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Welcome to Circopedia, the free encyclopedia of the international circus. A project of the Big Apple Circus, inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

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In The Spotlight

TERRY CAVARETTA

Terry Cavaretta-St. Jules was the greatest female flyerAn acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard). of her generation, and arguably one of the greatest female flyers of all time. A diminutive, eye-catching woman with a girlish charm and a luminous smile, she was for twenty-three years a headliner in Las Vegas, the star of a flying actAny aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another. in which she performed the repertoire of the best male flyers of her generation, including a consistent triple somersault. She was born Darlene Teresa Anne Cavaretta on March 6, 1953 in Buffalo, New York. Her father, Vince, was a cement mason turned drive-in restaurant entrepreneur, whose parents had emigrated from Sicily. Her mother, Anne, was a homemaker. She and Vince had six children: Judy, born in 1945; Candace (Kandy), born in 1946; Jimmy, born in 1949; the twins Maureen (Moe) and Marlene (Molli), born in 1951; and Darlene (Terry), the youngest.... (more...)

New Biographies

• Terry Cavaretta, Aerialist
• Wuqiao Acrobatic Troupe, Chinese Acrobats
• The Charlivels, Acrobats
• Freddy Osler, Aerialist
• Paul Jung, Clown

New Videos

• The Chernievsky Troupe, Table Act (c.1975)
• The Pompoff Thedy Family, Clowns (1960)
• The Pompoff Thedy Family, Clowns (1964)
• Pinito del Oro, Washington Trapeze (1956)
• The Pompoff Thedy Family, Clowns (c.1980)

Featured Oral Histories

• Alberto Zoppé, Equestrian - Interview (McCutcheon & Distasio, 2003)
• Olivier Taquin, Mime - Interview (Jando, 2008)
• Barry Lubin, Clown (Grandma) - Interview (Jando, 2008)
• Fumagalli, Clown - Interview (Jando, 2008)
• Kris Kremo, Juggler - Interview (Jando, 2007)

A Message from the Editor

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—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!

Dominique Jando

Editor/Curator