tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36845215.post8987763941461202066..comments2024-03-24T11:56:43.208-07:00Comments on Showbiz David: Rants Unlimited, Continued: Circus on Film, You Have More to (Dread) or Look Forward ToShowbiz Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921904778000552196noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36845215.post-75006098318061823712012-04-30T21:35:37.521-07:002012-04-30T21:35:37.521-07:00Josh,
My apologies if you felt I slighted you, in...Josh,<br /><br />My apologies if you felt I slighted you, in passing tossing out some quick impressions in lazy fashion. I did not really say "kid's circus," although I felt the charming innocence of a student show, which surely it is/was. Nor do I feel, as you infer, that your show is not a real circus. You are very much in touch with contemporary trends influenced by CDS; nothing wrong with that.<br /><br />What impressed me the most were the guys working diablo.<br />Another PBS show on your Smirkus charmed me likewise.<br /><br />From your alumni record, you appear to be perhaps by far the most productive of the circus schools/organizations in the USA. Maybe I am short-sighted; I rarely see shows featuring Americans trained here in major compelling acts, -- a stubbornly persistent reality on the American scene, and so I congratulate you on your good work!<br /><br />And may your upcoming tour be a great success.Showbiz Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08921904778000552196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36845215.post-64515153830686170712012-04-30T20:32:10.397-07:002012-04-30T20:32:10.397-07:00David,
Joy Powers, the female Smirkus clown you re...David,<br />Joy Powers, the female Smirkus clown you referred to is my clown partner, along with our fellow Smirkus alumn John Stork. John and I were in Smirkus a few years before Circus Dreams was filmed, but I was on staff that year, and I am currently the Production Manager for the Smirkus tour. In addition to Joy signing on to Ringling Bros, Book Kennison and Eric Allen, who were both in Circus Dreams, signed on the Ringling alley the same year as Joy. Jacob Sharpe and his brother Nate performed at the Cirque de Demain festival in Paris, and Jacob is now in Berlin performing with The 7 Fingers. Thula, the little girl from Hawaii has been performing professionally and will be attending the National Circus School in Montreal next year, joining Lindsay, Kia, Danny and Eric Brown, all of whom were on tour with Smirkus and appear in Circus Dreams. Spencer is currently a featured character in Soleil's KA, and won the Bronze medal in the most recent Paris festival. Ariana is on a cruise ship performing as a handbalancer. Isabel is a flyer with the Cortez on Big Apple this season. Though not all of the troupers were "main characters" in the film, they were all on tour that year, and do appear in the movie. In Smirkus's 25 years, there are between 50-100 alumni who went on to professional careers in circus, including Molly Saudek, who many consider the best wire dancer today, Jade-Kindar Martin, who is a record holding wire walker, Kelly Miller's Ryan Combs, former Ringling clowns Adam Kuchler, Molly Pelley, Mike Richter, and me. Current Ringling clowns Jared and Frances toured with Smirkus after Circus Dreams was filmed. Smirkus alumni have performed and are performing in Ringling, Big Apple, Cirque du Soleil, and many other circuses around the world. Besides all of that, you should really see a live performance of Circus Smirkus before you decide it's not a real circus itself. Check out Spectacle's annual reviews and you'll see it's much more than a "kids circus." I hope you enjoyed Circus Dreams. It's a very good documentary, but you can only give a small taste of the magic of Smirkus in 80 minutes.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08201132063524394957noreply@blogger.com