Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

 
(555 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 9: Line 9:
 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
 
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
 
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<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
+
<br><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 inspired and funded by the [http://www.sdrubin.org/ Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation]''.</div><br/>
+
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
 +
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
|}
 
|}
 
  
 
==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
  
===LITTLE BILLY===
+
===CIRQUE BUREAU===
[[File:Little_Billy.jpg|right|400px]]
+
[[File:Bureau_Frères_Program.jpg|right|200px]]
 
+
From the late nineteenth century to the early 1950s, the Cirque Bureau was one of France's most popular circuses. Over its long existence, it had built in the French provinces a faithful audience that appreciated the constant high quality of its offerings and its simplicity, devoid of the advertising hype of its competitors. Wherever it went, its visits were expected and anticipated, practically at the same time each year. Sadly, this steady routine was disturbed by World War II and the Nazi occupation of France&mdash;and Jules Glasner, its last director, had a hard time trying to restore its place in the new economic era that followed the war: The Cirque Bureau folded its big top in 1953, at the end of what was advertised as its "99th season."
Little Billy (1919-2001) was a very popular English auguste whose long and rich career, which began on the music-hall stage, took him to some of the most prestigious circuses of Britain and Europe. He truly came to the spotlight when he eventually partnered with the popular auguste Jacko Fossett, a successful association that began at Bertram Mills Circus and morphed into a lifelong friendship.  
+
  
He was born William Alfred Merchant on July 31, 1919, in Bristol, England. His father was unknown&mdash;and practically nothing is known of his mother, either. This lack of a father may be the reason why&mdash;along with the fact that William was afflicted with achondroplasia (dwarfism)&mdash;his mother chose to abandon him at an early age. Billy, as he became known, was placed in an orphanage in Bristol where he spent his childhood and adolescence.
+
Its founder was Jean Bureau (1836-1899), born on May 31, 1836, in Villeréal, a small village of the Lot et Garonne department that has kept its medieval architecture and is classified today as one of the "most beautiful villages of France." His father, Jean, Sr. (1809-1844), a carpenter and the son of a farmer, and his mother, Françoise (née Arché, 1815-1880), had two other children: Cosme (1838-1885) and Jeanne (1844-1908). Jean Bureau was just eight years old when he lost his father, and to alleviate the burden on his family, he was soon placed in apprenticeship to a blacksmith.
  
As a teenager, he became increasingly attracted to show business and spent his free time visiting the local music-halls, notably Bristol's Hippodrome and Empire theatres. In 1937, the Empire featured the celebrated troupe of performing "midgets" of John Lester (1870-1950), a former American aerialist turned impresario. Lester's troupe was mostly composed of little people, perfectly proportioned, as opposed to dwarves such as Billy. Nonetheless, he went to the theater to see John Lester. Asked by the impresario what he could do, Billy answered that he could tumble; that was good enough for a comedy part, and he was hired.
+
In 1853, a small traveling equestrian circus came to Villeréal. It was a modest affair owned by William Tagg (1822-1884), and his wife Elizabeth, née Woodley, a couple of British traveling performers who had long settled in France. The Taggs needed a blacksmith to reshoe their horses, and his boss sent seventeen-year-old Jean Bureau, a horse lover, to do the job. Jean was immediately fascinated by these people whose horizon seemed limitless; he asked William Tagg if he could join the company as a groom&mdash;and the Taggs, whose human resources were probably wanting, left Villeréal with Jean in tow.  
  
Billy did a tumbling act with two diminutive partners that was in effect a visual parody of popular acts of the genre, such as The Craddocks and, later, The Charlivels. Lester was not the easiest of directors, and after a while, Billy, who now had stage experience, joined the acrobatic troupe of Joe Boganny (John Clifton, 1874-1943), whose act, very popular on the British variety circuit, traditionally included dwarf acrobats. With Boganny, Billy became truly exposed to "big time" variety and what is more, he could fully express his nascent comedic talents. He finally was in show business, and there to stay.... ([[Little Billy Merchant|more...]])
+
Thus, Jean Bureau had started his circus career. Young, athletic, and interested in horsemanship, he trained in trick-riding and quickly became a proficient bareback rider. Having become a full-fledged performer in the company, he began to pay attention to the young Anna Tagg (1840-1913), the director's daughter, who was born in Paris and was four years his junior. Apparently, the feeling was mutual&mdash;to the extent that, in 1862, Anna gave birth to their first child, Françoise Elizabeth (known as Elizabeth, b.1862). It was time indeed to legalize their union: The young couple was married on March 6, 1863, in Cenon, in the outskirts of Bordeaux. By then, Jean was twenty-seven and Anna, twenty-three.... ([[Cirque Bureau|more...]])
  
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
  
* [[Little Billy Merchant]], Clown
+
* [[Cirque_d'Hiver/fr|Le Cirque d'Hiver]] (Version française)
* [[Jacko Fossett]], Clown
+
* [[Virginie Kenebel/fr|Virginie Kenebel]] (Version française)
* [[Circus Ring of Fame]], History
+
* [[Cirque Bureau]], circus (English/Français)
* [[Natalya Jigalova]], Aerialist
+
* [[Richiardi Jr.]], magician
* [[Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe]], History
+
* [[Astley's Amphitheatre]], circus
  
 
==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
* [[Ayala_Video_(2022)|The Ayala Troupe]], high wire (2022)
+
* [[Bobby_Roberts_Video_(1977)|Bobby Roberts, Jr.]], elephant act (1977)
* [[Filinov_Video_(2022)|The Filinov Troupe]], Russian swing (2022)
+
* [[Quiros_Video_(c.2020)|Los Quiros]], high wire (c.2020)
* [[Huyen_Video_(2022)|Chu Thi Khanh Huyen]], aerial sword balancing (2022)
+
* [[Strickler_Video_(1975)|René Strickler]], mixed cat act (1975)
* [[Palchikov_Video_(2022)|Ernest Palchikov]], hand-balancing act (2022)
+
* [[Bagdasaryan_Video_(2025)|Artur & Karina Bagdsaryan]], tiger act (2025)
* [[Ethiopia_Troupe_Video_(2022)|Troupe Ethiopia]], basket acrobatics (2022)
+
* [[Karoly_Donnert_Video_(2000)|Karoly Donnert]], tiger act (2000)
  
 
==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)
* [[Pinito_del_Oro_RTE_Video_(1970)|Pinito del Oro's Interview]] on Spanish Television (1970)
 
* [[Eradze_Video_(2015)|Gia Eradze]]'s Interview on SSU TV (2015)
 
  
 
==Circopedia Books==
 
==Circopedia Books==
Line 59: Line 58:
 
==A Message from the Founder==
 
==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&mdash;and sometimes daily&mdash;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 [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''  
+
''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&mdash;and sometimes daily&mdash;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 [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''  
  
 
:'''Dominique Jando'''
 
:'''Dominique Jando'''
 
:Founder and Curator
 
:Founder and Curator

Latest revision as of 19:19, 5 February 2026


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 is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit Big Apple Circus.

In The Spotlight

CIRQUE BUREAU

Bureau Frères Program.jpg

From the late nineteenth century to the early 1950s, the Cirque Bureau was one of France's most popular circuses. Over its long existence, it had built in the French provinces a faithful audience that appreciated the constant high quality of its offerings and its simplicity, devoid of the advertising hype of its competitors. Wherever it went, its visits were expected and anticipated, practically at the same time each year. Sadly, this steady routine was disturbed by World War II and the Nazi occupation of France—and Jules Glasner, its last director, had a hard time trying to restore its place in the new economic era that followed the war: The Cirque Bureau folded its big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau) in 1953, at the end of what was advertised as its "99th season."

Its founder was Jean Bureau (1836-1899), born on May 31, 1836, in Villeréal, a small village of the Lot et Garonne department that has kept its medieval architecture and is classified today as one of the "most beautiful villages of France." His father, Jean, Sr. (1809-1844), a carpenter and the son of a farmer, and his mother, Françoise (née Arché, 1815-1880), had two other children: Cosme (1838-1885) and Jeanne (1844-1908). Jean Bureau was just eight years old when he lost his father, and to alleviate the burden on his family, he was soon placed in apprenticeship to a blacksmith.

In 1853, a small traveling equestrian circus came to Villeréal. It was a modest affair owned by William Tagg (1822-1884), and his wife Elizabeth, née Woodley, a couple of British traveling performers who had long settled in France. The Taggs needed a blacksmith to reshoe their horses, and his boss sent seventeen-year-old Jean Bureau, a horse lover, to do the job. Jean was immediately fascinated by these people whose horizon seemed limitless; he asked William Tagg if he could join the company as a groom—and the Taggs, whose human resources were probably wanting, left Villeréal with Jean in tow.

Thus, Jean Bureau had started his circus career. Young, athletic, and interested in horsemanship, he trained in trickAny specific exercise in a circus act.-riding and quickly became a proficient bareback rider. Having become a full-fledged performer in the company, he began to pay attention to the young Anna Tagg (1840-1913), the director's daughter, who was born in Paris and was four years his junior. Apparently, the feeling was mutual—to the extent that, in 1862, Anna gave birth to their first child, Françoise Elizabeth (known as Elizabeth, b.1862). It was time indeed to legalize their union: The young couple was married on March 6, 1863, in Cenon, in the outskirts of Bordeaux. By then, Jean was twenty-seven and Anna, twenty-three.... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

New Oral Histories

Circopedia Books

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