Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

 
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-----------"Welcome to Circopedia" and article count---------->
 
-----------"Welcome to Circopedia" and article count---------->
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<div style="font-size:162%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#000;">Welcome to Circopedia,</div>
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<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:95%;">the free encyclopedia of the international circus.<br />A project of the [http://www.bigapplecircus.org/ Big Apple Circus],<br />inspired and funded by the [http://www.sdrubin.org/ Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation].</div>
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ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
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<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia was originally inspired and funded by the [http://www.sdrubin.org/ Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation]''.</div><br/>
  
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*[[:Category:Artists and Acts|Artists and Acts]]
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*[[:Category:Circus Arts|Circus Specialties]]
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*[[:Category:Circuses|Circuses]]
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*[[:Category:History|Circus History]]
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*[[:Category:Oral History|Oral History]]
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*[[:Category:Photo Archive|Photo Archive]]
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*[[:Category:Video Archive|Video Archive]]
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*[[Links|Circus Links]]
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'''WARNING: '''''Some videos may not be available at this time, as we are switching servers. They will return shortly.''
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==In The Spotlight==
 +
[[File:Luisita_Leers_trap.jpg|right|350px]]
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===LUISITA LEERS===
  
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Luisita Leers (1909-1997) was born Martha Luise Krökel in Wiesbaden, in the western state of Hesse in Germany, on October 14, 1909. Her mother, Gertrude, was a member of the Reichenbach circus family. A physically powerful woman, Gertrude acquired fame with an elegant and spectacular acrobatic act, Les Leandros, in which she was the under-stander—an unusual occurrence for a woman. Luisita never knew her biological father, who left Gertrude when Luisita was only two years old. Her mother eventually remarried with Guido Krökel, an aerial contortionist who worked with the Leers-Arvello Troupe; their act, which combined Roman Rings and acrobatic pyramids, was mostly an aerial display of strength.
  
==In The Spotlight==
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Guido took care of Luisita's artistic education without much tenderness, and transformed her into an exceptionally strong female athlete, who was able to hold her own in the Leers-Arvellos's various exhibitions of strength. Luisita made her professional debut on March 8, 1920 in Cologne (Köln), working with the troupe on the Roman rings. She was eleven years old! Soon, she could perform a one-arm "plange" (or planche) and an "iron cross," which were then supposed to belong exclusively to a male repertoire, and she even held with one arm her hanging stepfather. Meanwhile, she was building a trapeze act of her own, in which she could display her unusual strength. She began her solo trapeze career in 1926.
===TOM DOUGHERTY===
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[[File:Dougherty_2008.jpg|right|200px]]Tom Dougherty was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 27, 1956, the son of James A. Dougherty, a lawyer, and Elizabeth Dougherty, née Muller, a private school Principal—none of each connected to show business in any way. Yet Tom’s grandfather, Adolf L. Müller, who was one of the main architects of Brooklyn’s historic Williamsburg Savings Bank building, taught him drawing and oil painting from an early age, and is also credited with teaching him how to amuse others. This gave Tom an artistic leaning, although no one expected him to become a clown. (According to Tom, his parents pointed to each other accusingly when asked later about their son…)
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In High School, Tom was naturally drawn to art classes and began to create comics. After graduation, he went to the Pratt Institute to study animation, but college life didn’t suit his rebellious disposition (this was in the turbulent 1970s) and he tried another school to study Political Science—but that, too, didn’t last long. One summer, a friend asked him to help paint a set for a theatrical production in Brooklyn. While he was working on the set, an actor got sick and the director asked Tom if he wanted to replace the missing actor: “We had a rehearsal and they offered me a contract at the end of the day.... ([[Tom Dougherty|more...]])
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Her remarkable work on the trapeze quickly drew attention, and she was featured in some of the world's most prestigious circuses and variety theaters, from the legendary Wintergarten and Scala in Berlin to the Roxy, New York's premier movie palace, and a four-year contract with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1928 through 1933. There, she occupied a center-ring position in a program that was particularly rich in stellar aerialists: It included Winnie Colleano on the swinging trapeze, the Codonas and the Siegrist-Silbons on the flying trapeze, and the undisputed star of the show, Lillian Leitzel, on the Roman rings.... ([[Luisita Leers|more...]])
  
==New Biographies==  
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==New Essays and Biographies==
  
* [[Tom Dougherty]], Clown
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* [[Alexis Gruss, Jr.]], Equestrian, Circus Owner
* [[Alfred Beautour]], Cat Trainer
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* [[Alona Zhuravel]], Hand-Balancer
* [[Ali Hassani]], Acrobat and Circus Owner
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* [[George Carl]], Clown
* [[Unus]], Hand Balancer
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* [[Cedric Walker]], Circus Owner
* [[Die Maiers]], Comedy Aerialists
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* [[The Aragón Family]], Clown Dynasty
  
 
==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
* [[Rastellis_Video_1976|The Rastellis]], Clowns (1976)
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* [[Davio_Togni_Video_(c.1995)|Davio Togni]], hippo, rhino and leopard act (c.1995)
* [[Philippe_Gruss_Video_(1965)|Philippe Gruss]], Leopard Act (1965)
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* [[Pneumatic_Arts_Video_(2024)|Pneumatic Arts]], flying trapeze (2024)
* [[Dougherty_and_Silva_Gruss_Video_(2012)|Tom Dougherty & Pepe Silva]], Clowns (2012)
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* [[Dziuba_Video_(2023)|Victoriia Dziuba]], hand-balancer (2023)
* [[Dougherty_and_Silva_RBBB_Video_(2009)|Tom Dougherty & Pepe Silva]], Clowns (2009)
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* [[Bella_Ringenbach_Video_(2002)|Bella Ringenbach]], tiger act (2002)
* [[L%27Homme_Cirque_Video|''L'homme cirque'' (David Dimitri)]], Document (2010)
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* [[Alexis_Gruss_Liberty_Video_(2022)|Alexis Gruss]], liberty presentation (2022)
 +
 
 +
==New Oral Histories==
 +
 
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* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)
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* [[Durov_Documentary_Video_(c.2000)|Vladimir Durov Documentary]] on Russian Television (c.2000)
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* [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018)
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* [[Pinito_del_Oro_RTE_Video_(1970)|Pinito del Oro's Interview]] on Spanish Television (1970)
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* [[Eradze_Video_(2015)|Gia Eradze]]'s Interview on SSU TV (2015)
  
==Featured Oral Histories==
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==Circopedia Books==
  
* [[Pavlenko_Interview_Video|Nikolai Pavlenko]], tiger trainer - Interview (RIA Novosti, 2012)
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* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)
* [[Alberto_Zoppé_Interview_2003|Alberto Zoppé]], Equestrian - Interview (McCutcheon & Distasio, 2003)
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* [[Olivier Taquin Interview 2008|Olivier Taquin]], Mime - Interview (Jando, 2008)
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* [[Barry Lubin Interview 2008|Barry Lubin]], Clown (Grandma) - Interview (Jando, 2008)
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* [[Fumagalli Interview 2008|Fumagalli]], Clown - Interview (Jando, 2008)
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==A Message from the Editor==
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==A Message from the Founder==
  
''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding encyclopedia of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly&mdash;and sometimes daily&mdash;basis. So keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Special:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''  
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''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly&mdash;and sometimes daily&mdash;basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''  
  
 
:'''Dominique Jando'''
 
:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Editor/Curator
+
:Founder and Curator

Latest revision as of 19:40, 31 May 2024


Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!
Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ ε!
Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!
Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!

Circopedia was originally inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

In The Spotlight

Luisita Leers trap.jpg

LUISITA LEERS

Luisita Leers (1909-1997) was born Martha Luise Krökel in Wiesbaden, in the western state of Hesse in Germany, on October 14, 1909. Her mother, Gertrude, was a member of the Reichenbach circus family. A physically powerful woman, Gertrude acquired fame with an elegant and spectacular acrobatic act, Les Leandros, in which she was the under-standerIn an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").—an unusual occurrence for a woman. Luisita never knew her biological father, who left Gertrude when Luisita was only two years old. Her mother eventually remarried with Guido Krökel, an aerial contortionist who worked with the Leers-Arvello Troupe; their act, which combined Roman Rings and acrobatic pyramids, was mostly an aerial display of strength.

Guido took care of Luisita's artistic education without much tenderness, and transformed her into an exceptionally strong female athlete, who was able to hold her own in the Leers-Arvellos's various exhibitions of strength. Luisita made her professional debut on March 8, 1920 in Cologne (Köln), working with the troupe on the Roman ringsA pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.. She was eleven years old! Soon, she could perform a one-arm "plange(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position." (or planche(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.) and an "iron cross," which were then supposed to belong exclusively to a male repertoire, and she even held with one arm her hanging stepfather. Meanwhile, she was building a trapeze act of her own, in which she could display her unusual strength. She began her solo trapeze career in 1926.

Her remarkable work on the trapeze quickly drew attention, and she was featured in some of the world's most prestigious circuses and variety theaters, from the legendary Wintergarten and Scala in Berlin to the Roxy, New York's premier movie palace, and a four-year contract with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1928 through 1933. There, she occupied a center-ring position in a program that was particularly rich in stellar aerialists: It included Winnie Colleano on the swinging trapeze, the Codonas and the Siegrist-Silbons on the flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze), and the undisputed star of the show, Lillian Leitzel, on the Roman ringsA pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts..... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • Davio Togni, hippo, rhino and leopard act (c.1995)
  • Pneumatic Arts, flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) (2024)
  • Victoriia Dziuba, hand-balancer (2023)
  • Bella Ringenbach, tiger act (2002)
  • Alexis Gruss, liberty"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip. presentation (2022)

New Oral Histories

Circopedia Books

A Message from the Founder

CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.

Dominique Jando
Founder and Curator