The lighting turns blue as a clown emotes over what appeared to be a stuffed animal. The small elephant was actually a trained dog in constume. After "cranking" the dog up with a large clock key prop, the dog paraded around the circus ring. (Travis J. Tritten / S&S)
The lighting turns blue as a clown emotes over what appeared to be a stuffed animal. The small elephant was actually a trained dog in constume. After "cranking" the dog up with a large clock key prop, the dog paraded around the circus ring. (Travis J. Tritten / S&S)
An acrobat portraying a mischevious monkey leaps through a hoop. The performance built momentum with increasing complexity and difficulty. (Travis J. Tritten / S&S)
A Colombian tight-rope walker is shiny with sweat as he performs with a net high above the circus ring. An apparent misstep and near fall could have all been part of the show. (Travis J. Tritten / S&S)
Balancing on a high stand, a Chinese contortionist touches the tips of her toes together. (Travis J. Tritten / S&S)
As the tent lights dimmed, the audience settled in with corndogs and cola.
The Monkey King and his entourage, played by a troupe of young Chinese acrobats, leaped and tumbled into the colored lights of the big-top ring.
In Chinese literature, the emperor of monkeys is a superhero of legendary skill – intelligent, mischievous and often foiled by his own arrogance.
The old story of his journey to heaven was retold, this time to hundreds of Japanese in a circus tent on the Sasebo waterfront in mid-January.
With promises of astounding feats and performances, the Super Dream Circus rolled into the western Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki in late December and pitched its big-top tent on a gravel lot near the city ferry terminal.
The small production, which operates out of Osaka, Japan, mixes Western circus traditions such as the trapeze, tight rope and clowns with Chinese folklore and acrobatic skill. The Chinese cast takes on multiple roles during the show and performs mostly without animals.
