Difference between revisions of "Main Page"
From Circopedia
| (40 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
==In The Spotlight== | ==In The Spotlight== | ||
| − | === | + | ===ELSANE=== |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:Elsane_Handstand.jpg|right|300px]] |
| − | The | + | The remarkable German trapezist Elsane (1906-1997) had a meteoric circus career: After only ten years performing high under the cupola, a bad fall obliged her to abandon her trapeze; she had been until then a true circus star whose ballet training and her past as an acrobatic dancer had made her a headliner in circuses and on variety stages all over Europe, North Africa, and even the Middle East (at a time when performing there—sometimes in prestigious venues—was still a common occurrence). |
| − | + | She was born Else Jaekel on October 26, 1906, in Kossakau in Pomerania, near Danzig (today Gdansk), in what was then Eastern Prussia (Kossakau is today Kosakowo, in Poland). She didn't belong to a circus family, but she was attracted at an early age to ballet and studied it, before meeting Rudolf von Laban (1879-1958), an Austro-Hungarian pioneer of modern dance considered to be the "founding father of expressionist dance." This led Else to evolve toward acrobatic dance—a specialty that was very popular between the two World Wars. | |
| − | + | When she began performing in the early 1920s, right after WWI, German names were not always well received in Europe, so Else gave a French flavor to hers: Else Jaekel became Jacqueline Elsane. Very attractive, with a beautiful figure and a natural grace that came from her ballet training, she had no difficulty finding engagements in the variety circuit, either in dancing companies or as a solo performer. She eventually made a name for herself and worked in many of Europe’s major variety theaters. In 1932, to promote her act, she ordered a personal poster to the trendy Spanish designer Tito-Livio de Madrazo (1899-1979), which is still very much sought after by collectors today. | |
| − | + | With her French name, Jacqueline Elsane became quite popular in Paris, where she performed her acrobatic dance act in such prestigious venues of the time as the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Palace, and the Casino de Paris. In 1936 at the famous Empire Music-Hall Cirque, which was managed then by the brothers Amar, owners of the Cirque Amar—France's largest and most successful traveling circus—she was surrounded by the dancers of the Empire ballet in a piece titled ''Symphonie en Bleu'' ("Symphony in Blue"), choreographed by the Ballet Master of the Paris Opera, Léo Staats (1877-1952).... ([[Elsane|more...]]) | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | ||
==New Essays and Biographies== | ==New Essays and Biographies== | ||
| + | * [[Evelyn and André]], Aerialists, Acrobats | ||
| + | * [[Ramón Rampin]], Clown | ||
| + | * [[Elsane]], Aerialist | ||
* [[Nouveau_Cirque_(Paris)/fr|Nouveau Cirque]], History — Version Française (French Version) | * [[Nouveau_Cirque_(Paris)/fr|Nouveau Cirque]], History — Version Française (French Version) | ||
* [[Cirque Medrano (Paris)/fr|Cirque Medrano]], History — Version Française (French Version) | * [[Cirque Medrano (Paris)/fr|Cirque Medrano]], History — Version Française (French Version) | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==New Videos== | ==New Videos== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Bertram_Mills_Video_(1934)|Bertram Mills Circus]] on the Road and at Olympia (1934) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Phyllis_Allan_Video_(1967)|Phyllis Allan]], dog act (1967) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Ultra_Jump_Video_(2025)|Ultra Jump]], springboard acrobatics (2025) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Duo_Toldi_Video_(1966)|Duo Toldi]], hand-to-hand balancers (1966) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(1973)|Evelyn & André]], aerial perch (1973) |
==New Oral Histories== | ==New Oral Histories== | ||
| + | * [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025) | ||
| + | * [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015) | ||
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977) | * [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977) | ||
* [[Durov_Documentary_Video_(c.2000)|Vladimir Durov Documentary]] on Russian Television (c.2000) | * [[Durov_Documentary_Video_(c.2000)|Vladimir Durov Documentary]] on Russian Television (c.2000) | ||
* [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018) | * [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018) | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Circopedia Books== | ==Circopedia Books== | ||
Latest revision as of 23:25, 29 April 2025
|
In The Spotlight
ELSANE
The remarkable German trapezist Elsane (1906-1997) had a meteoric circus career: After only ten years performing high under the cupola, a bad fall obliged her to abandon her trapeze; she had been until then a true circus star whose ballet training and her past as an acrobatic dancer had made her a headliner in circuses and on variety stages all over Europe, North Africa, and even the Middle East (at a time when performing there—sometimes in prestigious venues—was still a common occurrence).
She was born Else Jaekel on October 26, 1906, in Kossakau in Pomerania, near Danzig (today Gdansk), in what was then Eastern Prussia (Kossakau is today Kosakowo, in Poland). She didn't belong to a circus family, but she was attracted at an early age to ballet and studied it, before meeting Rudolf von Laban (1879-1958), an Austro-Hungarian pioneer of modern dance considered to be the "founding father of expressionist dance." This led Else to evolve toward acrobatic dance—a specialty that was very popular between the two World Wars.
When she began performing in the early 1920s, right after WWI, German names were not always well received in Europe, so Else gave a French flavor to hers: Else Jaekel became Jacqueline Elsane. Very attractive, with a beautiful figure and a natural grace that came from her ballet training, she had no difficulty finding engagements in the variety circuit, either in dancing companies or as a solo performer. She eventually made a name for herself and worked in many of Europe’s major variety theaters. In 1932, to promote her act, she ordered a personal poster to the trendy Spanish designer Tito-Livio de Madrazo (1899-1979), which is still very much sought after by collectors today.
With her French name, Jacqueline Elsane became quite popular in Paris, where she performed her acrobatic dance act in such prestigious venues of the time as the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Palace, and the Casino de Paris. In 1936 at the famous Empire Music-Hall Cirque, which was managed then by the brothers Amar, owners of the Cirque Amar—France's largest and most successful traveling circus—she was surrounded by the dancers of the Empire ballet in a piece titled Symphonie en Bleu ("Symphony in Blue"), choreographed by the Ballet Master of the Paris Opera, Léo Staats (1877-1952).... (more...)
New Essays and Biographies
- Evelyn and André, Aerialists, Acrobats
- Ramón Rampin, Clown
- Elsane, Aerialist
- Nouveau Cirque, History — Version Française (French Version)
- Cirque Medrano, History — Version Française (French Version)
New Videos
- Bertram Mills Circus on the Road and at Olympia (1934)
- Phyllis Allan, dog act (1967)
- Ultra Jump, springboard acrobatics (2025)
- Duo Toldi, hand-to-handAn acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander. balancers (1966)
- Evelyn & André, aerial perchA hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk) (1973)
New Oral Histories
- Dominique Jando interview by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
- Evelyn & André Interview on Blikk TV (2015)
- For A Moment You Fly, The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)
- Vladimir Durov Documentary on Russian Television (c.2000)
- Dolly Jacobs Interview at The Ringling (2018)
Circopedia Books
- Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus, by Dominique Jando (2018)
A Message from the Founder
CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. 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
