest generation of the Arli family: Tara and Alexander's sons Noah and Jamie, aged 3 and 2 respectively. There was a well-deserved standing ovation.

Grandparents with grandchildren. From left Bettina, Jamie, Noah and Martin

4 April 2024             

Swedish Circus Brazil Jack 2024 – a good and fast-running performance. Seen at the Mill Square in Malmö, Sweden, on 1 April.

When Trolle Rhodin III a few years ago took over the management of the Swedish circus from his parents Trolle Rhodin JR and Carmen Lupasco Rhodin, he changed the concept.

He was tired of the Swedish animal rights activists' many demonstrations and at the same time believed that the audience's interest in seeing animals in the ring was declining. That is why he dropped presenting animal acts. He also chose to have comic acrobats in the ring instead of classic clowns, and opted for fast-running performances without a ringmaster and with a duration of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. The lighting was upgraded and the band was replaced by well-adapted pre-recorded music.

The new concept was liked by the Swedish audience. Nor will they be disappointed with Brazil Jack's 2024 performance, marking the 125th anniversary of Circus Brazil Jack. However, Cirkus Brazil Jack, which today is Sweden's largest circus, has not toured in all 125 seasons.

The comic acrobats Wolf Brothers (the tall David and his somewhat smaller older brother Richard) have, apart from the corona years, been with Brazil Jack since 2017. Previously, they have, among other engagements, toured with Danish Circus Arli.

When the audience entered the tent, they saw a hot air balloon with a gondola in the middle of the ring. When the performance started, the Wolf brothers entered the ring and the hot air balloon was used in an entrée in the style of their well-known comic trapeze act. A nice way to start the show.

Two balloon captains having troubles

Next Trolle Rhodin welcomed and introduced Warren Niemen with his crack of whip and lasso tricks. Warren showed with charm and energy everything you can do in that discipline. Trolle Rhodin's great-grandfather Brazil Jack performed, among other things. with such an act.

With crack of whip and later with lasso

Warren was followed by Michael Zorzan, who entered the ring with a small suitcase containing some diabolos. He then proved to be a true master, both getting diabolos up to the top of the tent and getting several diabolos in the air at once. He ended up having 5 diabolos in the air. Something I don't remember seeing others do.

Four diabolos in the air. A little later during the act the fifth diabolo also came into the air. Impressive!

The next act was The Jasters. They were also at Brazil Jack 8 years ago. Giacomo and Elena's fast-paced act, throwing knives and shooting crossbows, is as impressive as it was back then. Elena doesn't even blink when Giacomo, like another Wilhelm Tell, shoots an arrow through an apple that she carries on her head, or throws knives at a rapidly rotating disc that she is strapped to. Without hitting her! The Danes saw the number last year in Circus Arena and back in 2011 at Cirkus Benneweis.

Not many will dare to take over Elena's part in the act. But she trusts her husband's skills as a marksman and knife thrower

Next came the two Wolf brothers in the ring with 3 others of the show's artists. As old-fashioned acrobats, a bit like Fumagalli's entrée Fuma Boys. As in Fumagalli's entrée, the act ended with a spectator jumping onto a springboard which broke when he tried to send one of the artists into the air.

Acrobats like in the good old days

Now Warren Niemen came back into the ring. This time as a juggler who bounced up to 7 balls down the pedestal he was standing on. Impressive, but perhaps a little too long-winded.

7 balls in play

The last act before the interval was the well-known gag with 4 spectators who are placed on stools and lay down their upper bodies on each other's thighs. After which the stools are removed one at a time. Impressive for those who have not previously seen such an act. At Brazil Jack, it was the Wolf brothers who were responsible for the entrée.

The fourth and last stool is removed

First act after the break brought us up in the air. The young Anna Demeter showed a nice act beginning and ending in aerial rope, but where the majority of the act was what is called a cloud swing. She was hanging both by the neck and by one knee, see photo. It didn't bother me that she used a safety wire. Anna comes from the circus school in Budapest and is probably hoping that one of the foreign circus directors who visit Brazil Jack during the season will offer her a contract.

Not many will have the courage to hang by one knee in a swinging rope

After a comic entrée with the Wolf brothers and spinning plates, a younger member of the Jaster family entered the ring: Giacomo and Elena's daughter Susan, who together with her artist partner Jimmy showed a roller-skating act with everything such an act has to offer. An accident where Susan ended up on her bottom was perhaps faked to show how difficult the trick, which was performed flawlessly in the next round, was. Skating Jasters was also at Brazil Jack in 2022.

Skating Jasters

The last number of the performance was, just like last year, Diorio's troupe with their globe of death. It took some time to get the big globe into the ring. There were up to 4 riders in the globe, whose upper part could be lifted, so there was one rider below and three above. Not least young people like to see the brave stuntmen race around in this modern version of a marketplace wall of death.

The Diorios troupe has several units. There are 4 riders in the unit that appear at Brazil Jack.

In the final, the artists were greeted with a standing ovation

2 April 2024

Swedish Cirkus Olympia 2024. Jörgen Börsch attended he premiere in the Swedish circus on Saturday 23 March and writes (my translation):

Idyllically at the river Nissan, which flows through Oskarström, the Swedish Olympia had its national premiere as the season's first Swedish circus.

And it's not an acrobat/artist show, but a circus with horses, goats and dogs, clowning, "wheel of death", quick-change, rotating washing tubs, hula-hoop etc.

A small selection of the artists opened the 40th anniversary performance to a song by Swedish Josephine with the circus orchestra – percussionist, synthesizer and bandmaster on sax/trumpet (?). The trio is supported by pre-recorded music. Surprisingly good-sounding and effective.

A short welcome from the young director, Niklas Bengtsson, who appears more free and relaxed then earlier years.

And then Sonny Gärtner rode his bicycle around in a "bar-funnel", suspended above the ring. More unusual than dramatic. A different way to open a show.

Sonny Gärtner in his cycling drome. All photos are smartphone photos taken by Jörgen Börsch

Quickly thr reprise clown Tumpy entered and immediately created a positive and pleasant atmosphere by "just" walking around, throwing up popcorn and catching them with his mouth.

No less quickly, Tumpy finished his entrée, and Ukrainian Duo Drive entered "in the same second" and impressed with their quick-change. It took 12-14 shifts with enormous variety and lively smiles.

Quick changes of dress

Tumpy juggled balls and had spectators throw the balls at him and "caught" them in small net bags in a belt, and finally surprised with a giant ball!

Tumpy and his giant ball

Hardly had the cheering stopped before Henrika's lively wagging dogs entered the ring and, according to tradition, to the cheers of the audience, ran and jumped through rings and other props of varying sizes and designs at an enormous pace.

Henrika Bengtsson and her dogs are a regular and indispensable element in an Olympia performance

New Swedish talent, Frida Evelina Persson made her entrée smiling, calm and sensual in her glittering bodystocking. She was pulled up under the circus dome and presented a complicated aerial straps act where she truly "made curls on herself".

Is Frida the future Swedish Queen of the Air?

In full pelt and with somersaults, Daniel came from Ghana with a completely new discipline at our latitudes ... rotating washing-up tubs! On tiptoes and toes, stick in mouth and limbo-crawling under flames with a few saltos and smiles in between, the tubs spun safely and brightly.

Daniel on his way under the limbo bar

Spectators were also given a spinning tub to balance on a parasol tip. Non-stop in activity! (Daniel will be with a Danish circus next year).

Immediately after, Tumpy was in and the audience's laughter muscles were in full swing when he kindly got a spectator to limbo dance as well. But without flames.

Niklas Bengtsson announced the interval and offered the audience the opportunity to ride two large horses and a small pony.

Relaxed and almost discreet, the 2nd section was opened with Olympia's 6 Frisian horses... black and powerful, without harness. Liberty training covers Niklas Bengtsson's work and presentation really well, with all the classic formations beautifully sliding one after the other... without whiplash and eager commands. By the mind: are brown, spotted, golden and white horses visually more suitable in a circus?

Niklas and his black Frisian horses

Tumpy had an (apparently shortened) plate juggling and spinning intermezzo.

In came the mature and slightly strong (absolutely not negative meaning) looking couple, whimsically costumed: Duo Drive - Ukrainian Viyacheslav & Oksana. Last season they were the "Ersatz" number in the Olympia ring for 2 weeks. It was a glorious reunion with their remarkable hula-hoop act with unusual arts and combinations. ..... Extremely funny !

That Olympia is a circus is emphasized by the presentation of animals - well-kept and obviously very happy, if you can use that term. Natascha Jarz (Mrs. Niklas Bengtsson) in a dirndl costume tumbled with the circus' herd of goats, one of whom could also "nod" a ball into the goal!

Will the goat end up on the national soccer team?

Sonny Gärtner opened this year's Olympia show, and also closed it. With a Colombian partner and under the artist name Duo Shock, he showed effective jumps, skipping and blindfolded somersaults on the Wheel of Death.

High jumps on the outside of the wheel of death

After a pleasant, experience-rich 2 hours (plus break) it was the Grand Finale, where Sam Bengtsson, Gärtner and Duo Driver juniors, who had assisted in the circus's dog and goat acts, were called up and complimented!

Grand Finale

Russian Bandmaster Valentin Smirnov stood together with 2 musicians for good-sounding musical accompaniment assisted by pre-recorded music, arranged by Alex Bozic. The other Circus' musicians - all Ukrainian - could not come to Sweden this year due to the war between Russia's and Ukraine.

With hospitably and true to tradition, the Bengtsson family offered an after-party with "bubbles", cider, potato and fruit salad, soft roles and delicious cold cuts for all employees, tent workers, artists, Swedish Circus Academy members and guests.

Party in the ring

The circus season 2024 in Sweden has started with style!

29 March 2024

Circus Arena 2024. Opening night was on 25 March in a packed tent at Bellahoj, Copenhagen. In the colourful weekly magazines, you can read about the many celebrities who came to the premiere. But not so much as a word about the performance itself, although it certainly deserves to be mentioned. My good friend Jørgen Lorenzen, who has written several books and articles about circus and artists and made a few documentaries, would give it many stars if he were a reviewer. And several of the digital cultural medias have given the performance 5 out of 6 possible stars.

All of the tent's 1,293 seats were occupied for the premiere

This year's show is called Circus according to Bubber & Malene Qvist. As the name suggests, it is presented by the veteran Bubber together with the young singer Malene Qvist from the pop trio Sukkerchok. Among those who visit Circus Arena, Bubber is probably today better known today as the ringmaster in Arena than for the popular children's TV programs Bubber’s Bathtub which was broadcasted in the early 1990s. But Malene Qvist is from the generation who as a child saw Buber’s bathtub. Thus, she pays tribute to Bubber, who she remembers from her childhood TV shows, at the end of the performance.

After a rather long introduction with Bubber, who said that this year he was happy to be the only one to present the show, Malene entered the ring. Together they sang Circus Arena's welcome song Circus is in Town. At the end of the performance, Bubber explained that he was happy to be together with Malene and did not mean what he said when he told us that he would rather be alone.

Malene Qvist and Bubber. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

First artist act was Robi Berousek with ladder balance. The act ended with Robi juggling 5 clubs while balancing on the free-standing ladder. In addition to doing ladder balance act, he is also Circus Arena's head prop man.

The man on the ladder. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

For the first time in many years, there were no horses in Arena's performance. This year they have chosen to show some animals that we rarely see in a circus ring: 6 donkeys, presented and trained by Circus Arena's former elephant man Rudy Althoff.

Trained donkeys are a rarity in a circus arena. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Last year we experienced the knife throwers and crossbow shooters The Jasters in Circus Arena's arena. This year it was their daughter Jessica who entered the ring – her parents perform in the Swedish Cirkus Brazil Jack, where Jessica was last year. She presented a fine act where she juggled scarves with her feet. The end of the act, where she was hoisted under the circus dome while juggling, was both impressive and spectacular.

Up under the circus dome. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Then it was time for Arena's house clown Jimmy Folco with an entrée where he invited a boy into the ring. They were both drenched with raincoats and drinking bottles and spat out water so that the boy did the same as Jimmy. At the premiere, so convincing that one could suspect that the boy was a stooke. The entrance ended with Jimmy getting a bucket of water on his head.

Water splash. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next number was Duo Costache - Leonardo ”Iron Jaw” Costache and Mrs. Vita, who we have previously seen at Arena. This year they presented a completely new act in perch, where the props were inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's famous Vitruvian Man. Extremely spectacular. In the final trick, Leonardo carried a perch, at the top of which was a kind of pendulum, which Vita swung around, see photo. Impressive.

Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man

Leonardo Costace and Mrs. Vita's version of Vitruvian Man. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The pendulum swings – even 360 degrees around. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Last year, we saw David Hammarberg in tissue, while Julie Berthelsen sang. This year he performed in the bungee trapeze while Malene Qvist was singing.

David Hammarberg in bungee straps. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last number before the interval was 2 young artists who showed some of the tricks you can do on a BMX bike. They rode up and down ramps, and one rider jumped from pedestal to pedestal. Bubber told that they came from the Ukraine, and had left the country a few months before the war broke out. Since they have toured with their number outside Ukraine. If they went back to their homeland, they risked being sent to the trenches.

Ukrainian artists on BMX bikes. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The first act after the break was Skating New Vision, consisting of Jessica Jaster and Sonny Caveagna. At the premiere, they had an accident when one of his roller skates came too close to the edge of the circular platform and they both fell. They came up again, but were clearly affected by the accident and did only one more trick. The accident makes it difficult to give a fair assessment of the act. Jacob Boas Leitisstein, who this year has helped Arena with their press photos, tells that the act worked perfectly and without incident at the 3 dress rehearsal he had seen.

On roller skates. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Dogs in a ring always arouse cheers, not least from the younger part of the audience. In this year's performance, it was Fabiana Köhler who had 6 happy doggies of different breeds in the ring in a fun and well-executed number, which ended with the dogs going out in a row, see photos. The act and the final trick are reminiscent of Wolfgang Lauenburger's dog act, which was with Arena in 2010 and 2015. Fabiana's father Rudy Althoff had probably helped her with the training of the dogs. dressage. The dogs have previously been with Circus Louis Knie in Austria.

Fabiana and one of the dogs. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The dog parade. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Now the Garcia Brothers entered the ring with an act that must be an obvious candidate for nomination for this year's talent prize from the Danish Circus Award. Antonio and Connor Garcia, aged 17 and 21 respectively, showed pure acrobatics and handstand requiring both strength and a sence of balance. The performed partly individually and partly synchronously. In one of the handstand tricks, one brother used a segboard to stand on with his hands. Something I don't remember seeing before.

Handstand on segboard. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Two rising stars. Press photo from Circus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The two young super talents were replaced by Jimmy Folco, who had three men and a woman from the audience with him in the well-known rock band gag, It seemed as if the four volunteers in the ring were enjoying themselves. Important in these kinds of acts to take a no for a no and not to force spectators into the ring.

While Malene Qvist sang There is magic in the air, there was an entrée where Bubber was hoisted up under the circus dome in a fabric cabinet, which later turned out to be empty.

The last act in the show was the Garcia brothers' parents Pablo and Vicki Fosset Garcia with their space rocket. The number is just as strong and well performed as when we first time saw it at Arena in 2001. Since then they have been with Circus Dannebrog in 2008 and 2014 and with a comical Marry Poppins version of the act with Circus Benneweis in 2013. As mentioned, the number continues to impress. When they are not on tour they live in England. Pablo's father is Spanish and his mother is Irish. Viccki comes from the well-known English circus family Fosset.

Duo Garcia performs impressive acrobatics hanging from the underside of their space rocket. Press photo from Cirkus Arena, taken by Jacob Boas Leitisstein

As an introduction to the final, Malene Qvist sang Kim Larsen's One moment will be here silence. Both the performers and many from the audience used their mobile phones as lights.

A happy Benny Berdino was with good reason proud of his performance. And looked forward to welcome to Circus Arena's 70th anniversary performance next year. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein.

26 March 2024

The shark in the bathtub. In the March 21 review of the performance at the Norwegian Circus Arnardo, I gave the Swiss clown André the credit for inventing the gag with the shark in the bathtub. My English circus friend John Cooper has corrected me. The first time he saw such an act was in 1983, when he saw it performed by the Russian clown Andrei "Nico" Nicolajev, who, however, had a crocodile and not a shark as his opponent. Clown André had not started his clowning career in 1983.

25 March 2024

On March 25, Sweden's circus queen Carmen Lupasco Rhodin turns 70. She was born in Romania and came to Sweden in 1982 to work in the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack, where she later married the director Trolle Rhodin JR. Nowadays, Cirkus Brazil Jack is run by the couple's son Trolle Rhodin III, who, however, receives good help from Carmen.

Carmen Rhodin

Trolle Rhodin JR turns 70 on April 3. He is the son of Sweden's circus king Trolle Rhodin, who passed away in 1997, and grandson of the legendary Swedish showman Brazil Jack.

24 March 2024

Benny Schumann in the West Zealand Centre. Benny Schumann has made approx. 12-minute long video clip from the performance he presented during the winter holidays at the West Zealand Shopping Mall in Slagelse together with Max, Ulf and Gustav Carling. Click here to see the video.

21 March 2024

Circus Arnardo 2024. The Norwegian circus can this year celebrate their 75 years anniversary. Season 2024 opened on 8 March in Kristiansand. Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo saw the performances on 9 March at 14.00 and 17.00 and writes (my translation):

Artist

Opening parade

Kenya Boys - Skipping Rope

Kevin Probst - dogs

Paola Folco Arnardo and Are Arnardo - illusions

Clown André – run-ins

Kevin Probst - Donkeys

Luigi Folco Arnardo - diabolo

Hector Rossi & Pierrot – run-ins

Clown André – run-ins

Marine Duand - tight wire

Clown André – run-ins

Kevin Probst - parrots

André the Clown run-ins

Alfio Macaggi - juggler

Tunde Szabo – aerial straps

Kenya Boys - acrobats

Finale

The performance last approx. 1 hour and 35 minutes without intermission. Snow in the air and warmth in the tent. Two full houses, the first with a standing ovation.

As in 2022 and 2023, Circus Arnardo uses a tent, owned by Kevin Probst. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

About the performance

Are Arnardo, André and Paola Folco Arnardo open this year's show. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Opening parade with dancing artists, then straight to the Kenya Boys with skipping rope acrobatics.

Kevin Probst's playful dogs always charm audiences. Must be Europe's best dog act.

Kevin Probst with playful dogs. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Paola Folco Arnardo and Are Arnardo with their illusions, this year with new chair illusion. Quite surprising. Well done.

Paola and Are Arnardo – illusions. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Clown Andrè is a skilled and original reprise clown with very good run-ins.

André the clown (André Broger) in the act with the shark in the bathtub - a number that he was probably the first to do. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Kevin Probst donkeys have become a hit in Arnardo's ring for several seasons. This year with new costume and new music. But the light setting could be better.

Luigi Folco Arnardo with diabolo at a very high tempo is a favourite among the younger part of the audience.

Luigi Folco Arnardo is the 4th generation Arnardo and performs with diabolos in Circus Arnardo's anniversary show. Press photo from Circus Arnardo. Photographer: Unni Hjellnes

Hector Rossi & Pierrot are classic musical clowns. Great costumes and professionally performed with high musical performance. Bur too long run-ins can unfortunately be boring. Could be advantageously been cut down in length.

Hector Rossy was for many years one half of the clown duo Les Rossyans. His partner in that duo was his brother Yann Rossy, who was the white-faced clown. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Clown Andrè with new original gags. Interact very well with the audience, fantastic facial expression.

Marine Durand performs a strong tight wire act. Topped off with tiptoe dancing and chair balancing.

Marine Durand. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Kevin Probst present Alessio Fochesato's parrots with in pirate style. Brilliantly presented and to the great excitement of the audience, 6 Macaw parrots fly over the audience in the grandstands.

Kevin Probst with parrots. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Clown Andrè with new original inventions.

Alfio Macaggi with fast-paced juggler act, well done.

Alfio Macaggi. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Tünde Szabo present her aerial straps act with great precision. New twists and new music.

Aerial acrobat Tünde Szabó in aerial straps in Circus Arnardo in 2024. Press photo from Circus Arnardo. Photographer: Gunstein Myre

Kenya Boys close this year's performance with acrobatics in the African style.

Kenya Boys. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Grand finale with all artists.

The performance can be advantageously cut down in length. It appears to be too long with approx. 1 hour and 35 minutes without a break. It is a bit too long. But the audience gets a lot for their money. 

We hereby recommend this year's Circus Arnardo 75th anniversary performance. Arne Arnardo started the circus in 1949. They have since toured Norway every year apart from one season due to corona. Circus Arnardo is the longest-running circus in Norway. Congratulations.

17 March 2024

Brand new poster from the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen. The museum writes (my translation):

Jakob Ingvorsen, who works daily as an illustrator and visual artist, has created the Circus Museum's new poster. Jakob has, among other things, been inspired by the magical atmosphere and the almost supernatural experiences you can have in the circus. The poster costs DKK 50 and can be bought in the museum's shop Sunday-Thursday at 10-15.

It is possible to order posters and have them delivered to your home for an administrations fee of 35 DKK plus shipping costs. Send your order information and shipping address to info@cirkusmuseet.dk, and we will send your order as soon as we can.

17 March 2024

Circus Rhodin 2024. On March 8, I wrote that Diana Rhodin's adopted daughter Simona was among the performers in the small Swedish circus. But that has turned out to be wrong: on Circus Rhodin's website it says that this year Simona has decided to try something new. Thus. she will perform abroad in the coming season.

During the Easter holidays, the small circus is located in Malmö in the southern part of Sweden, just like the large Circus Brazil Jack. This makes it easy for visitors to Copenhagen to visit one or both circuses at there is a bridge/tunnel from Copenhagen to Malmö. By car or by train - Circus Brazil Jack is a fifteen-minute walk from Central Station in Malmö. Circus Rhodin is a little further away, but there are good bus connections. About performance times and ticket booking: see www.braziljack.se/Biljetter and www.nortic.se/ticket/event/55750

In addition to the two circuses mentioned visitors to Copenhagen can from 22 March to 7 April see Circus Arena, being the largest circus in the Nordic countries.

15 March 2024

Anna Conradi turns 90. On March 16, the former artist Anna Conradi, Copenhagen, turns 90. She is married to Leif Conradi. Together with him she toured from 1950 to 1988 as the bike acrobats Les Conradis. They worked in Europe, the Middle East and Japan. In Denmark, the couple toured with Circus Arli, Circus Arena and Circus Belli. The couple also worked as jugglers under the artist name 2 Maxell. After stopping their touring life, they performed for a period at festivals, in fairgrounds etc. but only in Denmark. Later, like several other former artists, they both got jobs as inspectors in Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens.

Anna Conradi

Jimmy Enoch 40 years. Jimmy Enoch turns 40 on March 20. As the son of bicycle virtuoso Dennie Enoch and grandson of circus director Haddy Enoch, he was born and raised in Circus Dannebrog. For many years he was part of the family's bicycle acts. In 2012 he wanted to try something different and started a cooperation with Lars Godbersen from Flying Superkids, where he has now been a member of the management team for many years. He has also for many years produced winter circus performances for the Rosengaad Shopping Centre in Odense. In December last year, he presented Christmas circus at Bispetorvet in Aarhus. He has also appeared at Østre Gasværk Theatre in the role of the bicycle mosquito Egon.

As a bicycle artist, Jimmy Enoch is particularly known for the act "The Glass Balance", where he builds a huge tower of stacked glass on a unicycle.

In addition to working for Flying Superkids and producing performances, he is co-owner of Enoch Show Production, which, among other things, owns and rents out a number of tents, including the large tent used by Circus Summarum (not a circus, but a childrens theatre).

He is married to Melanie, daughter of Bernhard Kaselowky. Together they have the children Emily and Jeremy, respectively 10 and 8 years old, who sometimes participate in Jimmy's bike acts.

Jimmy Enoch

15 March 2024

Circus Arli 2024.

In this year's performance you will meet

Circus director Martin Arli

Martin's wife Bettina Arli as ringmistress

Alexander Arli and his wife Tara Toya in a glorious clown act, where Tara, among other things, is performing as a singing clown. Alexander also has some run-ins.

Tara and Alexander. Tara is an actor, singer and dancer and is educated at the Performing Arts School in Gothenburg. Sweden. Among other things, she is known for standing on the big musical stages in Denmark, where she e.g. has starred in Mamma Mia and Grease. Tara is also a choreographer. This year she will make her circus debut. - All photos are press photos from Circus Arli.

Jennifer Saabel with Siberian huskies and as a foot juggler. She has chosen to present the

latter number in a universe of sweets.

Jennifer Saabel with beautiful Siberian huskies. Circus friends remember the Saabel family's elegant dog act from Circus Benneweis in 2011, Circus Dannebrog in 2013 and Circus Trapez in 2019. In Benneweis and Dannebrog it was Jennifer's mother and her older sister Alexandre who presented the act. In Trapez is was Jennifers sister Kelly who presented the dogs.

Jelena Vasiljeva with a hula hoop act of a special class. Together with her husband Sergejs Polupans, she also presents the act with juggling with buckets, which the couple had great success with at Arli in 2021.

Miss Adriana in aerial ring. Adriana is daughter of Natali and David Wolf. David is one half of the Wolf Brothers, who toured with Circus Arli in 2011 and 2014. Adriana got her circus debut at Arli in 2014, performing as a foot juggler.

Adriana's spouse Antonin Navratil in Washington-trapeze. The Washington Trapez was not invented in the US capital, as the name might suggest. But by the artist Kaye Washington in the middle of the 1800s. The prop is wider and heavier than a normal trapeze and the discipline requires the artist to balance on the trapeze bar. Antonin toured with the small Danish Circus Krone in 2014.

Antonin Navratil

13 March 2024

New tent for Circus Arli. When Circus Arli open the season on 6 April in Fløng, it will be with a brand-new circus tent. Not like their very first tent from 1971, which was home-made in Søren and Lotte Arli's small apartment. Now the tent comes from one of Europe's leading tent manufacturers, Italian Scola Teloni, who also supplied Circus Arli’s 2 previous tents. The new tent, just like its predecessor from 2016, has a diameter of 18 meters and room for 220 spectators. In addition to the tent the king poles, circus dome and quarter poles are new.

Computer drawing of the new tent

13 March 2024

Rudy Althoff back in Circus Arena. From 2015 to 2018, it was Rudy Lashoff who trained and presented Circus Arena's three elephants. He was also the one who looked after them in the winter quarters in Slagelse from the end of the 2018 season until they came to Knuthenborg Safaripark in May 2020. It was also to his credit that it went well with putting Bernhard Kaselowsky's elephant Ramboline together with the three Arena elephants. This year, Rudy Althoff is back in Arena’s ring. Not with elephants, which are no longer allowed to perform in a circus, but with trained donkeys.

12 March 2024

Francesco Fratellini in France. Our English friend John Cooper writes:

At the start of March, Hilary (my lady) and I spent some time in and around Lille in northern France.

Why am I telling you this?

Because while we were there we saw Cirque Arlette Gruss with which two of the artistes are Francesco Fratellini and Sarah Florees, both of whom have spent the last few years in Denmark with Circus Arli.

It is Sarah who performs the first proper act after the introduction with her very stylish aerial chandelier number.

Sarah Florees. Photo from Cirque Arlette Gruss

As befits his family name, Francesco concentrates on clowning, although he does show some of his many other skills. As such, his character is very similar to that I have seen him portray with Arli, although his appearance is different. The Gruss tent is far bigger than Arli's but he fills it easily with his various routines, most of them being performed solo.

Francesco Fratellini. Photo from Cirque Arlette Gruss

At times he works with French clown Pieric (given name Pierre Furic) who was in Denmark with Circus Dannebrog about ten years ago. (Editors comment: Pierric was with Dannebrog in 2013. In 1990 he was with Benneweis in 1990 together with Pipo Sosman). Having spoken to him (via Facebook) he tells me that he has spent most of the time since then working in horse shows but has now retired/sold all but one of his horses and decided to return to circus.

He, too, works alone most of the time.            

Pieric. Photo from Cirque Arlette Gruss

Both clowns were very much to the liking of the French audience - and to us. Likewise the entire show. Animal acts are limited to horses and dogs.

The season of Cirque Arlette Gruss runs from October to May/June and I would certainly not discourage you from seeing the current production. (www.cirque-gruss.com)

The show will usually visit Paris for two or three weeks at the start of December before moving to Bordeaux for Christmas and New Year. I have NEVER felt let down by "Arlette". Both content and presentation are always of a high standard, and I would recommend that you see the show somewhere, sometime.

9 March 2024

Danish Circus Krone will be back on the roads. Apart from very few sold performances, the Thierry family's small Circus Krone has not been on tour since 2018. But this year there will be a tour. The Thierry family writes (my translation):

In 2024, Circus Krone will once again have a summer tour.

After several years without touring we have made the decision to go ahead with Circus Krone's 2024 season. It has been in the pipeline several times, but a pandemic and therefore a depressed economy, as well as illness, changed things. Thus, in recent years we have not been able to present a "real circus tour", but have limited ourselves to projects in cooperation with municipalities and companies etc.

Circus Krone has always been a family circus, but this will be cemented to that extent this season. The majority of the staff is family.

We will also have a completely new concept compared to previous seasons, but since we are starting up after a 5-year hiatus, we think there is room to do something different compared to what we usually are doing.

We don't change everything - we still perform in a tent. For us, this is how Circus should be seen and experienced.

Einlass to Circus Krone in 2018. PR photo from Circus Krone

The new thing is that this season we are staying in the same city for several days. Thus, we do not have as many of the so-called one-day cities on the programme. Also to be able to keep a reasonable ticket price, as this way we can keep costs down. It is also not necessarily to play 7 days a week, as we choose to spend time moving and getting the tent ready for the next town

This season, the performance will still be for the whole family, but will especially be aimed at the youngest, from 2 years and up. We feel obliged to teach children to go to the circus and show what the circus is and has been without the ticket prices flying off in packages of light-up novelties. A big news is that we can tell you that the children's favourite clown, Allando, will once again be in Circus Krone's ring this year. We are very much looking forward to presenting him again. What is also new is that the performances last for a little less than an hour without an interval. We believe that it gives the smallest children the opportunity to be involved in the entire performance.

In the coming season, you can meet the lovable clown Allando (Jan Allan Hansen) in Circus Krone. He was most recently with Circus Krone in 2017. In 2021 and 2022, he toured on Zealand with Circus Baldoni.

Out tent is small, the benches and the prices are low, but the entertainment is top notch! Shortly said; Small, but good! – and as always Circus with the Heart.

Tour list is not yet published.

8 March 2024

Swedish circuses in 2024

Circus Olympia premieres in Oskarström on Saturday 23 March. It is 40 years since Herbert and Henrika Bengtsson founded Circus Olympia, which today is run by their son Niklas. This year Circus Olympia expects to visit 170 cities from Smygehuk in the south of Sweden to Södertälje in the north of Sweden and have 200 performances during the 6-month tour.

This year's program looks like this:

Musical overture

Sonny Gärtner - Aerial cyclist

Duo Drive - Quick change

Tumpy the clown

The circus patrol - Henrika Bengtsson with dogs

Henrika and some of the dogs. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer: Emelie Kindblad

Frida Evelina Persson - Aerial straps

Frida Persson. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer: Emelie Kindblad

Tumpy the clown

Daniel Lamptey – Acrobat

INTERVAL

Overture

Natascha Jarz with playful goats

Tumpy the clown

Duo Drive – hula hoop

Duo Drive. Press photo from Circus Olympia

Circus director Niklas Bengtsson with Friesian horses. It is also Niklas who presents the performance.

Niklas Bengtsson with horses. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer: Linda Himsel

Tumpy the clown

Duo Shock - Wheel of Death

Grand Finale

Circus Brazil Jack opens the season at the Mill Hill in Malmö on Good Friday, March 29. This year they can celebrate that it is 125 years since the artist Brazil Jack, whose civil name was Carl Max Alexander Rhodin, started his circus. However, it has not toured every year. The current Circus Brazil Jack has, apart from the corona years, toured every year since 1982. It is today run by Brazil Jack's great-grandson Trolle Rhodin III and is Sweden's largest circus.

In the anniversary performance, the audience meets

Anna Demeter with cloud swing. Anna has not previously performed in a Swedish or Danish circus.

The roller skating duo Skating Jasters (Susan and Jimmy). They were also at Brazil Jack in 2022.

Skating Jesters

The comedians Wolf Brothers. The brothers David and Richard (who are the oldest and smallest) have, apart from the corona years, been with Brazil Jack since 2017.

The Wolff Brothers with their comic aerial act. The Danes know them from several seasons with Circus Arli

Juggler Warren Niemen, who also performs with lasso tricks. Something that Brazil Jack also did. Warren has not previously performed in a Danish or Swedish circus.

The Jasters with knife throwing and crossbow. The Danes remember the couple Elena Busnelli & Giacomo Sterza from Circus Arena 2023 and Circus Benneweis 2011. They were also at Brazil Jack in 2016.

The Jasters. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The Diorios troupe with their globe of death. Diorios has several units and has toured several times with Scandinavian circuses - in Denmark with Circus Arena. They are i.e. known for their "splitting globe", where the globe splits into an upper part and a lower part.

The Diorios troupe

Michael Zorzan with diabolo. He has not previously performed in a Danish or Swedish circus.

Circus Brazil Jack present a fast-running performances without a ringmaster. The performance lasts approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes incl. a 20-minute break. There are no animals in the show.

Circus Rhodin premieres at Per Albin Hansson Väg in Malmö on Good Friday 29 March. The owner is Brazil Jack's granddaughter Diana Rhodin, whom the Danes saw with horses and elephants in Circus Dannebrog in 2000 and in Circus Benneweis in 2002. She herself presents the performance her circus.

Circus Rhodin on the lot next by Mobilia Shopping Mall in Malmö

In this year's performance, the audience meets:

Simona Rhodin with various acts, i.e. with crossbow.

Diana Rhodin with her dogs and ponies

Diana Rhodin and her ponies

Dimo the clown

Dimo the clown has also previously toured with Circus Rhodin

Yana, who comes from Bulgaria present a brand-new act. She is 16 years old and daughter of Veselka Metodieva and Nedyalko Vaskov. As a little girl, she performed in the Danish Circus Krone.

Duo Esenbekovi with quick change. They come from Bulgaria

Maksym and Olena from Ukraine with an aerial act

Their 3-year-old son Maksym Jr. with handstand

Nedyalko Vaskov from Bulgaria with cube juggling. In Denmark, we have seen him several seasons in Dansh Circus Krone and in Baldoni's Christmas performance in 2013.

Nedyalko with cube juggling in Circus Krone 2015

Abdynaly and Mariana come from Kyrgyzstan and present a roller-skating act.

Circus I Love You begins their season with the performance I Love You Two in Gävle on Wednesday 3 April. In Falkenberg, they have the premiere of the performance Utopia on Thursday 2 May.

Circus I love You was founded in 2017 by a group of multitalented acrobat-musicians.

The first tour of Circus I love you started in France in June 2018. Since then, Circus I love you performed around 130 times in France, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Lithuania.Currently the company is based in Skåne, Sweden, and performs around Europe with its two circus tents. The performances of Circus I love you are animal free and suitable for the whole family.

7 March 2024

Circus Trapez 2024. Circus owner Isabella Enoch Sosman writes (my translation):

On March 30 we begin our summer tent season. The artists we have are:

Jasmin Nørgård as a circus princess and in her tissues.

The talented young Danish aerial acrobat Jasmin Nørgård was last year part of the Open-Air performances in Circus Trapez

From the month of May, the clown Gabor. He will be performing in France until then. We will find a replacement until Gabor arrives.

The Hungarian reprise clown Gabor was the ongoing figure in last year's Open-Air performance in Circus Trapez. He has appeared in a large number of circuses, e.g. for several seasons at Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey in the USA

Duo Fantasia from Ethiopia with roller skates, aerial ring, hula jump on ball, diabolo and cube.

Swetla Roslyakova cat act and a number with ferrets.

Zsolt Duda's juggling and comedy

Stine Marie Greisen with the calculating pony

Bernhard Kaselowsky with our 4 ponies

In smaller towns, we use the small tent from Madsbyparken. When we have sold performances a slightly larger tent.

Circus Trapez small tent in Madsby Park

In previous years, Cirkus Trapez, apart from nursing home performances, has only toured in Jutland and Funen. But this year they also visit some towns on Zealand. Isabella tells (my translation):

“We go to Zealand because there were some people from a veteran car meeting who saw us in Madsbyparken and bought us three days for their veterans meeting. To make it worthwhile to drive to Zealand and back, we also try a few other cities.”

Before the summer season starts, Circus Trapez has mini-performances in the weekend of March 23 and 24 in a tent on the city square in the seaside resort Blokhus.

1 March 2024

Circuses in Denmark 2024.

The Danish circus season begins at the end of March. Here is an overview of circuses and the artists you can expect to see in the coming season. You can find tour lists in What’s on.

Circus Arena

Season opening 25 March at ‘Bellahoj’ in Copenhagen with dress rehearsals from 22 March. This year's performance is called Circus according to Bubber and Malene Qvist, and it is Bubber and Malene who will present the performance. As previously mentioned on this website the performing artists are:

Jessyka Jaster with foot juggling and together with Sonny Caveagna in the roller-skating duo Skating New Vision.

Dogs presented by Fabiana Köhler.

David Hammarberg with bungee acrobatics

Pablo and Vicki Garcia with their space rocket

Garcia Brothers with handstand/hand-to-hand

Leonardo and Vita Costache with a new 'Da Vinci'-inspired act which not previously has been presented in Denmark.

Trained donkeys

Robi Berousek with ladder balance

The stunt cyclists BMX Riders

Arena's house clown Jimmy Folco

Subject to changes.

Circus Arli

Season opening April 7 in the Copenhagen suburb Fløng with dress rehearsal the day before. The tour list and name of the performers will be announced on March 15. Bettina and Martin Arli are of course part of the performance. The same applies to their son Alexander and his wife, the actress Tara Toya. It will be the first time we can see Tora in a circus ring.

Circus Baldoni

Season opening April 9 in Hillerød with dress rehearsals April 6.

This year's performance is called NOSTALGY AND NEW ADVENTURES and is presented by the young Mickey Juel Prüssing, who makes his circus debut. Of course, he gets help from the lion Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll) – a must in Circus Baldoni.

Today, it is rare to see classic musical clowns in a Danish circus. But you do se this year in Circus Baldoni. Even some of the very best: José Michel and his wife Giulia. You will see them in their excellent version of the funnel gag. In addition, José has some run-ins.

Kelly Saabel presents her beautiful handstand number, and her boyfriend Ruslan has an act in aerial straps.

From Hungary come 3 young men who do freestyle breakdance and a knock-about table act.

Nandor Varadi and Diana Boiachin were also at Baldoni in 2023. But in 2024 they show new acts with juggling, soap bubbles and aerial hoop.

Circus Mascot

Season opening March 22 in Balling. The tour last until 20 October. Just like in 2022 and 2023, they play in sport centers and other indoor arenes and with a break from the end of June to the beginning of August.

They call their 2024 performance "OPPE PÅ DUPPERNE" (On the ball) and writes (my translation):

We've done it before, and now we're doing it again. Mascot is going on the road for the 31st time with a completely new performance - and it will be quite a circus.

We still believe in the value of joining for seeing something which are happening in the very moment. We believe it is essential to give children the opportunity to enjoy themselves and we know that something very special happens between people when they take a seat around the circus ring.

The smell of popcorn, the sound of animals and that particularly sweet music that makes most people feel that they have finally found the melody. It's all there, and then it's warm and delicious. Children and adults can enjoy and forget their everyday life.

This year's show is just as daring as ever with silly poodles and dog tricks. Experience balancing art, clowning, two pigs, two goats, a pony, and a circus director with (lime) light in his eyes. Finally, it's time for the circus.

As usual, the performance lasts 90 minutes plus an intermission. The sound and light contribute to the circus magic, the popcorn tastes as it should and the candy floss melts in your mouth.

It's cozy, really fun and present entertainment at children's level. It's a circus for everyone and an experience you take home with you. Welcome around our magical circus ring in 2024.

After the corona crisis, Circus Mascot no longer travels with a circus tent, but now only performs indoor in local sports centers etc. The audience get better comfort and a pleasant temperature indoors, regardless of the weather outside. It is no longer necessary to arrive in large rubber boots due to bad weather, and both children and adults take of their outerwear and have the option of running around in socks, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

The performance is still as long and rich as ever, with talented performers and impressive animal acts, including poodles, pigs, a pony, a donkey and a goose.

The artists in this year's performance are Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold and her husband Oleksi Trunov. They do 4 acts: Juggling, contortion, adagio and slinky. In addition, the audience meets Marianne Deleuran with all the animals, Ulmas with various clown reprises and Daniel Deleuran as ringmaster.

Oleksi and Gegee

Zirkus Nemo     

Season opening April 27 in Horsens.

Zirkus Nemo is a combination of circus and comedy show, owned by the Danish actor and comedian Søren Østergaard. There is no doubt that the biggest draw in Zirkus Nemo is Søren Østergaard and his well-known comedy characters. Zirkus Nemo can celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2024. It will be marked with an anniversary performance, where they promise to surpass everything, they have presented in previous years. The audience will, among other things, have the opportunity to make acquaintances with old acquaintances such as the Measure Man, Marianne, Baglænsmanden, Baker Jørgen, The Man who can't whistle, Kim Tim, the Smash Man and many more (all of them Søren Østergaard’s characters. In addition, the audience can look forward to see world class artists. The names of these artists have not yet been announced.

Circus Trapez

Season opening 30 March in Tønder.

This year's performance is a themed performance called I Drømmenes Verden 2024 (Dream world 2024).

Isabella Enoch Sosman's small Jutland circus writes (my translation):

This year's performance is about our young and beautiful circus princess who has always loved the circus and dreamed of performing like a real circus princess in the magical ring.

This dream came true last year, when she floated high up under the circus dome.

But the dream does not end here. Our young circus princess wants much more in the circus than just being a circus princess.

Her biggest dream is to become a circus director.

She therefore decides to pack her suitcase and head out into the world to make her dream come true.

Along the way, she checks into a hotel, where she falls into a deep sleep after the long journey. This is where the dream begins, because while she sleeps, she dreams about being a circus director.

During the dream, she meets a funny and slightly crazy personality - It is the clown in the circus.

Together they go around to explore even more of the magical world that is the circus.

The trip takes them, among other things. to Germany, Hungary, France and all the way to Ethiopia in Africa - where they meet and see skilled acrobats, great aerial acts, a young gifted juggler, an impressive and fast-paced roller-skating act and of course a lot of lovely and wonderful animals, including horses, ponies, cats and some very special animals that you rarely see in the circus.

After such a trip, our circus princess, together with her new best friend the clown, has gained a lot of new knowledge about the circus, but will the dream of becoming a circus director come true for the young girl?

Because was it real that the clown entertained and took her on the journey, the acrobats did wild stunts, the juggler juggled, the horses and ponies turned and turned and our circus princess has become a real circus director who can both fly high in the air and conjure and entertain in the ring? - Or was it all just a dream?

Time and this year's performance "I Drømmenes Verden" will show.

The names of the performers have not yet been announced.

21 February 2024

Baldoni's winter circus. In most municipalities, the Danish school-children’s winter holiday is in week 7. But there are municipalities where the holiday is in week 8. This applies e.g. to the Copenhagen suburb Ishøj. Ishøj Shopping Mall has been visited by Circus Baldoni during the winter holidays for almost 10 years. This was also the case this year where Baldoni from 15 to 23 February presented approx. 40-minute-long performances which, as in previous years, drew many people to the centre 

Eddie Janecek had a short "hello welcome" entrée before René Mønster Baldoni and the lion Leonardo welcomed.

The first artist in the ring was 12-year-old Rudi Janeček. He did a fine act first in pole and then with handstand. He may very well turn out to be a rising star. Quite as it has been the case for his older brother Kaya, who in 2023 received the talent prize from the Danish Circus Award.

The next act was Roberta Saba in Cyr Wheel.

Next came Eddie Janecek, who entered the ring on a bike in two parts and then wanted to skip. Something he certainly was not allowed to do by the ringmaster René Mønster Baldoni, who time after time confiscated his skipping rope. A bit as you know from the "Don’t play here" entrée. The act ended with Eddie managing to skip while balancing a bottle on his hat. And ended up revealing that the bottle had Velcro tape at the bottom and was fastened to the hat. The children in the audience cheered!

Next, Maria entered the ring with an excellent hula hoop act. She is married to Eddie and mother to Kaya and Rudi.

Then Eddie Janecek came back to the ring. This time riding a tiny bike. He then did a role bola act with several comic elements.

Then Roberto Sala was back. This time with a female partner. The couple had an adagio-entrée with several comical touches.

The last act of the performance was Trio Janacek – Eddie with his two sons. In a fast-paced juggling entrée with rings, balls and clubs.

Kaya can juggle table tennis balls using his mouth

From the finale of Baldoni's winter circus

The versatile Janecek family has been with Baldoni for several seasons. But for the coming season, they have signed a contract with a German amusement park and they will not be part of Circus Baldoni's summer show. But the Janecek’s might very well be back with Baldoni in later years. In next week's update, you can see who will be with Circus Baldoni when they start the season on April 6.

16 February 2024

Enoch's Circus Show. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance in the Rosengaard Shopping Centre in Odense 14 February at 14 and writes (my translation):

Half an hour before the start of the performance, there is a lot of people - with many expectant children sitting on the grandstand. All around the ring is lot of with circus people. Many from the Enoch family, but also others who are attracted to the circus - artists and circus friends. Jimmy Enoch is of course also present - as the centre and “powerhouse”. He is always happy, welcoming and with lot of charm and energy.

The performance begins with a welcome, where Jimmy Enoch warms up the audience. And then comes Kelly Saabel. She is a sea goddess or a mermaid or a sea spirit who rises from the sea in white robes as she boards her ship. She performs acrobatics of another world. With slow, gliding movements, she performs handstands and contortion. A perfect act, both in terms of execution and presentation. It ends with archery, where she – standing in handstand – fires the arrow with her feet. Kelly Saabel was most recently in Denmark in 2019, where she toured with Circus Trapez, where you also saw the Saabel family's famous act with white husky dogs. In the upcoming season, we can see Kelly in Circus Baldoni. But not with dogs, as Baldoni has opted out of having animals in the performances.

Victor Rossi is a mix between a clown and a comedian. First you see him with a bagpipe that emits children's cries, and then the pipe is transformed into a cradle. Later he appears with a hunk horn hidden in his overcoat. The entrée continues with music as two children are invited into the ring. They hold a xylophone suspended by rope. He plays the xylophone while the children operate rhythm instruments.

The Enoch family's bike act has now reached the 4th generation. Jimmy is cycling with his children Emily and Jeremy. Pace, charm, virtuosity on the bike, balance and movement – everything adds up to a higher unity.

Animals should not be missing in a circus performance. Peter Taylor has 4 dogs which have fun. And one remember Old Regnas, who apparently formed a school within dog training. The gag about the dogs teasing their "father" by knocking over a rubbish bin is probably his idea.

The performance ends with a fine diabolo act. Georgio Hromadko has a slightly creepy mask and a kilt, which is however quickly thrown away. It is beautiful, colourful with many diabolos with lights. Fast-paced and with stimulating music – what we old people call thunder music. The final trick is that he cast 4 props high into the air - very high! And he keeps them in play.

The expectations were fulfilled. Children and adults could then continue the tour around the centre. And the Rosengaard Centre can boast that there has also been room for real circus entertainment - as an offer among many others in the centre.

Jimmy Enoch and his artists

​

16 February 2024

Circus Trapez, winter holiday 2024, seen 13.02 at 16 in Blue Water Dock in Esbjerg

Circus News’ reporter Finn Stendevad entered the Blue Water Dock (a modern sports arena) approx. 20 minutes before the performance started. The entrance hall was filled with expectant children and parents. From the toilets there was a door to the upper floor of the arena. It was great to come in and be able to take an overview of the line-up before the doors to the arena opened. Circus Trapez has never been more beautiful and more beautifully put up and decorated than this year. Everything was very well maintained.

Behind the curtain, Bernhard Kaselowsky was giving his four beautiful black ponies the final touches.

At 15.45 doors was opened for happy children and parents. The reprise clown Rudy Brukson walked around and created an atmosphere in the arena. There was a full house. Rudy dusted the winter dust off people. Huge turnover in the kiosks!

After Rudy's good warm-up from the arena, Isabella welcomed presenting a charivari with artist from all acts.

Then followed Rudi Brukson juggling in a clown costume, juggling with everything belonging to the kitchen. Then Elena Brukson in vertical rope of pink silk. Very well presented.

After this, Katrine Markevich entered the ring with her grey poodles. They were excellent, did many very things in a quite natural way, also with a skipping rope.

All photos are press photos from Circus Trapez

Now followed Tarbeev jr. On a unicycle and with juggling. Nice act. Even getting up and down stairs the young man mastered.

Now Rudy presented an old clown classic: The big apple with a worm in it. Tightly presented and not too long. Completely okay.

Duo Markevich did an excellent diabolo number.

Finally, Bernhard's lovely black ponies entered the ring

Nice to see the well-kept horses. They knew their routines and were delightful to watch. The act ended with a pyramid and then there was a 20-minute break with pony rides for the children and the queues were very long! Huge success.

First act after the break was Katrina Markevich with carpet juggling. Beautiful act which she presented very well. After this, Rudy had a run-in with broom balance, before Elena did an excellent and not too long hula hoop and contortion act.

Now Bernhard entered the ring with a calculating horse. It worked well and the audience were impressed.

Rudy now created an orchestra with the people from audience. They had to play different instruments while Rudy conducted. A classic reprise.

The “icing on the cake” was an incredibly good juggling act with tennis rackets and ditto balls at the same time and much more. Really high difficulty.

The whole performance ended with a charivari.

A great show with good acts. Isabella Enoch Sosman is good at engaging talented artist families for her performances.

​

14 February 2024

Circus Mascot. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the winter performance at the Herning Shopping Centre 12 February at 14 and writes (my translation):

I left home with the following comment from an acquaintance: Why do you bother to go? You've seen Marianne's dog show and the clown Gulio many times before. And why did I bother? I answered my acquaintance: you go to a pop star concert to hear the songs you have heard before. And you and I go to the concert hall in Aarhus to hear Beethoven's 5th symphony again, which we know so well. But it's not the same experience as last time, even if the notes are the same.

Going to the circus is the same: the joy of hearing and seeing again is the driving force. And by the mind: even though it's well known, it's brand new every time. No two performances are alike. That tension between the known and the unknown, new and different is enough to get me going.

And luckily! Mascot delivered a well-composed performance with versatility in genres, good rhythm and nerve. There were 3 rows of benches so that the children could come forward and sit undisturbed. And the show lasted 45 minutes. - not half an hour, as has been the case for many years in the Herning Centre. Luckily enough because there is now time to enjoy it all. It requires composure and concentration to fall into the circus universe. And time! 45 minutes!

The clown Gulio began by warming up the audience. He likes the children, and therefore they like him. And the best part: he seems to be enjoying himself too.

The performance started straight and hard. The juggler Oleksi Trunov started with ball juggling. Not like the classic tempo juggler, but with soft, plastic movements, he threw the balls around - almost meditatively. Adagio, if you can say that about a juggler. But with many balls at a time.

Daniel Deleuran then welcomed, after which he tested the audience's form together with Gulio and a clap-o-meter. It was so good that the clap-o-meter exploded.

Daniel Deleuran welcomes. Smartphone photo, taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

Marianne's dog revue is a must in Circus Mascot. But also for the spectator who is more for cats than for dogs. There is a firework of display of canine tricks – 9 dogs, apparently all poodles, of all sizes and colors – all happy and eager to show what they can do. Versatile, and proofing that animals have a natural place in a circus ring.

Marianne and her dogs. Press photo from Circus Mascot

And then Gulio had to try swinging hula hoops around his stomach. It didn't go well until some children were invited into the ring to help him. Funny and simple. And everyone had a great time.

Tatyana Primachenko and Gulio were then comic magicians – with tricks that the children revealed with a: It's cheating. But also with more difficult tricks. In the end Tatyana disappeared, but lay hidden under a table and put her head up, unless there was a bucket in the way. This act has of course been seen before, but it is still a hit.

Press photo from Circus Mascot. Photographer: DirkJan Ranzijn

The final act was an adagio number, where Gegee Ganbold and Oleksi Trunov presented a perfect partner balance – standing, sitting and lying down. With several highlights, e.g. as Gegee stands in a one-hand stand on Oleksi's head. Aesthetic, elegant, emphasis on strength, but light and effortless at the same time.

Gegee and Oleksi. Smartphone photos, taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

Mascot will soon start their summer season with performances in sport centres and other indoor arenas. It was noted that Mascot has now been in the Herning Shopping centre during the school winter holidays for 28 years in a row. Old love never dies!

In previous years, Gulio and Tatyana's children Husik and Julia have taken part in the performance. But not this year – not even in the coming summer season. Husik works on a cruise ship. Julia is studying at Aarhus Tech. Photo: Jørgen Lorenzen

9 February 2024

Circus during the winter holidays. Danish schools are closed for winter holidays either in week 7 or in week 8. As in previous years, you can see several circus performances in during the winter holidays – sometimes with free admission.

Circus Mascot. The Herning Shopping Centre offers performances with Circus Mascot from 12 to 18 February. Performances Monday to Friday at 11.00, 14.00 and 17.00 and the weekend at 11.00 and at 14:00.

In the circus ring both children and adults can look forward to see Denmark's largest dog show with circus director Marianne and her 9 lovely doggies. The approx. 30-minute-long performance also features the juggler Oleksi Trunov, who also performs adagio (partner acrobatics) together with Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold. And then, of course, the clown Gulio assisted by Mrs. Tatyana as well as by the ringmaster Daniel Deleuran. Free admission.

Gulio and Daniel with clap-o-meter. Press photo from Circus Mascot. Photographer Lise Kokholm

Marianne Deleuran and her 9 poodles are an indispensable feature in a Mascot performance. Press photo from Circus Mascot.

Benny Schumann. In the West Zealan Shopping Mall in Slagelse you can meet Benny Schumann together with the super musical Swedish artists Max, Ulf and Gustav Carling. The performance offers, among other things, the premiere on a Schumann and Carling clown trio. Every day at 12 & 15. Furthermore, Benny Schumann will have a circus workshop for children for approx. 20 minutes before the start of the first performance. Free admission.

Max, Gustav and Ulf Carling with full music. Press photo from Benny Schumann

Enoch's Circus Show. In Odense, the Rosengaard Shopping Centre offers Enoch's Circus Show from 12 to 18 February. Every day at 11, 14 and 17. Free admission.

Circus Baldoni. In Ishøj Shopping Centre in Copenhagen you will meet Circus Baldoni from 15 to 23 February. Every day at 13 & 15. No performance 18 February. Free admission. The performers are the Janecek family and Roberto Saba. And then of course René Baldoni and his ventriloquist’s doll Leonardo. Free admission.

From the finale of the 2022 winter performance, where the Janecek family was also among the cast.

Circusland in Circus Arenas winter quarter in Aarlev a Slagelse is open from 10 to 18 February 10 to 17. There are rides, playland, shows and performances in Circus Landino. Entrée.

In a press release, they write, among other things (my translation):

In the past few years, Circusland has acquired several rides, among other things there are several playgrounds (indoor playgrounds several places in the park), so there is plenty for a whole day of experiences. In the winter holidays 2024, you can also meet Max, Dut and Dino on the big show stage in Magic Circus Kingdom. A really fun family children's show with the lovable characters Professor Max, his sweet assistant Dut and a slightly dangerous 65-million-year-old dinosaur named Dino. There is some magic about this wonderful family show, where the audience is carried away from start to finish. Wonderful children's songs will be sung and the children will take an active part in the show.

Throughout the day, guests have the opportunity to explore our circus park and get closer to circus life. Try the circus school and learn tricks from our artists. You will also be able to meet Mister TIK TAK, who is back on a guest visit during the winter holidays.

Mr. TICK TACK (Brian Behrendt)

During the day you have the opportunity to see different shows. Among other things a circus performance in Circus Landino, where you can see skilled artists, lovely animals and much more. It will be presented by ringmistress Suzanne Berdino. The performers in Circus Landino are in addition to Suzanne Berdino and her animals Jessica Caveagna with sword balance and David Hammarberg with hula hoop.

Jessica Caveagna with sword balance over a ladder in fire

Circus Trapez present a winter circus in a number of Jutland arenas from 9 to 25 February. Entrée. The performers are the Rudi Brukson family with reprises, juggling, jumps and tissue, the Markevich family with diabolo, unicycle, antipode and a dog act and Bernhard Kaselowsky with 4 ponies. The performance is presented by Isabella Enoch. Originally, the idea was that her son David Enoch Sosman should be ringmaster and do a few short numbers. But David was offered an exciting job on a cruise ship at short notice. See more in the What’s on.

Rico Brookson. All photos press photos from Cirkus Trapez

Anton Tabeev and Katrina

Circus Panik from Vanløse, Copenhagen, writes (my translation)

True to tradition, Circus Panik can once again the winter holiday in week 7 present the family performance "Circus Panik holds the banner high". For this performance, we invite you to a Mardi Gras party afterwards. Come dressed up!

We are happy to invite you inside the circus building at Vanløse, Skjulhøj Allé 21, Copenhagen for a moody, exuberant, surprising and heartwarming performance in a cold time. You can experience fantastic and equilibristic juggling, exciting aerial acrobatics, exuberant clowning, magical illusion and the traditional fire finale.

Cirkus Panik is one of the few surviving old-fashioned families of fair performers and circus blood flows in our veins. We have toured at home and abroad for more than 35 years, with both classic circus performances, circus schools and workshops as well as the rental of unique cotton circus tents. See more in What’s on.

The circus museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen offers a one-man circus show for the whole family on Monday 12/2 and Wednesday 14/2 to Friday 16/2 at 11 with the clown Tapé. Tuesday 13/2 at 11 there is original and completely insane artistry with Mr. Toons.

Tapé at the Circus Museum. Photo from 2012

Before or after the performance you can visit the museum. Their collection is among the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. It consists of more than 100,000 different artefacts, including many thousands of photos and posters, costumes and props, personal notebooks, programs and newspaper clippings. The Circus Museum’s collection contains material relating to acrobats, jugglers, animal trainers, clowns, magicians, illusionists, workers, musicians, actors and dancers. While it focuses on Danish artists, the collection also contains quite a lot of international material.

30 January 2024

Changes in the list of performing artists at Circus Arena 2024. There have been a few changes in the list of artists you can see in Circus Arena in the upcoming season. The two Russian artists, the aerial artist Olga Moreva and the handstand artist Oleg Izossimov, will not be part of the performance. Instead, you will meet Jessyca Jaster with foot juggling and in the roller-skating act Skating New Vision. The show's dog act will be presented by Fabiana Köhler and not, as previously announced, by Jolanda Hoffman.

Skating New Vision is Jessyca Jaster and her partner Sonny Caveagna.

Last year, Jessyca Jaster toured with Swedish Cirkus Brazil Jack with a foot juggling act, where she juggled up to four scarves with her feet. The act ended with her being hoisted up under the circus dome while juggling four scarves. Very spectacular! Jessyca was also with Brazil Jack in 2016, that year together with her parents Elena Busnelli & Giacomo Sterza aka The Jasters, who we saw in Arena in 2023 and in Benneweis in 2011.

In addition to those mentioned, as previously announced, you will meet David Hammarberg with bungee acrobatics, Pablo and Vicki Garcia with their space rocket, the Garcia Brothers with handstand/hand-to-hand, Leonardo and Vita Costache with a brand new act, trained donkeys, Robi Berousek with ladder balance, the stunt cyclists BMX Riders and Arena's house clown Jimmy Folco. Subject to changes.

29 January 2024

Distinguished award to Trolle Rhodin. Trolle Rhodin, circus director and artistic director of Swedish Circus Brazil Jack, has been awarded the The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry's cultural prize in memory of Ulf and Greta Renborg. The award is aimed at people who, in a broad rural perspective, have contributed with qualified and reorienting efforts in cultural work and public education.

The cultural prize was awarded by H. E. National Marshal Fredrik Wersäll during a ceremony in Stockholm City Hall.

The citation was (my translation):

To circus director Trolle Rhodin, Malmö, who brings the ancient circus art into our age. He makes visible the long history of the Swedish traveling circus families - a living cultural heritage, with rural tours since a hundred years and now established within the artistic high school.

In his speech of thanks Trolle Rhodin said (my translation):

- It is an extremely great honour to receive this important cultural award. It is a fine proof that the circus art continues to have a clear and important place even in this century. With this in mind, I am very much looking forward to starting this year's large-scale anniversary tour all around Sweden later this spring.

Trolle Rhodin

Circus director Trolle Rhodin is the fourth-generation director of Circus Brazil Jack. Since 1899, Brazil Jack has toured Sweden, however not every year. Circus art of the highest quality has met a wide audience far from the cultural scenes of the big cities. Trolle Rhodin can speak nine languages, play fifteen instruments, juggle, swallow fire and much more. Nowadays, circus education is included in the Swedish High School and the art form is in strong development.

The Ulf and Greta Renborg Foundation's cultural prize consists of SEK 100,000. The prize was awarded for the first time in January 2020.

28 January 2024

Special award to Robi Berousek. At this year's circus festival in Monte Carlo, Robi Berousek, who is known as Lord of the Ladder, received one of the many special prizes: the award from the German circus friends. In the upcoming season, you can see his ladder balancing act at Circus Arena, where he first presented the act in 2002. The last time we saw him in Arena’s ring was in 2022.

Robi Berousek can juggle while standing on a free-standing ladder! Photo from 2022

25 January 2024

Circus Trapez on Bornholm? Isabella Enoch Sosman has posted photos on Facebook of trucks from Circus Trapez on their way to the Isle of Bornholm. But the small Danish circus is not visiting Bornholm. It is Hyæne Film, which has rented their small tent, wagons and various other things for a film they are making. It is the same film for which they previously filmed at Katja Schuman's circus farm at Løkken in the Northern part of Jutland.

24 January 2024

The prize winners at this year's circus festival in Monte Carlo

Golden clown to 3 acts

Elvis and Cvetomira Errani – 3 elephants

Charles & Alexandre Gruss – Juggling on horseback, including a horse skipping with a rider on its back, as well as the Alexis Gruss family

Kolev Sisters – hand to hand

Silver clown to 3 acts

Troupe Amaraa - springboard

Wuhan Acrobatics Troupe – Russian swing

Duo Disar – Aerial Straps

Bronze clown to 5 acts

Pneumatic Art – flying trapeze                          

White Gothic – hand to hand

Troop Addis Ababa – Hand voltge

Extreme Light - LED Show

Alexey Goloborodko – contortion

In addition to the aforementioned awards to artists, golden clowns were awarded to two of the festival's long-term supporters: Dr Alain Frere and Urs Pilz. Dr Alain Frere has been the festival's technical advisor for many years and assisted the late Prince Rainier III in establishing the festival in 1974. His private circus collection Musée du Cirque Alain Frère is one of the world's largest. Urs Pilz has been the festival's artist director for many years and has been responsible for selecting the artists who have participated in the Monte Carlo festivals. He is 82 years old.

In addition to the prizes mention above there were a lot of special prizes.

The Danes saw Elvis Errani and his elephants in Circus Dannebrog in 2007 and 2008. In January 2009, he received a bronze clown in Monte Carlo. The act, which this year brought him a golden clown in Monte Carlo, he performed together with his wife Cvetomira Kirova-Errani.

Elvis Errani and his elephants in Monte Carlo in 2009

The Kolev Sisters performed in Circus Arena in 2019 and received the Talent Award from the Danish Circus Award the same year. It was their first prize ever. They won silver at the Circus Festival in Budapest in January 2000. Since then, they have received many other awards and now also a golden clown in Monte Carlo.

The Kolev sisters at Circus Arena in 2019. Rud Kofoed wrote (my translation): The Kolev Sisters' hand-to-hand acrobatics are so beautiful, powerful and wildly impressive, that they triggered a standing ovation from the excited premiere audience in Arena at Bellahoj. Nicole and Michelle Kolev have been on their way but was in the shadow of Flying Wulber, where their parents are stars... Here, for the first time, the Kolev Sisters stand on their own two feet and shall carry a performance. They have the power and elegance to do so - without looking like artificially inflated testosterone bombs, which have just left the fitness center with impure doping flour in their muscles. Where they get all that strength and all that agility from is hard to see, but they have both and serve it with a calmness and confidence that can take anyone's breath away. In 2019, girl power was introduced in the Danish circus! - Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Click here to watch a short 2-minute video clip with highlights from the Monte Carlo festival. We expect to bring a report from the festival next week.

22 January 2024

Norwegian Circus Agora 2024. As the first Norwegian circus, Cirkus Agora has published the names of the artists in this year's performance, which premieres in Bergen on March 22:

Pedro Rivelino - Cirkus Agora's own mood spreader with delightful and expressive clowning to the delight of young and old circus children.

Pedro Rivelino. All photos are press photos from Circus Agora

Axel Gottani, who present spectacular balance acrobatics on a free-standing ladder!

Agora's horses are cute, they are mischievous and a favorite among the little ones. Agora's horses are presented by director Jan Ketil and come from the Swedish Cirkus Olympia.

Jan Ketil with ponies. Photo from 2023

Vanessa Àlvarez - one of the world's absolute best foot jugglers with a pace that takes your breath away and makes you question the laws of physics

Giorgi - from our friendly country in the east - Ukraine - comes the juggler Giorgi with fast, precise and impossible arts.

Duo Glavatsky gives us a quick-change act like we've never seen before!

Peter Taylor - There are many people who would like to put their dog at the school desk! Peter's school desk is something special.

Peter Taylor. The Danes have seen him several times at winter performances in Benny Schumann's Mini circus.

Duo Crystal presents breakneck and poetic aerial acrobatics.

Jan Ketil brings you circus arts that have actually been shown around Europe, for royalty and on the BBC

Alexandra & Edi from Hungary give us the world premiere of their amazing roller-skating show!

21. januar 2024

Circus exhibition in Budapest

In connection with the circus festival in Budapest there was an impressive circus exhibition. Definitely worth a visit if you get to Budapest before it close on 29 February.

The exhibition of the 15th Budapest International Circus Festival brought together for the first time Hungarian artist dynasties, special artist relics and stories, historical documents of Hungarian world number circus productions, as well as important works of circus art and film.

The exhibition provided an opportunity to meet the most outstanding foreign collectors, collections and museums of the international circus heritage, as well as to gain insight into the collections and scientific work of the Museum, Library and Archives of Hungarian Circus Arts.

The visible wonders of the circus world is accompanied by a wealth of hands-on experiences: a 100-year-old carousel, museum education games, virtual tightrope walking and group circus education, so that anyone can discover their hidden talents as an artist – or even as a circus museologist.

Jörgen Börsch writes (my translation)

At the Vajdahunyad Castle in the Városliget (Budapest's city park), a large exhibition of circus-historical interest, initiated by the indefatigable Petér Fekete, the director of the circus building, can be seen until February 29:

Vajdahunyad Castle with banners for the exhibition. Press photo from the Budapest Circus Festival

Countless numbers of posters, photos and costumes from several private and a few public European circus collections have been collected and exhibited.

Photos: Jörgen Börsch and Ole Simonsen

Among the standout items is Hungarian Ferenc Török & Margit's "Cycle-Balance" prop. The 2 Ferenczy were engaged for Danish Circus Baldoni's 2008 program by Jörgen Börsch, and in 2013 by Danish Krone, and Jörgen had an in-depth reunion talk with Ferenc.

Jörgen Börsch and Ferenc Török

The prop / act was originally developed by Ferenc Eötvös in 1964. It was then continued by Zoltannak Krasznai. In 1985, Ferenc and Margit took over and rehearsed the number and worked it with great success. Click here to see a video clip.

Furthermore, Ferenc worked with a solo "Wheel of Death", which was rare. Click here to watch a video clip from Circus Krone 2013

With Baldoni, the acts were also shown on Iceland and on the Faroe Islands. And in 2012 Börsch got them on the program for Rigas Cirks.

- The "Wheel of Death" continues to rotate with another artist, but the "Bicycle balance" has "come to the museum" …

19 January 2024

As previous years, you can see Benny Schumann's Mini Circus in the West Zealand Shopping Mall in Slagelse during the winter holidays in week 7. With him this year Benny has Max, Ulf and Gustav Carling, who has several different acts. Also premiere of a Schumann & Carling clown trio. Press photo from Benny Schumann

18 January 2024

15. Budapest Circus Festival. The festival is second to the Monte Carlo Festival one of the circus world's most prestigious festivals. It is known among circus managements as a good place to find artists for future performances. This year the festival took place from 10 to 15 January. From the Danish circus and artist world, you met Agnete Louise Enoch, Irene Thierry and her son Marc, the clown Lasse "Bonbon" Nørager and his son Joakim, the Circus Museum's resident artist Line Vittrup, the clown Per "Tøffe" Nielsen from Baldoni 2023, the clown and actor Thomas Vilhelm Larsen (Knud the clown) and the artist agent, etc. Jörgen Börsch. From Norway Jan Ketil from Circus Agora and from Sweden Carmen Rhodin from Circus Brazil Jack. The Scandinavian countries was further represented by a number of circus friends from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

The festival offered 4 different performances:

The main shows RED SHOW and GREEN SHOW, both shown twice. WHITE SHOW - Lyrical Late Night Show and RED-WHITE-GREEN SHOW with Hungarian artists, both shown once.

Here are the winners at this year's festival:

Gold as well as the Budapest Grand Prix: China National Acrobatic Troupe for their amazing bicycle act. It included, among other things, jumps with backwards somersaults against the backs of cyclists, jumps over cyclists and 7 men in 3 floors on a bicycle. Click here to see an approx. 13-minute long slideshow with video clips and smartphone photos from this and other acts from the Red and Green show.

China National Acrobatic Troupe

Gold: Troupe Zola from Mongolia for an excellent act with springboard, where they, among other things, managed 7 man high and jump to a perch chair carried by man on perch stilts, who in turn stands on a barre carried by 2 other performers.

Silver:

Evgeniia Zavadskaia – aerial rope

Russian Evgeniia Zavadskaia presented a fine act in vertical rope

Andrei Pogorelov – wheel of death, where he i.e. did both forward and backward somersaults as well as a somersault with a screw on the outside of the wheel. You can see video clips of these tricks in the slideshow mentioned above.

Andrei Pogorelov's wheel of death is a one-man wheel. Most other wheels of death have two wheels, with one artist acting as “motor” while the other performs stunts on the outside of the wheel. In some death wheel acts the artist can do a forward somersault on the outside of the wheel. Andrei is the only one who also does a backward somersault and somersault with screw. Impressive, but perhaps a little too risky. I didn't dare book him for a season for fear that one day things could go wrong.

Elisa Cussadie – parrots

In most parrot acts parrots are doing tricks on a table, Elisa lets her parrots do tricks while she holds them or they climb around on her body. Finally, they fly around freely.

Bronze:

Duo Antresol – aerial ring

Duo Antresol consists of Alina Gabbasova and Svetlana Mikhniuk, both from Russia

Alex Giona – liberty horses. The most elegant horse act I have seen since the late Albert Schumann stopped in the Copenhagen Circus Building in 1968! Alex is a horse whisperer and the contact between him and his horses is fantastic. He got a silver clown in Monte Carlo in 2023, and in my eyes, he should at least have got silver in Budapest. The Hungarian circus directors gave him their top prize, the Arany Award.

Alex Giona and his horses

Groupe Tightrope Walkers Antik – high wire. The troupe's specialty is walking across the wire up to 3 men high, one time with man number 2 carrying 2 female artists on his shoulder. Apart from the man on the wire luckily enough everyone wears safety lunges. At the performance I saw, the lungs were needed once.

One of the troupe's tricks, where 2 men carry a girl doing splits

Les Étolies De Mongolia – Contortion

Artists from Les Étolies De Mongolia

In addition, there were prizes for the best act from the Lyrical Circus Late Night show and from the show with Hungarian artists.

A jury's choice of winner is always debatable. This also happens in Denmark when the year's circus awards are handed out by the Danish Circus Awards. In Budapest, a model is used which is somewhat reminiscent of the one we know from e.g. the sports world's ice-skating competitions: Each of the 9 jury members score the technical quality of the act from 0 to 10 and the artistic execution from 0 to 10. This means that the maximum score that can be awarded per occasion is 20. At the end of each competition day, the scores is totaled by jury member based on the scoresheets submitted that day. The preliminary order after the last scored competition program is determined from the total scores, by the automatic cancellation of the lowest and the highest scores for each competitor for each day. Based on the resulting scores, a jury meeting takes place after the last competition program, where the jury members will determine the final rankings by consensus.

The model differs from what is done in Monte Carlo, where the jury president Princess Stephanie has the decisive word.

Three acts which we have seen in Denmark took part in the festival, but without winning a prize:

Anton Monastyrsky, whose great act with rings Danes saw in Circus Benneweis in 2005. Swedes could see him in Helsingborg Christmas Circus in 2014.

Danes could experience Duo Pile ou Face at Wallmans Dinnershow in the Copenhagen Circus Building in the 2019/2020 and 2020/21 seasons. However, the act did far better at Wallmans than at the festival in Budapest.

Lennart and Daniella Matos toured with Circus Baldoni in 2022 and were part of their Christmas show in 2023. In Budapest they were part of the Hungarian show.

Many of the other acts could deserve mention and would do well in a Danish, Swedish or Norwegian circus ring. This applies, for example, to the two young guys from Pal's Compagnie. They performed with a springboard at the Hungarian show and got very well deserved the most prestigious award at this show: the Arany Award.

Pal's Compagnie with high jumps.

At the same show, it was silver to Flying Weis Junior, where an approx. 8-year-old girl was one of the flyers!

Flying Weis junior from Hungary mastered i.e. the triple somersault. During the double passage, one of the flyers fell into the net. The little girl did a single somersault

The English clown Fraser Hoober showed his very own version of the well-known boxing entrée in the Red Show. Tremendous! The three volunteers he got into the ring acted so so well that I wondered if at least one of them was "brought along".

Fraser Hoober

17 January 2024

Cirkus Trapez winter circus can be seen in a number of Jutland indoor arenas from 9 to 25 February.

Isabella Enoch say that the performers are

David Enoch Sosman: ringmaster, glass balance and comic juggler.

The Rudi Brukson family with run-ins, juggling, jumps and tissue

The Markevich family with diabolo, unicycle, antipode and a dog number.

Bernhard Kaselowsky with 4 ponies

Rudy Brukson toured with Circus Dannebrog in 2006. In 2009 he worked in the amusement park BonBonland. Together with Mrs. Irene and the children Rico and Elena, he was also part of Circus Trapez's winter performance in 2020. Katrina Markevich and her partner Anton Tabeev have performed in Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni and in one of Circus Trapez's autumn performances.

Rico Brookson. All photos press photos from Cirkus Trapez

Katrina Markevich

Anton Tabeev and Katrina

17 January 2024

Circus Baldoni 2024 - NOSTALGIA AND NEW ADVENTURES. Circus Baldoni writes (my translation):

Welcome to the 2024 performance at Circus Baldoni, where we will take you back to the beautiful and nostalgic atmosphere that was once the hallmark of Circus Baldoni. In 2024, our show oozes of youthfulness and energy and offers a lot of fun features that will get both children and adults laughing heartily. We are proud to present one of Europe's best clowns, José Michell, who masters the art of spreading smiles and laughter among both children and adults throughout the tent.

On the artistic front, you can expect to be amazed by our cool jugglers, impressed by our talented break dancers and on the edge of your seat during our nerve-wracking aerial acts. Our circus princess will enchant you with her elegant and breathtaking soap bubble show. We have carefully selected the best artists to create an unforgettable experience for you and your family.

The performance is presented by the young Mickey Juel Prüssing. His ability to entertain both children and adults is exceptional, and he has Leonardo (a ventriloquist’s doll), our faithful partner, on his arm. Mickey has trained hard with our skilled instructor and former ringmaster and ventriloquist, Peter Nørgaard, to deliver a spectacular performance.

All in all, we promise a performance that will take you back to the real Baldoni atmosphere with thrills, laughs and laughter that you will remember long after you have left the tent. We look forward to sharing this unforgettable experience with you and your family.

The title of this year's performance Nostalgia and new adventures may be inspired by the title of the Benneweis performance Classic & New Wave from 2000. At that time, the pierced and tattooed hula-hoop star Denise Randol shocked many spectators. That would not be the case today.

16 January 2024

Norwegian Circus Arnardo's Christmas show 2023 - Snøkrystallen. Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo writes (my translation) 

Tour in Norwegian theater and cultural centres, Risør 10-11 December, Vennesla 15-16 December, Lillesand 17 December, Kristiansand 25-31 December. Performance seen 30.12.23

All photos: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Animal free performance with the following artists:

Are Arnardo and Paola Folco Arnardo – magic

Luigi Folco Arnardo - juggler, unicycle, diabolo and comic elf.

Shannon Folco Arnardo - foot juggler.

Laurine Dumora - vertical rope, German wheel.

Victor Rossi juggler, Bumbull clown figure.

Alexia Voirol - elf, juggler

Are Arnardo had a dream to carry on his grandfather's work from theatre. Arne Arnardo had the task as the clown Bumbull at Oslo Nye Teater in December 1970 in the circus comedy August August August.

The costumes from that show are carried over to Victor Rossi's character in the show. Victor Rossi has also written the script for the show.

Snøkrystallen is a Christmas show in two acts and lasts about 95 minutes with a break. The search for the snow that is gone is told with simple gestures such as pictograms and monologues. It is Bumbull's helpers, the two elves Luigi Folco Arnardo and Alexia Voirol, who carry the common thread in the performance. The story disappears a little between artist acts.

You meet artist from Arnardo’s summer tour and a new engaged artist from France, Lourine Dumare, who works in vertical rope and German wheel. Somewhat averagely executed. Are and Paola with their illusions.

Are and Paola with illusions

Victor Rossi as Bumbull the clown. Luigi Foco Arnardo as multi artist. Shannon Folco Arnardo as foot juggler. I will highlight Luigi Folco Arnardo who shows his versatility to the fullest as a comic elf. Performs disciplines such as juggling, unicycle and diabolo.

Luigi Folco Arnardo

Most effective is the finale when Are Arnardo finally conjures up the snow that disappeared. To the great excitement of the audience. Fantastic ending.

Christmas circuses have no great tradition in Norway. It can be exciting to see if Arnardo in the future has success with such shows.

5 January 2024

Danish circuses in 2024. Here is an overview in alphabetical order of the circuses that we expect to see on the Danish roads in 2024, as well as the planned opening dates.

Circus Arena: Season opening at ‘Bellahoj’ in Copenhagen on 25 March. The performance will be presented by Bubber and Malene Qvist. Among the participating artists are aerial artist Olga Moreva, handstand artist Oleg Izossimov, David Hammarberg with bungee acrobatics, Pablo and Vicki Garcia with their space rocket, Garcia Brothers with handstand/hand-to-hand, Leonardo and Vita Costache with a brand-new act, dogs presented by Jolanda Hoffman, trained donkeys, Robi Berousek with ladder balance, the stunt cyclists BMX Riders and Arena's house clown Jimmy Folco. Subject to changes.

With a few exceptions, Jimmy Folco has been part of Arena's performances since 1997. Press photo from Circus Arena

Circusland in Circus Arena’s winter quarter in Aaslev will be open during the Danish winter holidays from 10 to 18 February.

Circus Arli: national premiere next to the Mill Hill in the Copenhagen suburb Floeng on 7 April. The names of the performers have not been announced.

Martin Arli and his son Alexander are always among the main forces in Circus Arli.

Circus Baldoni: opening day in Hilleroed north of Copenhagen on 9 April. Among the performers is the clown José Michell. The performance is presented by Mickey Juel Prüssing.

José Michel is one of Europe's great classical musical and slapstick clowns. He was born in 1962. His civil name is José Luis Santos Rodrigo. Many remember him from the funnel routine, where he performed together with his wife Gulia (white faced clown) and his partner Kike. The last time we saw the act in Denmark was in Circus Arena in 2015. Kike, whose civil name was Enrique Riquelme, passed away in 2021. Since then, José has either performed solo or together with Gulia. Photos from Circus Brazil Jack 2016. In the bottom picture, you can see from the left José, Gulia and Kike.

Circus Mascot: no information about the summer tour yet. As in 2023, they tour in indoor arenas and not with a tent.

Marianne Deleuran and her playful doggies are an absolutely indispensable part of a Mascot performance. Press photo from Circus Mascot

Zirkus Nemo: Season opening April 27 in Horsens. Apart from Søren Østergaard, the names of the performers have not been published. 

Although Zirkus Nemo present excellent artists, it is primarily the owner, the actor and comedian Søren Østergaard the Danish audience comes to see. Here as the smash man together with Søren's PA Laura Kvist Poulsen. Photo from 2019. Photographer: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press.

Circus Trapez: From 9 to 25 February winter circus in a number of Jutland indoor arenas. No information about the summer tour yet.

4 January 2024

The XV Budapest Circus Festival takes place from 10 to 15 January. Many Danish, Norwegian and Swedish circus owners and circus friends usually visit the festival. "There you can find artists you can use and pay - you can't do that in Monte Carlo", said the late Finnish circus director Calle Jernström to me a few years ago. Click here to read more, including a list of the performers. The language is English - the sub-page for booking tickets is only in Hungarian, however. We bring a report from the festival in the update on January 20.

The facade of the Circus Building in Budapest. Photo from 2020. The building is from 1971 and has room for 1,450 spectators. The Hungarians plan for building a new and more up-to-date circus building elsewhere in Budapest.

2 January 2024

Birthdays with a round figure 2024. Several people in the Danish circus and artist world can celebrate a birthday with a round figure during 2024:

16 March 2024: Anna Conradi, former bike acrobat, 90 years old

20 March 2024: Jimmy Enoch, artist and show producer, 40 years

12 April 2024: Jan Allan "Alando" Hansen, clown, 70 years old

16 September 2024: Katja Schumann, 75 years old

30 October 2024: Hanne Berdino, 80 years old

22 November 2024: Josefine Wulff Randrup, artist, 50 years

1 January 2024

This website had approximately 25,000 visitors in 2023. The news section, being a weekly internet magazine and the tour list (“What’s on) are usually updated every Saturday. Apart from news and tour list the website has pages with facts about Danish circuses, Danish circus families etc. Links to those pages can be found at the bottom of the opening page.

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