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<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 is an independent educational website, | + | <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/> |
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==In The Spotlight== | ==In The Spotlight== | ||
| − | === | + | ===THE ARATAS=== |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:Anna_and_Billy_Arata.jpg|right|300px]] |
| − | The | + | The Aratas performed a truly original and outstanding tight wire act, which was very successful in Europe in the 1960s and early 1970s. The act originated in 1957 as a trio, with Anna Arata, and her younger brothers, Billy and Vittorio. At that time, Anna performed an amazing wire crossing with her brother Billy head-balancing on her head. Following Anna’s retiring from the act in 1962, Vittorio and Billy continued to work as a duet (and continued to perform together Anna’s original head-to-head balancing trick). |
| − | + | The Aratas came from a large Italian circus family that originated in the late nineteenth century. Its founder, Amedeo Arata (c.1872-1947), was a strongman from Massa Carrara who worked on the fairgrounds. Amedeo married Claudia Rizzoli, a Bolognese tight-wire dancer, and together they created the Circo Tea Arata, which remained active until 1943. Amedeo and Claudia had five children: Alfredo, Elena, Fanny, Violetta, and Guido. Guido (1911-?) married Cleofe Denji, who came from another Italian circus family, and together they had three children, Anna (b. January 5, 1940), Vittorio (b. January 26, 1942), and Francesco, known as Billy (February 23, 1946- April 25, 2004). | |
| − | + | Circo Tea Arata was not prosperous enough to support such a large family, especially after the siblings had reached adulthood. Guido, his wife and their children left the family cocoon and, in the mid-1950s, went on to work with Circus Medrano-Swoboda in Austria, where Guido presented a perch-pole act with his daughter Anna. It was the final years of the famous Austrian circus (before it went bankrupt and became an Italian circus), and the Aratas returned to their country, where they worked for a time with Circo Gerardi. Meanwhile, Guido began to put together a low-wire act for his children. | |
| − | + | From its inception, the new act was very impressive indeed, with such tricks as Anna’s and Billy’s head-to-head crossing, and Vittorio’s one-arm stand with Anna’s and Billy’s head-stands, together on the same wire. In 1957, Anna, Vittorio, and Billy debuted their act at one of Europe’s most prestigious circuses, Cirkus Schumann, where Anna and her father also presented their perch-pole act. In the winter of 1958-1959, both acts were featured in another top European circus, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia, in London. It was the beginning of a long string of engagements in Europe’s premier circuses and variety theaters..... ([[The Aratas|more...]]) | |
==New Essays and Biographies== | ==New Essays and Biographies== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Kremo Family]], icarists |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[James Clowney]], acrobat |
==New Videos== | ==New Videos== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Adar_Video_(2026)|Yahav Adar]], roue Cyr (2026) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Cavarettas_Video_(c.1980)|The Flying Cavarettas]], flying trapeze (c.1980) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Isaakyan_Video_(1984)|Stepan Isaakyan]], mixed animal act (1984) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Quincy_and_Rubel_Video_(2026)|Quincy & Rubel]], rola-bola (2026) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Arnautov Troupe]], upright cradle flying act (1984) |
==New Oral Histories== | ==New Oral Histories== | ||
| + | * [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013) | ||
| + | * [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990) | ||
| + | * [[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) | ||
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==Circopedia Books== | ==Circopedia Books== | ||
Latest revision as of 18:25, 2 August 2026
|
In The Spotlight
THE ARATAS
The Aratas performed a truly original and outstanding tight wireA tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire) act, which was very successful in Europe in the 1960s and early 1970s. The act originated in 1957 as a trio, with Anna Arata, and her younger brothers, Billy and Vittorio. At that time, Anna performed an amazing wire crossing with her brother Billy head-balancing on her head. Following Anna’s retiring from the act in 1962, Vittorio and Billy continued to work as a duet (and continued to perform together Anna’s original head-to-head balancing trickAny specific exercise in a circus act.).
The Aratas came from a large Italian circus family that originated in the late nineteenth century. Its founder, Amedeo Arata (c.1872-1947), was a strongman from Massa Carrara who worked on the fairgrounds. Amedeo married Claudia Rizzoli, a Bolognese tight-wire dancer, and together they created the Circo Tea Arata, which remained active until 1943. Amedeo and Claudia had five children: Alfredo, Elena, Fanny, Violetta, and Guido. Guido (1911-?) married Cleofe Denji, who came from another Italian circus family, and together they had three children, Anna (b. January 5, 1940), Vittorio (b. January 26, 1942), and Francesco, known as Billy (February 23, 1946- April 25, 2004).
Circo Tea Arata was not prosperous enough to support such a large family, especially after the siblings had reached adulthood. Guido, his wife and their children left the family cocoon and, in the mid-1950s, went on to work with Circus Medrano-Swoboda in Austria, where Guido presented a perch-poleLong perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures. act with his daughter Anna. It was the final years of the famous Austrian circus (before it went bankrupt and became an Italian circus), and the Aratas returned to their country, where they worked for a time with Circo Gerardi. Meanwhile, Guido began to put together a low-wire act for his children.
From its inception, the new act was very impressive indeed, with such tricks as Anna’s and Billy’s head-to-head crossing, and Vittorio’s one-arm stand with Anna’s and Billy’s head-stands, together on the same wire. In 1957, Anna, Vittorio, and Billy debuted their act at one of Europe’s most prestigious circuses, Cirkus Schumann, where Anna and her father also presented their perch-poleLong perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures. act. In the winter of 1958-1959, both acts were featured in another top European circus, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia, in London. It was the beginning of a long string of engagements in Europe’s premier circuses and variety theaters..... (more...)
New Essays and Biographies
- Émilien Bouglione, French version
- Kremo Family, icarists
- The Ziratron, Israel's first Circus
- Carlos Guity, acrobat
- James Clowney, acrobat
New Videos
- Yahav Adar, roue Cyr(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr. (2026)
- The Flying Cavarettas, flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) (c.1980)
- Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animal act (1984)
- Quincy & Rubel, rola-bolaA board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks. (2026)
- Arnautov Troupe, upright cradlePiece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.) flying actAny aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another. (1984)
New Oral Histories
- The Bouglione Family France 3 TV documentary (2013)
- Valentin Gneushev interview on Russian Television (c.1990)
- 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)
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
