June 28, 2002

Circus

My friends laughed when they heard I was going to the circus on a work assignment, but that didn't prevent me from being impressed by the extravaganza. From my front row seat, I could see all of the two-hour production, and I was duly impressed as acrobats swung through the air and performers balanced on wheels. I certainly would not want to be tossed through the air to hopefully land in a chair held aloft by another performer.

The circus has no animals, but I didn't miss them. Perhaps this was due in part to the fact that I'd never been to the circus before, but I really don't think it suffered. The owners decided to focus on human stunts, rather than subject animals to conditions that aren't always the best.

Before the circus started, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the performers. Walter is a third-generation performer and was born in a circus tent in Mexico 24 years ago. He usually opens the circus with an acrobatic stunt on silk cords, ending with a "flight" around the arena. Further into the show, he holds two people above him while jumping rope. And then comes the motorcycle Globe of Death, in which two of Walter's brothers ride motorcycles in circles within a not-so-large sphere. They even ride upside down and somehow manage not to crash into one another.

My overall impression of the circus was one of awe. It was fun to watch, the performers were talented, and my conversation with Walter indicated that they really enjoy what they do. He is perfectly comfortable living in his own mobile home for 10 months out of the year, and his family is nearby. He can even see his 1-year-old nephew, because his sister and her husband also tour with the company. For them, it's a way of life.

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