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<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="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
 
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/>
 
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/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia was originally created with the support of the  Big Apple Circus Ltd.''</div><div style=font-size:98%;">''and inspired and funded by the [http://www.sdrubin.org/ Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation]''.</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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==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
  
===SERGE===
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===ELENA PANOVA===
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[[File:Elena_Panova_(1991).jpg|right|300px]]
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Elena Panova is credited with having originated a new swinging trapeze style and technique, which she developed quite by accident at Moscow's State College for Circus and Variety Arts, along with her teachers, Tereza Durova and Victor Fomine. When it was presented for the first time in the West in 1987 (it was at a time when communist Eastern Europe was still secluded), her act was a sensation that triggered the creation of a string of new swinging trapeze acts in a similar style, notably in Canada.
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Elena Panova was born Elena Nikolaevna Borisova on July 18, 1964 in Murom, four hundred kilometers from Moscow, the third daughter of Nikolai Borisov and his wife, Klavdia, née Kazanskaya. Her parents had nothing to do with the circus: they came from peasant stock and both worked in a local factory.
  
[[File:Serge_-_Charivari_Clowns.png|right|400px]]Serge (1901-1992) was, from the 1930s up to the late 1970s, a well-known figure of the Parisian entertainment scene, not as an actor&mdash;although his flamboyant personality would certainly have made one think he was a thespian&mdash;but as a journalist and chronicler, author of many books, and a prolific illustrator. He was also an exuberant circus enthusiast, and most of his work concerned the circus and its close cousin, the music-hall (vaudeville or variety).  
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Murom is one of Russia's oldest cities, dating back to the 9th century, and "home" to the Kievan Rus folk hero of yore, Ilya Muromets. It is also a Holy City that managed to keep some of its monasteries and convents open during the communist era. Yet, it is a small town, and although the Soviet government gave it a theater building, it didn't have a circus, neither was it important enough to receive the summer visit of a ''shapito'' (or ''chapiteau'' in French&mdash;a traveling circus). In fact, Elena never saw a live circus performance while growing up.  
  
He was born Maurice Féaudierre in Paris, France, on December 14, 1901, to Jules Victor Féaudierre, a paint merchant, and his wife Marguerite, née Bauvé. It is not clear where his nom de plume, Serge, came from. All his life, Serge was a Parisian through and through, although he had a great affection for London, a city to which he dedicated one of his books, ''Londres secret et ses fantômes'' (1946), which chronicled the great city as it was just after the end of WWII. He traveled often to see circus and variety shows all over Europe. His wife, née Blanche Barbas, was a dentist.  
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She did see circus shows on television, however, as well as ballet performances, and in her early teens, she enrolled herself in her school's amateur dance company. Meanwhile, a friend of hers had joined the local "Circus Club" and suggested that Elena, who was then fourteen, came with her. "Circus Clubs" were the Soviet equivalent of European or American youth circuses, though generally at a much higher level in terms of the training they provided. They flourished in the Soviet Union, where circus arts were held in high esteem.
  
Serge, who was outgoing and always ready to strike a conversation with people he had just met if they shared his interest for (or worked in) his favorite performing art, had many friends in the circus world. He was also fascinated by the world of Gypsies ("Bohémiens," in French), but his books, whatever their subject, always returned to the circus. During his long period of professional activity, there was no Parisian circus or music-hall event to which Serge was not invited, and his ebullient personality always made his presence difficult to ignore&mdash;and always welcome! ([[Serge|more...]])
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During these years, Elena trained in basic acrobatics, but her tastes drew her to aerial apparatuses; while still at the  Circus Club, she and a fellow student developed a "bambou" (aerial perch) act. Her performance debut came in April 1978, when she presented a static trapeze act in the Easter show the Circus Club staged in Murom’s Grand Theatre.... ([[Elena Panova|more...]])
  
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
  
* [[Yury Nikulin]], Clown, Actor, Circus Director
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* [[Jo-Ann Jennier]], Aerialist, Animal Trainer
* [[Serge]], Circus Chronicler and Illustrator
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* [[Ethel Jennier]], Aerialist, Animal Trainer
* [[Alexandre Palisse]], Clown, Circus Owner
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* [[Walter Jennier]], Sea Lion Trainer
* [[Rico y Alex]], Clowns
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* [[Rex Williams]], Elephant Trainer
* [[Barbette]], Trapeze and Tightwire Artist
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* [[Little Billy Merchant]], Clown
  
 
==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
* [[Detistova_Video_(2019)|Kseniya Destistova]], hand balancer and foot juggler (2019)
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* [[Crocksons_Video_(1969)|The Crocksons]], comedy tumbling (1969)
* [[Flag_Circus_Video_(2011)|Flag Circus Troupe of China]], hand-to-hand balancing (2011)
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* [[Crystalle_Video_(2016)|Crystalle]], tight wire (2016)
* [[Maiorov_Video_(2003)|Inna & Maksim Maiorov]], corde lisse (2003)
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* [[Ferkos_Video_(1969)|The Ferkos]], Russian swing (1969)
* [[Ivanov_Video_(2020)|Vladimir Ivanov]], rola-bola on Washington trapeze (2020)
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* [[Kroplin_Video_(1969)|Klaus Kröplin]], small animal act (1969)
* [[Giffords_Video_(2021)|Giffords Circus]] in Transit (2021)
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* [[Alexis_Sisters_Video_(1987)|The Alexis Sisters]], hand-to-hand balancing (1987)
  
 
==New Oral Histories==
 
==New Oral Histories==

Revision as of 02:51, 7 June 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

ELENA PANOVA

Elena Panova (1991).jpg

Elena Panova is credited with having originated a new swinging trapeze style and technique, which she developed quite by accident at Moscow's State College for Circus and Variety Arts, along with her teachers, Tereza Durova and Victor Fomine. When it was presented for the first time in the West in 1987 (it was at a time when communist Eastern Europe was still secluded), her act was a sensation that triggered the creation of a string of new swinging trapeze acts in a similar style, notably in Canada.

Elena Panova was born Elena Nikolaevna Borisova on July 18, 1964 in Murom, four hundred kilometers from Moscow, the third daughter of Nikolai Borisov and his wife, Klavdia, née Kazanskaya. Her parents had nothing to do with the circus: they came from peasant stock and both worked in a local factory.

Murom is one of Russia's oldest cities, dating back to the 9th century, and "home" to the Kievan Rus folk hero of yore, Ilya Muromets. It is also a Holy City that managed to keep some of its monasteries and convents open during the communist era. Yet, it is a small town, and although the Soviet government gave it a theater building, it didn't have a circus, neither was it important enough to receive the summer visit of a shapito (or chapiteau(French, Russian) A circus tent, or Big Top. in French—a traveling circus). In fact, Elena never saw a live circus performance while growing up.

She did see circus shows on television, however, as well as ballet performances, and in her early teens, she enrolled herself in her school's amateur dance company. Meanwhile, a friend of hers had joined the local "Circus Club" and suggested that Elena, who was then fourteen, came with her. "Circus Clubs" were the Soviet equivalent of European or American youth circuses, though generally at a much higher level in terms of the training they provided. They flourished in the Soviet Union, where circus arts were held in high esteem.

During these years, Elena trained in basic acrobatics, but her tastes drew her to aerial apparatuses; while still at the Circus Club, she and a fellow student developed a "bambou(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch." (aerial perchA hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)) act. Her performance debut came in April 1978, when she presented a static trapeze act in the Easter show the Circus Club staged in Murom’s Grand Theatre.... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • The Crocksons, comedy tumbling (1969)
  • Crystalle, tight wireA tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire) (2016)
  • The Ferkos, Russian swingGiant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net. (1969)
  • Klaus Kröplin, small animal act (1969)
  • The Alexis Sisters, hand-to-handAn acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander. balancing (1987)

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