Circus still the greatest show on earth
Still the greatest show on earth, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus left Utah Sunday night after completing its eighth show at Salt Lake City’s Delta Center.
“The Delta Center is the only building we used in Utah. We’re one-third of the way through a 94-city tour,” said Peggy Williams, education and outreach manager for the circus. “Tomorrow we go to Denver.”
Following Denver, the circus will continue on to Cleveland and Chicago.
This is the 131st edition and therefore, the longest running hit in show business, Williams said. The 132nd edition will reach Salt Lake City the weekend of Sept. 25 to 29, 2002.
Melinda Rosser, public relations director for Barnum and Bailey said the circus starts each show with the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner and a flag display.
“This truly is America’s living national treasure,” Rosser said.
Therefore, patriotism is a standard part of the show.
After the singing of the national anthem, the entire cast paraded around and through the three rings displaying sequined costumes, comic high jinks and many of the show’s animal cast.
The circus has approximately 75 animals performing including 14 elephants, 14 tigers, one leopard, Arabian horses, llamas and camels – both dromedary (one-humped) and bactrian (two-humped).
The show’s human cast represents 15 countries including Portugal, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United States and many republics of the former Soviet Union.
Acrobatics is an integral part of the circus. The Cloud Jumpers, from Russia and Belarus sail 50 feet through the air after being launched from a six-person steel swing. They twist, layout, swan dive and somersault and eventually land in a huge, white nylon sheet.
Another acrobatic group, the Angels of Fire, donning flame-patterned costumes of red, orange and yellow, dazzle audiences with split-second timing in a suspended trampoline and trapeze display. Later, illuminated only by black light, the Angels spin while being suspended by a bungee harness. Each appear to be a dancing, gyrating, glowing flame.
Bello Nock, a comic daredevil is a seventh-generation circus performer. He and his partner, Bo, a five-ton pachyderm play a game of follow the leader around the center ring. As Bello executes a cartwheel across a balance beam in the center of the ring, Bo shakes his head. Bello relents and balances instead on one foot. Bo mimics him by balancing on one front foot and one back foot.
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey animal caretakers have specific instructions to keep the animals healthy and happy. The circus reports it meets or exceeds all federal animal welfare standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare act.
Specific instructions include, never withholding food or water from an animal to train it, never directing an animal with barn equipment like a broom or fork, discouraging yelling at animals and prohibiting the use of electric prods. Manure is to be cleaned up as soon as possible and each animal is to be groomed at least once a day. Animal caretakers are admonished to remember the animals are part of the circus family and are treated as such.