Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

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==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
 +
* [[Tangente_du_Bras_Tendu_Video_(2023)|La Tangente du Bras Tendu]], flying act (2023)
 
* [[Sukhornukovi_Video_(2022)|Egor & Lucia Sukhornukov]], Strap Act (2022)
 
* [[Sukhornukovi_Video_(2022)|Egor & Lucia Sukhornukov]], Strap Act (2022)
 
* [[Juliana_Neves_Video_(2001)|Juliana Neves]], tissu (2001)
 
* [[Juliana_Neves_Video_(2001)|Juliana Neves]], tissu (2001)
 
* [[Neves_and_Gueorguiev_Video_(2000)|Juliana Neves & Ivo Gueorguiev]], tissu pas-de-deux (2000)
 
* [[Neves_and_Gueorguiev_Video_(2000)|Juliana Neves & Ivo Gueorguiev]], tissu pas-de-deux (2000)
 
* [[Bikmaevi_Video_(2022)|Duo Bikmaevi]], strap act (2022)  
 
* [[Bikmaevi_Video_(2022)|Duo Bikmaevi]], strap act (2022)  
* [[Knie_Elephant_and_Tigers_Video_(1976)|Louis Knie]], elephants and tigers act (1976)
 
  
 
==New Oral Histories==
 
==New Oral Histories==

Revision as of 22:53, 11 April 2023

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

REX WILLIAMS

Rex Williams Portrait.jpg
Rex Williams (1927-2003) was one of North America’s best and most respected elephant trainers, and a true legend of the 20th century American circus. He devoted his lifetime to the care, training, and presentation of elephants. His unique approach to the treatment and schooling of his animal companions combined gentle methods with the development of close interpersonal relationships with them. He was one of the rare elephant trainers who could present his act completely barehanded.

Rex Williams was born in Danville, Illinois on January 23, 1927, the son of a farmer. His parents, Ben and Tracy, had fifteen children! Unfortunately, his early childhood was not a happy one and, when he was thirteen-year-old, Rex followed the old saying: He ran away from home and joined the circus. There, he soon fell in love with animals.

Three years later, at age sixteen, young Rex lied about his age and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. It was 1943, and the United States had entered WWII two years earlier. In 1945, he served in China, where the U.S. Marines invaded areas of the country occupied by Japanese forces to assist Chiang Kai-shek's government in obtaining their surrender and disarmament.

The war over, Rex returned to the circus. In these early years he tried his hand at 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), acting as a catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. with the Flying Pierces, whose flyers were Wally Naghtin and Joanne Day. He also performed in the Cristiani famous bareback riding act. Yet, his love of animals, especially elephants, eventually brought him to work with them.

Rex Williams began his career as elephant trainer in 1948 on Ben Davenport’s Dailey Bros. Circus, and subsequently worked with many other circuses. In 1969, he went on to lead the elephant department of the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus. It is on the Beatty-Cole show that Rex originated what was to become his trademark, a fast-paced elephant act that he led while riding a horse. The sight of the elephant herd rushing into the three rings with Rex riding alongside on his white horse was quite a spectacle, and audiences loved it.... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • La Tangente du Bras Tendu, flying actAny aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another. (2023)
  • Egor & Lucia Sukhornukov, Strap Act (2022)
  • Juliana Neves, tissu(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks) (2001)
  • Juliana Neves & Ivo Gueorguiev, tissu(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks) pas-de-deux (2000)
  • Duo Bikmaevi, strap actAerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.) (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