Circus Flora’s URBAN LEGENDS Soars in Grand Center
By Anthony Brescia
“You’ve been here your whole life, and this is your first time seeing Circus Flora?!”, loudly questioned my friend, Celia Shackattack. Celia, a local artist, puppeteer, and children’s performer, performs outside the tent at Circus Flora some nights before the main performance. A friend and I had made our way to the Grand Center Arts District to catch one of the city’s annual delights. As one first enters the tent, and the first photo listed, a “No Farting” sign is seen at the entrance to the city. The city plays a central role in the titular theme of this year’s Circus Flora program, “Urban Legend”.
Circus Flora, named for an orphaned elephant, is now in its 39th year. Founded in 1986 by Ivor David Balding, Sheila and Sam Jewell, and Alexandre S-Yoacha Pavlata, Circus Flora is a non-profit organization. More history and fun stories can be found at their website circusflora.org
We took our seats, and Urban Legend began. Mayor Kennison, a juggling young gent, opened the show. We also meet Yo-Yo the Storyteller, a Cicus Flora mainstay, who is the show’s director and mother of the artistic director. (This “circus” theme of family and community runs fluidly through these talented people and the spirit of the show.)
The St. Louis Arches were remarkable in a truly all-around talented performance. Also captivating were Mutts Gone Nuts and the trampoline acrobats, aptly nicknamed the “City Bureaucrats”. The acrobatic youth troupe was so fast and talented, with every move safe, creative, and communal. They were followed by a performer whose dog wore colorful tape on its paws for mutual protection, giving the appearance that it was wearing doggie boxing gloves. She would throw the frisbees seemingly in any direction, and the dog made truly astonishing catches. The entire show flows smoothly, and no one act oversteps another. The puppets, performed by the Daredevil Chicken Clowns, accurately spit banana bites back and forth, brought a lot of laughter from the crowd.
Upon exiting, the stars of the show line either side of the exit. The energy this provides after such a kinetic performance is nearly surreal and overwhelmingly positive. I was brought at this time to Jack Marsh, the artistic and executive director, who introduced me immediately to “El Nino”, the donkey. (The whole damn experience was truly in its best definition, a circus.). Jack was popular and busy. He reminded me that “the circus is universal”. All ages and walks of life come to see the performances. The circus is a community builder. “We have a special relationship with the city of St. Louis.” One could feel this permeating the entire performance and evening.
Anthony Brescia is a longtime city resident who resides in Dogtown.
