Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

 
(326 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 11: Line 11:
 
<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
 
<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/>
  
 
|}
 
|}
Line 17: Line 17:
  
 
==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
[[File:NC_Leopold_Loyal.jpg|right|350px]]
+
[[File:Adi_Enders_and_Vauta.jpg|300px|right]]
===THE NOUVEAU CIRQUE===
+
===ADI ENDERS===
  
Located from 1886 to 1926 on the rue Saint Honoré in Paris, a chic shopping thoroughfare at a stone’s throw from the Place Vendôme, the Nouveau Cirque was the most elegant and innovative circus of the French capital&mdash;and, for that matter, of Europe. For many years, it was the High Society’s circus of choice. Its relatively small size gave it warmth and intimacy (it was sometimes referred to as a "bonbonniere"), but in time, the Nouveau Cirque’s limited capacity made it difficult to manage. It began to lose its prominence before the first World War and proved unable to adapt to the post-war era.
+
Adi Enders (1935-2025) was born Adolf Hermann Enders on April 16, 1935 in Köln (Cologne), Germany, to an old family of circus equestrians. His parents were Hugo Enders (1899-1952), a jockey and horse trainer, and Alma von der Gathen (1905-1944). Adi had five siblings: Rudolf, known as Rudi or "Männe" (February 22, 1927 - April 5, 2004, Aachen), who became an animal trainer; Jean, known as "Schengel" (April 9, 1929, Alsdorf - March 3, 2004, Breinig) who became a clown under the name of Pipo; Willi (1932 - December 6, 1988); and Jakob, known as Jacomo or Jacky (May 8, 1938 Neustadt an der Weinstraße - November 24, 1994) who became a jockey, but would also be known for his plate-spinning act, and as a clown; and his sister, Medi (born February 19, 1928).  
  
The Nouveau Cirque was built for its times&mdash;what is remembered today as the Parisian "Belle Époque" ("Beautiful Era"), of which it was one of the jewels. After WWI, Paris entered the Jazz Age. Then, in the early 1920s, the venerable Cirque d’Hiver, completely refurbished, returned to the presentation of circus shows after a rather futile hiatus as a movie-house and theater; the Cirque Medrano began to enjoy one of its more lucrative periods; and the brand-new Empire Music-Hall Cirque opened its doors Avenue de Wagram: The small "bonbonniere" that was the Nouveau Cirque looked suddenly like a remnant of another era. It faced a competition it was ill-equipped to fight. Once a revolutionary and trendsetting house whose rich and often glorious life had lasted forty years, the Nouveau Cirque finally called it quits.
+
Adi and Jakob Enders grew up in the family of their aunt, Maria Althoff, née von der Gathen (1908-1999), who was Alma’s sister and was married to the circus director and animal trainer Adolf Althoff (1913-1998). Adi was trained in acrobatics by Mohamed "Momo" Saharaoui Faroki, who was a member of the Ben Mohamed Troupe, a Morrocan tumbling act, and by his uncle Adolf, who took care of his education in equestrian arts and animal training.
  
The Nouveau Cirque was created by Joseph Oller (1839-1922), an imaginative entrepreneur and prolific provider of Parisian amusements. He was born Josep Oller i Roca in Terrassa, in Spanish Catalonia, on February 10, 1839; his parents were Francesc Oller, a fabric merchant, and his wife, Teresa, née Roca. The family emigrated to France when Josep was two years old, and the Ollers settled in Paris where Josep, now Joseph, was raised. He eventually returned to Spain to study at the University of Bilbao in the Basque Country, and while there, he discovered cockfighting, which was still very popular in the nineteenth century. His passion for this gory game led him to become a bookmaker&mdash;his first entrepreneurial endeavor.
+
In the 1950's and 1960's, Adi Enders was considered one of the world’s finest jockeys. He and his brother Jakob performed for many years their jockey act as Gebrüder Enders (The Enders Brothers), or sometimes as Enders Reitertruppe. (When they toured in 1956 with CCircus Scott-Williams, they were billed as ''Williams Reitertruppe''.) They had various partners over the years, among whom Carla Barlay (who married François Bronett, later Director of Cirkus Scott) and Günther Gebel. For a long time, they also had for partner Claus Lehnert, who would later become Circus Krone’s operations manager.... ([[Adi Enders|more...]])
 
+
Back to Paris, Oller transferred his bookmaking activities to horse racing. France had gained by then a new Emperor, Napoléon III, whose half-brother, the Duc de Morny, had been influential in the development of horse racing in France and had built the Deauville-La Touques racetrack in 1862. Morny died in 1865, but with his help, Oller had begun to develop the concept of the "pari mutuel" (literally meaning "mutual betting"), an innovative system in which bets are placed in a pool, and the winners share the losers' stakes&mdash;after the bookmaker has taken his commission. Oller put his new system to work in 1867; it replaced advantageously fixed-odds betting and made him a rich man indeed. Oller also launched ''Le Bulletin des Courses'', France’s first horse-racing journal.... ([[Nouveau Cirque (Paris)|more...]])
+
  
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
  
* [[Totti Alexis]], Clown
+
* [[Virginie Kenebel]], equestrienne
* [[Ross Mollison]], Circus Producer
+
* [[Chongqing_Acrobatic_Troupe|Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe]], History
* [[Don Saunders]], Clown
+
* [[Cirkus_Verdensteater_(Oslo)|Cirkus Verdensteater]], Oslo Circus Building
* [[Jo-Ann Jennier]], Aerialist, Animal Trainer
+
* [[Eddie Murillo]], Circus Agent and Producer
* [[Ethel Jennier]], Aerialist, Animal Trainer
+
* [[The Biasini Family]], Circus Owners, Artists
  
 
==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
* [[Big_Apple_Circus_Teaser_Video_(2023)|Promotional Teaser]] for the Big Apple Circus/Circus-Theater Roncalli (2023)
+
* [[Rudi_Enders_Video_(1973)|Rudi Enders]], elephant act (1973)
* [[Serov_Demidova_Video_(2023)|Vladimir Serov & Elizabeta Demidova]], Aerial Perch (2023)
+
* [[Lan_Shi_Xiang_Video_(2024)|Lan Shi Xiang]], slack wire (2024)
* [[Totti_Alexis_Video_(2019)|Totti & Charlie Alexis]], musical clowns (2019)
+
* [[Alcaraz_Video_(1973)|Los Alcaraz]], comedy teeterboard/trampoline act (1973)
* [[Collins_Brothers_Video_(1993)|The Collins Brothers]], comedy trapeze act (1993)
+
* [[Bennett_Video_(1979)|Archie & Diana Bennett]], contortion act (1979)
* [[Peter_Shub_Video_(2015)|Peter Shub]], clown (2015)
+
* [[Azizov_Video_(2025)|Azizov Troupe]], Russian barre (2025)
  
 
==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 58: Line 56:
 
==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 19:42, 7 October 2025


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

Adi Enders and Vauta.jpg

ADI ENDERS

Adi Enders (1935-2025) was born Adolf Hermann Enders on April 16, 1935 in Köln (Cologne), Germany, to an old family of circus equestrians. His parents were Hugo Enders (1899-1952), a jockeyClassic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises. and horse trainer, and Alma von der Gathen (1905-1944). Adi had five siblings: Rudolf, known as Rudi or "Männe" (February 22, 1927 - April 5, 2004, Aachen), who became an animal trainer; Jean, known as "Schengel" (April 9, 1929, Alsdorf - March 3, 2004, Breinig) who became a clown under the name of Pipo; Willi (1932 - December 6, 1988); and Jakob, known as Jacomo or Jacky (May 8, 1938 Neustadt an der Weinstraße - November 24, 1994) who became a jockeyClassic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises., but would also be known for his plate-spinning act, and as a clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.; and his sister, Medi (born February 19, 1928).

Adi and Jakob Enders grew up in the family of their aunt, Maria Althoff, née von der Gathen (1908-1999), who was Alma’s sister and was married to the circus director and animal trainer Adolf Althoff (1913-1998). Adi was trained in acrobatics by Mohamed "Momo" Saharaoui Faroki, who was a member of the Ben Mohamed Troupe, a Morrocan tumbling act, and by his uncle Adolf, who took care of his education in equestrian arts and animal training.

In the 1950's and 1960's, Adi Enders was considered one of the world’s finest jockeys. He and his brother Jakob performed for many years their jockeyClassic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises. act as Gebrüder Enders (The Enders Brothers), or sometimes as Enders Reitertruppe. (When they toured in 1956 with CCircus Scott-Williams, they were billed as Williams Reitertruppe.) They had various partners over the years, among whom Carla Barlay (who married François Bronett, later Director of Cirkus Scott) and Günther Gebel. For a long time, they also had for partner Claus Lehnert, who would later become Circus Krone’s operations manager.... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • Rudi Enders, elephant act (1973)
  • Lan Shi Xiang, slack wireA Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks. (2024)
  • Los Alcaraz, comedy teeterboardA seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air./trampoline act (1973)
  • Archie & Diana Bennett, contortion act (1979)
  • Azizov Troupe, Russian barreFlexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole. (2025)

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