Big Apple Circus
Encyclopedia
The Big Apple Circus is a circus
that is based in New York City
. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil
, tent-based circuses (such as the now-defunct Kaleidoscape
) and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora
.
The circus couple collaborated with the Paul and Michael to develop the Big Apple Circus following the European style "one ring" circus tradition. In 1977, they located and secured an open grounds area where they could debut the Big Apple Circus. The small green tent was filled with big hearts of performers, families and circus enthusiasts the summer of 1977. Headlining that show was Paul Lubin (Single Trapezist), Ethel Jennier (Dog Act), a tight wire number, Michael and Paul (Jugglers and Clowns), the Back Street Flyers, Mia and Jessie (double trapeze) and a host of performers. This area was located at Battery Park
, in New York.
During 1978 the circus moved from Manhattan
. By 1979, two circus arts schools had been opened with money raised from the circus shows.
.
In 1981, the circus began performing at Damrosch Park of Lincoln Center for the first time. Its winter season has been at Damrosch Park ever since. In 1982, the circus won a silver medal at a circus performing competition held in Paris.
1983 saw the circus begin to tour, as tours across New England
began to be arranged. The circus also received an Obie award
that year.
By 1984, the New York School for Circus Arts/Big Apple Circus relocated to East Harlem (1 East 104th Street) . The New York School for Circus Arts - in conjunction with the NYC Public School system and ArtsConnection - established the Young Talent Circus Training Program (Mr. Richard Levy's brain-child). The circus program mission was to teach talented children of diverse economic communities circus arts. One of the goals was to nurture and develop talent into potential circus performers. A core group of young circus "talent" participated in a circus competition resulting in a "Gold Medal" award. Three years later another group from the pre-professional circus program (located in the Harbor School for the Performing Arts in East Harlem) would compete in the II Rampe International Circus School Competition in Monte Carlo, Monaco. These students were awarded the Junior Jury and Nice Marin Awards.
The New York School for Circus Arts technical and artistic faculty included: Mr. Philip Beder (trampoline, tumbling, acrobatics and gymnastics), Mr. Abel Shark (Back Street Flyer), Mrs. Irina Goldstein (trapeze, acrobatics), Ms. Rosalinda Rojas (aerial, ground acrobatics and choreographer), and Mr. Sasha Pavlata as guest instructor and circus specialist.
In 1985, the famous Boston Pops teamed up with Big Apple Circus for an extraordinary collaboration and live performance.
That same year (1985) and for the next few years performers Michael Christensen (Big Apple), Deni LaCombe (Big Apple and Cirque Du Soleil), Carlos Guity (Big Apple), Rosalinda Rojas (Big Apple and NYSCA) appear as guest artists with the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center (Manon, Turandot and Macbeth).
One of the biggest steps in the institution's history was taken in 1986, when the circus opened the clown
care unit, a group of professional clowns, trained extensively in hospital procedures, circus skills, and improvisation, make rounds as "clown doctors."
1987 marked the circus' tenth anniversary, and big time celebrations were held during the entire year. A new tent and seating system was bought. Topping the tenth anniversary celebrations was a prestigious silver crown, which the circus won in Monte Carlo
, Monaco
. This year six acrobats/ jugglers showcased their talent at the International Circus School competition in Monte Carlo. The creative and technical (dance and acrobatic) projected was headed by Rosalinda Rojas. Carlos Guity and James Clowny were the two lead pre-professional competitors. Many of these New York School for Circus Arts students advanced to international professional circus careers.
During 1988, the Big Apple Circus once again made headlines, when the company participated in the first circus collaboration between China
and the United States in history. "East Meets West" debut at the Lincoln Center Damrosch Park Winter Season.
Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Dartmouth College
that year.
In 1989, NYNEX
started to sponsor metropolitan New York tours to residents of the area and tourists as well. The tour included a trip to the Big Apple Circus' grounds. Michael Christiensen received the Raoul Wallenberg
humanitarian award that year for the creation, three years before, of the retired clown's pension program. The same year, the circus and some of its performers were showcased on a Woody Allen
movie, Alice
. In 1989 also, the circus surpassed the amount of one million dollars in fund raising for the first time.
were included in the circus' yearly tour, with those two cities becoming the first two cities outside New York/New England where the circus performed. Michael Christensen received two more awards, including one named after Red Skelton
.
The Harlem Hospital Center
, founded with funds that came from the Big Apple Circus, was opened that year, and the hospital
's pediatric area in particular became a headlining facility, as professional performers specially trained as "clown doctors" would visit perform for patients. HBO aired a special documentary
about the circus that year also.
In 1991, Big Apple Circus' performers participated in a collaboration between American and Russia
n circus performers. That same year, Paul Binder was given a presidential medal of achievement by Dartmouth, as well as a doctorate in fine arts by the Pratt Institute
.
In 1993, the circus set a new attendance record. A new tent was purchased, and Michael Christensen was given a Parenting Achievement award by Parents magazine
, to recognize his work with the Clown Care Foundation.
Gary Dunning became the Big Circus' executive director in 1994. Meanwhile, Christensen received another award, this one the "Sullivan Trail Sertoma's Club Service to Mankind Award". A creative Center campaign was announced, the coffee
brand Chock full o'Nuts
began sponsoring the circus, and a new mark was set as far as most funds received during one year.
Peter T. Grauer became the circus' Chairman in 1995, replacing Patricia Rosenwald.
In 1996 the circus' Art in Education program began to work in different grade school
s. Clown Care continued to develop, opening chapters in Washington, D.C.
and in Connecticut.
1997 saw new attendance records set, as an estimated 170,000 people went to see the circus' "Medicine Show" production over a total of 114 New York City performances. Clown Care completed 150,000 hospital visits in one year for the first time in the program's history, and Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate from Rhode Island College
.
During 1998, the circus was able to break attendance records again, as it celebrated twenty years of operation with engagements at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
and in Boston
. The Boston engagement was particularly pleasant for the circus' performers, as it was one of the longest stays in that city that they had ever experienced. TJ Maxx, a major American company, began to sponsor Big Apple Circus appearances in Chicago and in Atlanta
by bringing the circus' "Circus of the Senses" to those cities. Circus of the Senses is a circus performance specifically geared towards children with special needs. Sign language interpreters and sound augmentation for deaf patrons allow the audience to experience the circus as never before. In 1999, over 6,000 children took advantage of these performances.
That same year (1999), Michael Christensen was inducted into Miami
's Ambassador David A. Walters pediatric Hall of Fame, for his "contributions to pediatrics" by way of the circus and its different programs.
. Once again, "Circus of the Senses" attracted a large number of special children, with 9,000 kids participating.
The Circus dropped plans for a second unit that was to play in theaters after less than successful financial results during a trial run.
2001 saw the circus' best known performer, clown "Grandma" (Barry Lubin
), inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame
. A new seating system was installed in the circus big top, and, after the September 11, 2001 attacks
, the circus opened its "Dreams of a City" show, which was dedicated to the City of New York.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
proclaimed November 1, 2002, as "Big Apple Circus Day". A newsletter, "The Ringside Report", was produced and sent exclusively to circus members and donors, and a Clown fashion
show raised more than one million dollars, which were promptly transferred to the circus' various charity programs. The circus celebrated its 25th anniversary with a documentary film about the creation and production of that year's show.
Carnevale!, directed by Raffaele De Ritis from Italy http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EFD71E31F93BA15753C1A9659C8B63, show actors and circus performers Pedro Carrillo and Aleysha Goulevich entered the Guinness Book of World Records when, in 2003, they set records, at the same moment, in their different specialities: Carrillo skipped a rope on the high wire 1,323 times in a row, and Goulevich twirled 99 hula hoop
s at the same time.
"Circus to Go," a travelling stage show, allowed Big Apple Circus to reach new communities. The company ventured to the American Western states for the first time. Michael Christensen, meanwhile, received another honorary certificate, when he was given the "Distinguished Alumni Award" by the University of Washington's arts department. He was also given an award by Exceptional Parents magazine, presented during a Baltimore Orioles
baseball
home game.
In 2004, the TV documentary created by ABC TV on the Circus received an Emmy award in the "Outstanding Entertainment in Programming Single Program" category.
2005 saw the introduction of a new big top tent. Clown Barry Lubin collaborated with Steve Smith to produce a show entitled "Grandma Goes To Hollywood".
In the 2008-2009 season, filming of a PBS
documentary occurred. The documentary, titled Circus, portrays the lives of not only the performers, but the crew as well. On November 2, 2010, PBS
began to air the six-part event. Though each deal with a specific theme, they are also told in a chronological order. The six parts are First of May, One Ring Family, Change On, Survival of the Fittest, Born to be Circus, and Down the Road.
On December 2, 2008, Britney Spears
performed her hits Circus & Womanizer
in a televised promotion concert on Good Morning America
at the Big Apple Circus. The Big Apple Circus went on to become the opening act on her phenomenally successful The Circus Starring Britney Spears world tour.
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
that is based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
, tent-based circuses (such as the now-defunct Kaleidoscape
Barnum's Kaleidoscape
Barnum's Kaleidoscape was an American circus staged by Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, at a start-up cost of $10 million...
) and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora
Circus Flora
Circus Flora is a One-Ring circus based in St. Louis, MO, USA. It has become a touring show yet it performs annually in St. Louis, usually at the beginning of the month of June. It combines the venue of a one-ring circus with the performance trappings of theater. Performances include skilled...
.
The 1970s
The idea of starting a circus school to train future "first" generation circus performers was the innovation of Russian born Gregory Fedin and his then wife Nina Krasavina. The school had a humble beginning working out of a Lower Manhattan loft.The circus couple collaborated with the Paul and Michael to develop the Big Apple Circus following the European style "one ring" circus tradition. In 1977, they located and secured an open grounds area where they could debut the Big Apple Circus. The small green tent was filled with big hearts of performers, families and circus enthusiasts the summer of 1977. Headlining that show was Paul Lubin (Single Trapezist), Ethel Jennier (Dog Act), a tight wire number, Michael and Paul (Jugglers and Clowns), the Back Street Flyers, Mia and Jessie (double trapeze) and a host of performers. This area was located at Battery Park
Battery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
, in New York.
During 1978 the circus moved from Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. By 1979, two circus arts schools had been opened with money raised from the circus shows.
The 1980s
The Big Apple Circus began the 1980s decade with a lot of media attention, having established a special holiday celebration in honor of the circus and its staff, and then appearing in a Hollywood filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
.
In 1981, the circus began performing at Damrosch Park of Lincoln Center for the first time. Its winter season has been at Damrosch Park ever since. In 1982, the circus won a silver medal at a circus performing competition held in Paris.
1983 saw the circus begin to tour, as tours across New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
began to be arranged. The circus also received an Obie award
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
that year.
By 1984, the New York School for Circus Arts/Big Apple Circus relocated to East Harlem (1 East 104th Street) . The New York School for Circus Arts - in conjunction with the NYC Public School system and ArtsConnection - established the Young Talent Circus Training Program (Mr. Richard Levy's brain-child). The circus program mission was to teach talented children of diverse economic communities circus arts. One of the goals was to nurture and develop talent into potential circus performers. A core group of young circus "talent" participated in a circus competition resulting in a "Gold Medal" award. Three years later another group from the pre-professional circus program (located in the Harbor School for the Performing Arts in East Harlem) would compete in the II Rampe International Circus School Competition in Monte Carlo, Monaco. These students were awarded the Junior Jury and Nice Marin Awards.
The New York School for Circus Arts technical and artistic faculty included: Mr. Philip Beder (trampoline, tumbling, acrobatics and gymnastics), Mr. Abel Shark (Back Street Flyer), Mrs. Irina Goldstein (trapeze, acrobatics), Ms. Rosalinda Rojas (aerial, ground acrobatics and choreographer), and Mr. Sasha Pavlata as guest instructor and circus specialist.
In 1985, the famous Boston Pops teamed up with Big Apple Circus for an extraordinary collaboration and live performance.
That same year (1985) and for the next few years performers Michael Christensen (Big Apple), Deni LaCombe (Big Apple and Cirque Du Soleil), Carlos Guity (Big Apple), Rosalinda Rojas (Big Apple and NYSCA) appear as guest artists with the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center (Manon, Turandot and Macbeth).
One of the biggest steps in the institution's history was taken in 1986, when the circus opened the clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
care unit, a group of professional clowns, trained extensively in hospital procedures, circus skills, and improvisation, make rounds as "clown doctors."
1987 marked the circus' tenth anniversary, and big time celebrations were held during the entire year. A new tent and seating system was bought. Topping the tenth anniversary celebrations was a prestigious silver crown, which the circus won in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. This year six acrobats/ jugglers showcased their talent at the International Circus School competition in Monte Carlo. The creative and technical (dance and acrobatic) projected was headed by Rosalinda Rojas. Carlos Guity and James Clowny were the two lead pre-professional competitors. Many of these New York School for Circus Arts students advanced to international professional circus careers.
During 1988, the Big Apple Circus once again made headlines, when the company participated in the first circus collaboration between China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the United States in history. "East Meets West" debut at the Lincoln Center Damrosch Park Winter Season.
Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
that year.
In 1989, NYNEX
NYNEX
NYNEX Corporation was a telephone company that served five New England states as well as most of New York state, except the Rochester area, from 1984 through 1997....
started to sponsor metropolitan New York tours to residents of the area and tourists as well. The tour included a trip to the Big Apple Circus' grounds. Michael Christiensen received the Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish businessman, diplomat and humanitarian. He is widely celebrated for his successful efforts to rescue thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary from the Holocaust, during the later stages of World War II...
humanitarian award that year for the creation, three years before, of the retired clown's pension program. The same year, the circus and some of its performers were showcased on a Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
movie, Alice
Alice (1990 film)
Alice is a 1990 film written and directed by Woody Allen and starring Joe Mantegna, Mia Farrow and Alec Baldwin. The film is a loose reworking of Federico Fellini's 1965 film Juliet of the Spirits.-Plot:...
. In 1989 also, the circus surpassed the amount of one million dollars in fund raising for the first time.
The 1990s
By 1996, there was increased interest in Big Apple Circus and its performers in cities outside the New York/New England area. This was in part due to the circus' exposure in the Allen film, as well as a result of all the diverse achievements the circus. So, that year, Chicago and ColumbusColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
were included in the circus' yearly tour, with those two cities becoming the first two cities outside New York/New England where the circus performed. Michael Christensen received two more awards, including one named after Red Skelton
Red Skelton
Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton was an American comedian who is best known as a top radio and television star from 1937 to 1971. Skelton's show business career began in his teens as a circus clown and went on to vaudeville, Broadway, films, radio, TV, night clubs and casinos, all while pursuing...
.
The Harlem Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center
Harlem Hospital Center is a 272-bed public, municipally owned teaching hospital in New York City founded in 1887. It is located at 506 Lenox Avenue at 135th Street in the Harlem community of Manhattan.-Overview:...
, founded with funds that came from the Big Apple Circus, was opened that year, and the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
's pediatric area in particular became a headlining facility, as professional performers specially trained as "clown doctors" would visit perform for patients. HBO aired a special documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the circus that year also.
In 1991, Big Apple Circus' performers participated in a collaboration between American and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n circus performers. That same year, Paul Binder was given a presidential medal of achievement by Dartmouth, as well as a doctorate in fine arts by the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
.
In 1993, the circus set a new attendance record. A new tent was purchased, and Michael Christensen was given a Parenting Achievement award by Parents magazine
Parents (magazine)
Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...
, to recognize his work with the Clown Care Foundation.
Gary Dunning became the Big Circus' executive director in 1994. Meanwhile, Christensen received another award, this one the "Sullivan Trail Sertoma's Club Service to Mankind Award". A creative Center campaign was announced, the coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
brand Chock full o'Nuts
Chock full o'Nuts
Chock full o’Nuts is a chain of lunch counters in New York City that spawned a brand of coffee.-History:The chain was founded by William Black , an American immigrant who sold nuts in Times Square to theater-goers. In 1926, he opened a store on Broadway and 43rd Street, and began selling coffee and...
began sponsoring the circus, and a new mark was set as far as most funds received during one year.
Peter T. Grauer became the circus' Chairman in 1995, replacing Patricia Rosenwald.
In 1996 the circus' Art in Education program began to work in different grade school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s. Clown Care continued to develop, opening chapters in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and in Connecticut.
1997 saw new attendance records set, as an estimated 170,000 people went to see the circus' "Medicine Show" production over a total of 114 New York City performances. Clown Care completed 150,000 hospital visits in one year for the first time in the program's history, and Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate from Rhode Island College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island College is a nationally ranked, coeducational, state-supported comprehensive college founded in 1854, located in Providence, Rhode Island, USA...
.
During 1998, the circus was able to break attendance records again, as it celebrated twenty years of operation with engagements at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
and in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The Boston engagement was particularly pleasant for the circus' performers, as it was one of the longest stays in that city that they had ever experienced. TJ Maxx, a major American company, began to sponsor Big Apple Circus appearances in Chicago and in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
by bringing the circus' "Circus of the Senses" to those cities. Circus of the Senses is a circus performance specifically geared towards children with special needs. Sign language interpreters and sound augmentation for deaf patrons allow the audience to experience the circus as never before. In 1999, over 6,000 children took advantage of these performances.
That same year (1999), Michael Christensen was inducted into Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
's Ambassador David A. Walters pediatric Hall of Fame, for his "contributions to pediatrics" by way of the circus and its different programs.
The 2000s
In 2000, Binder and Christensen continued garnering awards, being declared "Living Landmarks" by the New York Landmarks ConservancyNew York Landmarks Conservancy
The New York Landmarks Conservancy is a non-profit organization "dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and reusing New York’s architecturally significant buildings." It provides technical assistance, project management services, grants, and loans, to owners of historic properties in New York State...
. Once again, "Circus of the Senses" attracted a large number of special children, with 9,000 kids participating.
The Circus dropped plans for a second unit that was to play in theaters after less than successful financial results during a trial run.
2001 saw the circus' best known performer, clown "Grandma" (Barry Lubin
Barry Lubin
Barry Lubin, recently inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame, is a physical comedian most familiar to circus audiences as "Grandma", the star of the Big Apple Circus....
), inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame
International Clown Hall of Fame
The International Clown Hall of Fame and Research Center , located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA, is dedicated to the preservation and advancement of clown art and achievement...
. A new seating system was installed in the circus big top, and, after the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the circus opened its "Dreams of a City" show, which was dedicated to the City of New York.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
proclaimed November 1, 2002, as "Big Apple Circus Day". A newsletter, "The Ringside Report", was produced and sent exclusively to circus members and donors, and a Clown fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
show raised more than one million dollars, which were promptly transferred to the circus' various charity programs. The circus celebrated its 25th anniversary with a documentary film about the creation and production of that year's show.
Carnevale!, directed by Raffaele De Ritis from Italy http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EFD71E31F93BA15753C1A9659C8B63, show actors and circus performers Pedro Carrillo and Aleysha Goulevich entered the Guinness Book of World Records when, in 2003, they set records, at the same moment, in their different specialities: Carrillo skipped a rope on the high wire 1,323 times in a row, and Goulevich twirled 99 hula hoop
Hula hoop
A hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck.Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history...
s at the same time.
"Circus to Go," a travelling stage show, allowed Big Apple Circus to reach new communities. The company ventured to the American Western states for the first time. Michael Christensen, meanwhile, received another honorary certificate, when he was given the "Distinguished Alumni Award" by the University of Washington's arts department. He was also given an award by Exceptional Parents magazine, presented during a Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
home game.
In 2004, the TV documentary created by ABC TV on the Circus received an Emmy award in the "Outstanding Entertainment in Programming Single Program" category.
2005 saw the introduction of a new big top tent. Clown Barry Lubin collaborated with Steve Smith to produce a show entitled "Grandma Goes To Hollywood".
In the 2008-2009 season, filming of a PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
documentary occurred. The documentary, titled Circus, portrays the lives of not only the performers, but the crew as well. On November 2, 2010, PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
began to air the six-part event. Though each deal with a specific theme, they are also told in a chronological order. The six parts are First of May, One Ring Family, Change On, Survival of the Fittest, Born to be Circus, and Down the Road.
On December 2, 2008, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
performed her hits Circus & Womanizer
Womanizer (song)
"Womanizer" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, Circus. It was released on September 26, 2008 by Jive Records as the lead single of the album. Produced and co-written by Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi of The Outsyders, the song had to be...
in a televised promotion concert on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
at the Big Apple Circus. The Big Apple Circus went on to become the opening act on her phenomenally successful The Circus Starring Britney Spears world tour.