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Bertram Mills Circus

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:28:08 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:Bertram Mills Poster.jpg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:27:02 GMT

File:Bertram Mills Poster.jpg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:25:30 GMT

Djando uploaded File:Bertram Mills Poster.jpg Poster for a visit of Bertram Mills Circus to York (1957) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum - Theatre Collection''

Teslenko Family

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:42:06 GMT

‎Image Gallery

Circopedia Award

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:41:09 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:Tchaikovskaya Award 2025.jpg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:38:37 GMT

Circopedia Award

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:35:33 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:2026 Circopedia Award - Teslenko Family.png

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:34:08 GMT

Djando uploaded File:2026 Circopedia Award - Teslenko Family.png Circopedia Award presented to the Teslenko Family on September 13, 2026 at Circus Nikulin in Moscow. — ''Document © Circopedia.org'' ==See Also== * Circopedia Award Circopedia Award 2026

The Nikitin Brothers

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:49:15 GMT

‎From Saratov to Moscow

File:Old Panorama, Moscow.jpeg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:44:43 GMT

File:Old Panorama, Moscow.jpeg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:42:43 GMT

Djando uploaded File:Old Panorama, Moscow.jpeg The old panorama building, today the ''Teatr Na Tsvetnom'' on Tsvetnoy Boulevard next to Circus Nikulin (which is on the site of the old Circus Salamonsky), which was hone to the first Nikitin Circus in Moscow (2026) — ''Photo © Dominique Jando''

Circus Nikulin

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:33:29 GMT

‎The Nikitins’ Competition

Irina Bugrimova

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:22:24 GMT

File:Irina Bugrimpova and lions.jpg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:19:59 GMT

File:Irina Bugrimpova and lions.jpg

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:18:57 GMT

Djando uploaded File:Irina Bugrimpova and lions.jpg Irina Bugrimova in rehearsal with her lions (c.1965) — ''Photo X''

Irina Bugrimova

Djando — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:06:08 GMT

‎Send In the Lions

Circopedia Award

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:14:31 GMT

‎See Also

Main Page

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:07:40 GMT

Teslenko Family

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:25:26 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:Teslenko Circoprdia Award.jpg

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:24:53 GMT

File:Teslenko Circoprdia Award.jpg

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:22:06 GMT

Djando uploaded File:Teslenko Circoprdia Award.jpg The Teslenko Family is presented the Circopedia Award by Circopedia founder Dominique Jando at the ''Artist''Festival at Moscow's Circus Nikulin (September 13, 2026)

Teslenko Family

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:18:28 GMT

‎Image Gallery

Teslenko Video (2026)

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:07:27 GMT

‎See Also

Teslenko Video (2026)

Djando — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:06:43 GMT

Created page with "The Teslenko Family (Dmitriy, Veronika, Elizaveta, Prokhor, Fedor, Viktor, Asya, Angelica, Danil, Aleksei, Elina, and Anatoliy Teslenko, and Maksim Korshakov), ''Commedia dell..."

New page

The Teslenko Family (Dmitriy, Veronika, Elizaveta, Prokhor, Fedor, Viktor, Asya, Angelica, Danil, Aleksei, Elina, and Anatoliy Teslenko, and Maksim Korshakov), ''Commedia dell'Arte'', group juggling, at the 4th [[''Artist'' Festival]] at Moscow's [[Circus Nikulin]] (2026)

{{#ev:vimeo|1230768422|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[The Teslenko Family]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Teslenko Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

Djando — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 19:45:33 GMT

‎Epilogue

Main Page

Djando — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 05:35:24 GMT

Fumagalli

Djando — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 05:32:59 GMT

‎See also

Fumagalli Video (2003)

Djando — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 05:30:01 GMT

Created page with "Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée, at the 30th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2003) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions'' {{#ev:vimeo|1224120521|..."

New page

Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée, at the 30th [[International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]] (2003) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions''

{{#ev:vimeo|1224120521|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Fumagalli]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Fumagalli]]

Bertram Mills Circus

Djando — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:57:15 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:Bertram Mills - Kaden.jpg

Djando — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:54:56 GMT

File:Bertram Mills - Kaden.jpg

Djando — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 22:53:24 GMT

Djando uploaded File:Bertram Mills - Kaden.jpg Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''

The Gruss Dynasty

Djando — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 21:28:08 GMT

‎Image Gallery

File:Alexis Gruss Sr - Clown.jpg

Djando — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 21:26:51 GMT

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 File:Cyril_%26_Bernard_Mills_with_Elizabeth_II_.jpg|Cyril and Bernard Mills with the Royal Family (c.1955)
 File:Bertram_Mills_Postcard_(1957).jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia: Advertising Postcard (1957)
 File:Bertram_Mills_1957.png|Program cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1957)
 File:Bertram_Mills_at_Murrayfield_(1957).jpg|Bertram Mills Circus in Edinburgh (1957)

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:27, 29 September 2026
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−	Poster ~~for~~ a visit of Bertram Mills Circus to York (1957) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum - Theatre Collection''	+	Poster advertising a visit of Bertram Mills Circus to York (1957) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London - Theatre Collection''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* Circuses: [[Bertram Mills Circus]]
		+
		+	[[Category:Art Gallery\|Bertram Mills Circus]]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 <Gallery>
 File:Teslenko_Circoprdia_Award.jpg|The Teslenko Family receives the [[Circopedia Award]] presented by Dominique Jando at Circus Nikulin (2026)
 </Gallery>
 [[Category:Artists and Acts|Teslenko Family]][[Category:Jugglers|Teslenko Family]]

@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
 File:Faltyny_Family_-_Circopedia_Award.jpg|The Faltyny Family receives the Circopedia Award (2026)
 File:2026_Circopedia_Award_-_Teslenko_Family.png|Circopedia Award to the Teslenko Family (2026)
 </Gallery>

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:38, 29 September 2026
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−	Circopedia Award presented to [[Zlata Tchaikovskaya]] on September 14, 2025 at Circus Nikulin in Moscow. — Document © Circopedia.org	+	Circopedia Award presented to [[Zlata Tchaikovskaya]] on September 14, 2025 at Circus Nikulin in Moscow. — ''Document © Circopedia.org''

	==See Also==		==See Also==

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 ===From Saratov to Moscow===
-[[File:Circus_Nikitin_Saratov.png|thumb|right|400px|The original Circus Nikitin in Saratov (c.1890)]]The Nikitins’ Russian Circus toured the provinces with good success. Money was coming in, and three years later, in 1876, they were able to build their first permanent circus in Saratov, in southern Russia. Located in the center of the city, it was a wooden structure that was embellished over the years and stood until 1928. (It was demolished, and a stone circus was built in its place in 1931; in 1963, [[RosGosTsirk]], the central Soviet circus agency, replaced it with a brand new, state-of-the-art building, erected in a different part of the city. This latter circus, which still bears the name of ''Nikitin Brothers’ Circus'', remains active.)
+[[File:Circus_Nikitin_Saratov.png|thumb|right|400px|The original Circus Nikitin in Saratov (c.1890)]]The Nikitins’ Russian Circus toured the provinces with good success. Money was coming in, and three years later, in 1876, they were able to build their first permanent circus in Saratov, in southern Russia. Located in the center of the city, it was a wooden structure that was embellished over the years and stood until 1928. (It was demolished, and a stone circus was built in its place in 1931; in 1963, [[SoyuzGosTsirk]], the central Soviet circus agency, replaced it with a brand new, state-of-the-art building, erected in a different part of the city. This latter circus, which still bears the name of ''Nikitin Brothers’ Circus'', remains active.)
 Owners of a permanent circus building and managing a touring company, the Nikitin brothers had finally entered the circus world’s big league. While Dmitri and Akim increasingly took care of the business, Piotr developed into a remarkable bareback rider (he is said to have mastered the somersault on horseback), a flying trapeze and horizontal bars gymnast, a gifted mime, and even a quick-change artist.
@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 Meanwhile, the brothers were trying to expand their circus empire. In 1884, they built their second permanent circus in Minsk. It passed under city ownership the following year (it was destroyed during WWII, a replaced later by another building), but others would come.
-Then, the wily brothers saw another golden opportunity in Moscow: The old Panorama (today, the Mir Theatre), adjacent to the circus [[Albert Salamonsky]] had built on [[Circus Nikulin|Tsvetnoy Boulevard]] in 1880, was available. The circular building, which had once housed a panoramic painting depicting ''The Storming of Plevna'', was an ideal fit for a circus, and its location on Moscow’s most popular promenade, in the midst of other places of amusement (including an already popular circus!) seemed perfect&mdash;at least to Dmitri, Akim, and Piotr Nikitin.
+Then, the wily brothers saw another golden opportunity in Moscow: The old Panorama (today ''the Teatr Na Tsvetnom''), adjacent to the circus [[Albert Salamonsky]] had built on [[Circus Nikulin|Tsvetnoy Boulevard]] in 1880, was available. The circular building, which had once housed a panoramic painting depicting ''The Storming of Plevna'', was an ideal fit for a circus, and its location on Moscow’s most popular promenade, in the midst of other places of amusement (including an already popular circus!) seemed perfect&mdash;at least to Dmitri, Akim, and Piotr Nikitin.
 Thus the Nikitin Brothers’s Russian Circus opened in its new Moscow building in 1866. Their show certainly didn’t have the splendor of Salamonsky’s productions, nor his superb equestrian presentations, but the Nikitins knew how to attract a popular audience, and they met with increasing success.
@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 Image:Nikitin_Memorial.jpg|Niktin Memorial in Saratov
 Image:Nikitin_Circus_Saratov.jpg|The new Circus Nikitin in Saratov (2010)
 </Gallery>
 [[Category:History|Nikitin Brothers]][[Category:Circus Owners and Directors|Nikitin Brothers]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:44, 29 September 2026
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−	The old panorama building, today the ''Teatr Na Tsvetnom'' on Tsvetnoy Boulevard next to Circus Nikulin (which is on the site of the old Circus Salamonsky), which was hone to the first ~~Nikitin~~ Circus in Moscow (2026) — ''Photo © Dominique Jando''	+	The old panorama building, today the ''Teatr Na Tsvetnom'' on Tsvetnoy Boulevard next to [[Circus Nikulin]] (which stands on the site of the old Circus Salamonsky), and which was hone to the first Circus Nikitin in Moscow (2026) — ''Photo © Dominique Jando''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* History: [[Circus Nikitin]]
		+
		+	[[Category:Photo Gallery\|Nikitin Circus]]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 === The Nikitins’ Competition ===
-[[File:Circus_Salamonsky_in_Moscow.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus Salamonsky (c.1900) with the Panorama on the left, behind the circus façade.]]In 1886, the first truly Russian circus directors, the [[The Nikitin Brothers|Nikitin]] brothers, bought the Panorama adjacent to Circus Salamonsky, and transformed it into a circus! Needless to say, Albert Salamonsky was not amused: at the end of the season, he bought back the Panorama building at a price (30,000 roubles) that gave a substantial profit to the Nikitin brothers, and he transformed it into a manège where he rehearsed his horses in public and gave riding lessons. The transaction included a promise signed by Dmitri Nikitin that the brothers wouldn’t compete with Salamonsky in Moscow. (Salamonsky later sold the Panorama, whose building is extant&mdash;albeit not without many substantial transformations over the years&mdash;and houses today the Mir Theatre.)
+[[File:Circus_Salamonsky_in_Moscow.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus Salamonsky (c.1900) with the Panorama on the left, behind the circus façade.]]In 1886, the first truly Russian circus directors, the [[The Nikitin Brothers|Nikitin]] brothers, bought the Panorama adjacent to Circus Salamonsky, and transformed it into a circus! Needless to say, Albert Salamonsky was not amused: at the end of the season, he bought back the Panorama building at a price (30,000 roubles) that gave a substantial profit to the Nikitin brothers, and he transformed it into a manège where he rehearsed his horses in public and gave riding lessons. The transaction included a promise signed by Dmitri Nikitin that the brothers wouldn’t compete with Salamonsky in Moscow. (Salamonsky later sold the Panorama, whose building is extant&mdash;albeit not without many substantial transformations over the years&mdash;and houses today the ''Theatr Na Tsvetnom''.)
 The Nikitins returned to Moscow in 1888, and rented this time the old Circus Hinné. Salamonsky went to remind them of their signed promise, but the wily brothers argued that the letter of agreement had been signed by Dmitri Nikitin, who had left by then his brothers to create his own enterprise, and consequently, they (Piotr and Akim Nikitin) were not bound by the agreement. Luckily for Salamonsky, the business at the old circus didn’t prove satisfactory, and the Nikitins decided not to renew their lease at the end of the season.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:Bugrimova,_Irina.jpg|right|300px]]
+[[File:Bugrimova_poster.jpg|right|400px]]
 ==Daredevil, Equestrienne, Animal Trainer==
@@ Line 92: / Line 92: @@
 File:Bugrimova_and_Parmakyan.jpg|Irina Bugrimova and Konstantin Parmakyan (c.1960)
 File:Bugrimova_Lion_Cubs.jpg|Irina and New Family Members (c.1965)
 File:Irina_and_ligron_on_swing.jpg|Irina and her ligron on the swing (c.1965)
 File:Irina_Bugrimova_and_Ligron.jpg|Irina and her Ligron (c.1970)

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:19, 29 September 2026
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	Irina Bugrimova in rehearsal with her lions (c.1965) — ''Photo X''		Irina Bugrimova in rehearsal with her lions (c.1965) — ''Photo X''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* Biography: [[Irina Bugrimova]]
		+
		+	[[Category:Photo Archive\|Bugrimova, Irina]]

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 [[File:Buslaevi_Poster.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Buslaevs' sled thrill act (1935)]]Like Irina, Aleksandr Butenko was attracted to working in the circus. Butenko was a good mechanic, and both he and Irina wanted to present something original, involving physical stunts. They conceived an attraction based on the principle of the old "looping the loop," which required a huge and complicated apparatus, for the construction of which GOMETs, then the Soviet Union's central circus organization, which was interested in the project, gave them precious technical and financial support. The principle of the act was in the spirit of the somersault in automobile made famous in 1904 by [[Mauricia de Thiers]] (1880-1964), although its presentation showed a significant difference: Mauricia de Thiers's automobile had been replaced by snow sleds.
-Under the stage name of ''Buslaevi'' (The Buslaevs in Russian spelling), Alksandr and Irina presented their attraction for the first time in 1930 at the State Circus of Kharkov. It was not a small affair: In a mountain setting, a ramp came from the top of the house (above the orchestra, which traditionally, in Russian circus buildings, faces the ring entrance) down to the ring, above which it curved up at the end; the sleds went down the ramp, were propelled up in a somersault through a revolving hoop, and landed onto another ramp, where they concluded their course in a safety net. Later, the hoop was replaced by two hoops on the same axis revolving in opposite directions!
+Under the stage name of ''Buslaevi'' (The Buslaevs in Russian spelling), Alksandr and Irina presented their attraction for the first time in 1930 at the State Circus of Kharkov. It was not a small affair: In a mountain setting, a ramp came from the top of the house (above the orchestra, which traditionally, in Russian circus buildings, faced the ring entrance) down to the ring, above which it curved up at the end; the sleds went down the ramp, were propelled up in a somersault through a revolving hoop, and landed onto another ramp, where they concluded their course in a safety net. Later, the hoop was replaced by two hoops on the same axis revolving in opposite directions!
-Aleksandr and Irina entered the ring in white skiers' outfits, performed a few dance steps, and proceeded to climb up to the top of the ramp where the sleds waited. Aleksandr was the first to go and Irina followed him. It was a remarkable thrill act, totally original and quite dangerous, which immediately obtained a considerable success. Two years after their debut, they were featured in the Soviet Union's premier circuses, the old [[Circus Ciniselli]] in Leningrad (today's St. Petersburg) and Moscow's [[Circus Nikulin|Circus on Tvetsnoy Boulevard]]: They had reached star status. Meanwhile, Irina had put together a high-school act that she presented as Irina Buslaeva in the same shows and became her second act&mdash;which she kept for most of her career.
+Aleksandr and Irina entered the ring in white skiers' outfits, performed a few dance steps, and proceeded to climb up to the top of the ramp where the sleds waited. Aleksandr was the first to go and Irina followed him. It was a remarkable thrill act, totally original and quite dangerous, which immediately obtained a considerable success. Two years after their debut, they were featured in the Soviet Union's premier circuses, the old [[Circus Ciniselli]] in Leningrad (today's St. Petersburg) and Moscow's [[Circus Nikulin|Circus on Tvetsnoy Boulevard]]: They had reached star status. Meanwhile, Irina had put together a high-school act, which she presented as Irina Buslaeva in the same shows and became her second act&mdash;and which she kept for most of her career.
 ===Send In the Lions===
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 [[File:Buslaevi.jpg|thumb|400px|left|The Buslaevs in their "Barrel" outfits (1940)]]By 1939, Aleksandr and Irina had performed their attraction several times in each circus of the Soviet Union; its novelty was on the wane, and they decided to create a new act. Since the time of her visits to the circus with her veterinarian father, Irina had always dreamed of training big cats. She gave it a first try in 1937 when the central State Circus organization, which wanted to have a female cat trainer, acquired a group of leopards and offered up their presentation to Irina. She gave it a try but was not satisfied; she had her views on larger and more spectacular felines&mdash;and on lions in particular.
-So, the Buslaevs acquired three young lions (named Kaï, Julius, and Caesar) and Irina began to train them. During rehearsals, she received some assistance from the legendary cat trainer [[Boris Eder]] (1894-1970), whose many pupils have included such outstanding trainers as Margarita Nazarova and [[Walter Zapashny]]. During that time, the Buslaevs performed another thrill act at Moscow's popular Culture and Leisure Park (Gorky Park), a "wall of death," in which they raced at full speed on their motorcycles on a circular wall made of sturdy cage panels. The attraction, which met with great success, was known as ''The Barrel''.
+So, the Buslaevs acquired three young lions (named Kaï, Julius, and Caesar) and Irina began to train them. During rehearsals, she received some assistance from the legendary cat trainer [[Boris Eder]] (1894-1970), whose many pupils have included such outstanding trainers as [[Margarita Nazarova]] and [[Walter Zapashny]]. During that time, the Buslaevs performed another thrill act at Moscow's popular Culture and Leisure Park (Gorky Park), a "wall of death," in which they raced at full speed on their motorcycles on a circular wall made of sturdy cage panels. The attraction, which met with great success, was known as ''The Barrel''.
 They finally presented their lion act in 1940. Like their previous creations, it was utterly original. It began with Irina having classic figures performed by her three lions; then she brought her motorbike in the cage, and circled it on a peripheral inclined floor, with the lions resting in the center. Aleksandr followed her on another bike with a sidecar (in the shape of a rocket, it was there to ensure the stability of the bike) and started a chase with one of the lions; the latter eventually jumped and sat on a small platform on the backseat behind Aleksandr and circled the ring with him.

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 ==2024==
 * '''Alona Zhuravel''', Germany/Russia &mdash; Presented on the 27th of March 2024 at the 3rd American CircusFest in Frisco, Texas, USA.
-* '''Daria Toropova''', Russia &mdash; Presented on the 15th of September 2024 at the 2nd ''Artist'' Festival in Moscow, Russia.
+* '''Daria Toropova''', Russia &mdash; Presented on the 15th of September 2024 at the 2nd ''Artist'' Festival at Circus Nikulin in Moscow, Russia.
 ==2025==
 * '''Ramón Rampin''', Spain &mdash; Presented on the 26th of March 2025 at the 4th ''American CircusFest'' in Frisco, Texas, USA.
@@ Line 32: / Line 33: @@
 ==2026==
 * '''The Faltyny Family''', Czech Republic &mdash; Presented on the 23rd of April, 2026 at the 5th ''American CircusFest'' in Temecula, California, USA.
 ==See Also==
@@ Line 43: / Line 45: @@
 * Video: [[Alona_Zhuravel_Video_(2019)|Alona Zhuravel]], recipient of the 2024 Circopedia Award (2024)
 * Video: [[Toropova_Video_(2024)|Daria Toropova]], recipient of the 2024 Circopdia Award (2024)
-* Video: [[Tchaikovskaya_Video_(2025)|Zlata Tachaikovskaya]], recipient of the 2025 Circopdia
+* Video: [[Tchaikovskaya_Video_(2025)|Zlata Tachaikovskaya]], recipient of the 2025 Circopdia Award (2025)
 * Biography: [[The Knie Dynasty]], recipients of the 2019 Circopedia Award.
 * Biography: [[Gia Eradze]], recipient of the 2022 Circopedia Award.

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 * [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
-* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
+* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], equestrian, circus owner (French version)
 * [[Kremo Family]], icarists
 * [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==New Videos==
 * [[Fumagalli_Video_(2003)|Fumagalli & Daris]], clown entrée (2006)
 * [[Ariz_Bros_Video_(1983)|The Ariz Brothers]], banquine (1983)
 * [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
 * [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
 ==New Oral Histories==

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:24, 28 September 2026
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−	The Teslenko Family is presented the [[Circopedia Award]] by Circopedia founder Dominique Jando at the ''Artist''Festival at Moscow's [[Circus Nikulin]] (September 13, 2026)	+	The Teslenko Family is presented the [[Circopedia Award]] by Circopedia founder Dominique Jando at the ''Artist''Festival at Moscow's [[Circus Nikulin]] (September 13, 2026) — ''Photo © Svetlana Melnikova''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* Biography: [[Teslenko Family]]
		+
		+	[[Category:Photo Archive\|Teslenko Family]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 * Video: [[Teslenko_Troupe_Video_(2013)|The Teslenko Troupe, group juggling]], at Circus Nikulin in Moscow (2013)
 * Video: [[Veronika_Teslenko_Video_(2014)|Veronika Teslenko, aerial straps]], at the Bolshoi Circus in Moscow (2014)
 [[Category:Artists and Acts|Teslenko Family]][[Category:Jugglers|Teslenko Family]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==See Also==
-* Biography: [[The Teslenko Family]]
+* Biography: [[Teslenko Family]]
 [[Category:Video Archive|Teslenko Family]]

@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 [[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals&mdash;some of which were presented performing in the show&mdash;as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).
-Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as Carl Krone to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.
+Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.
 The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 [[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise&mdash;although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.
-The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November,  the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.
+The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November,  the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.
 The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.
@@ Line 109: / Line 109: @@
 During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!
-[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...
+[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...
 Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses&mdash;including two in Moscow&mdash;needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.
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 Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.
-Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.
+Their daughter Ruth, who had married [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had previously divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.
 Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...
@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
 [[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician&mdash;nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.
-By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city&mdash;which didn't go without its share of problems&mdash;were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.
+By then, there were already two resident circuses in Berlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city&mdash;which didn't go without its share of problems&mdash;were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.
 Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals&mdash;for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 * Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Video_(2001)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at Circus Fumagalli (2001)
 * Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Monte_Carlo_Video_(2001)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2001)
-* Video: [[Fumagalli Interview 2007| Fumagalli Interview]] with Dominique Jando, 2007
+* Video: [[Fumagalli_Video_(2003)|Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2006)
-* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Little Bee BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Celebrate'' (2007)
+* Video: [[Fumagalli Interview 2007| Fumagalli Interview]] with Dominique Jando (2007)
-* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Table BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, Table Act]], in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Celebrate'' (2007)
+* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Little Bee BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], at the Big Apple Circus (2007)
-* Video: [[Fumagalli_Video_(2015)|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], at the 39th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2015)
+* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Table BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, Table Act]], at the Big Apple Circus (2007)
-* Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Video_(2015)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at the 39th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2015)
+* Video: [[Fumagalli_Video_(2015)|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2015)
 ==Image Gallery==

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 File:Carmo_tenting_circus_%2B_queue.jpg|The Carmo/Mills Circus (1929)
 File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Program_1929-30.JPG|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1929)
-File:Bertram_Mills_Program_32-32.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olumpia (1931)
+File:Bertram_Mills_Program_32-32.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1931)
 File:Bertram_Mills_-_Seago.jpeg|Bertam Mills Circus at Olympia by Edward Seago (1932)
 File:Bertram_Mills_-_Holiday_(1932).jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1932)
 File:Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus on tour (1932)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:54, 3 September 2026
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	Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''		Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* Biography: [[Alfred Kaden]]
		+	* Circuses: [[Bertram Mills Circus]]
		+
		+	[[Category:Art Gallery\|Bertram Mills Circus]]

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 <Gallery>
 File:Gruss-Jeannet_44.jpg|The Cirque Gruss-Jeannet at its debut (1944)
 File:Gruss-Jeannet_Dede.png|Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster featuring Dédé Gruss (c.1945)
 File:Dede_Gruss.jpg|Dédé Gruss (c.1950)

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:26, 3 September 2026
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−	Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster signed Ello featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. as a white-face clown (c.1945) — ''Joel Rhede Collection''	+	[[Cirque Gruss-Jeannet]] poster signed Ello featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. as a white-face clown (c.1945) — ''Joel Rhede Collection''
		+
		+	==See Also==
		+
		+	* Biography: [[The Gruss Dynasty]]