We all have it: that light that shines within each of us and makes us unique from the rest of the crowd. While this light might not translate to super powers such as the Incredible Hulk’s super human strength or Superman’s heat vision, there’s a hero in all of us. From January 17 to January 20, 2014 in the Leon County Civic Center, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey captivated audiences of all ages and sizes while showing them how to release the hidden superpowers they did not realize they had before. Super Circus Heroes featured super human strength, incredible balancing acts, astonishing aerialists, heart-warming animal performances, and captivating flexibility.
Before the show began, the jokester clowns of the show, Ivan and Andrew, began to pump up the crowds through their wacky dance moves and silly antics that had little children and adults alike in stitches. They later assumed the role as “Hero Trainers” when they met a gray clown in a suit named Mr. Boredom. Mr. Boredom was just that: boring. He was incapable of parting from his lumpy recliner or giant remote control. Mr. Boredom provided a challenge to the Hero Trainers to transform him from a lethargic sloth to a bright and brilliant hero. After each performance, Mr. Boredom would shed a piece of his dull suit until finally he earned his hero’s cape. His newly discovered super power was that he had the ability to make people laugh. This provided a valuable lesson to those who witnessed Mr. Boredom’s transformation: heroes come in all shapes and sizes and even something as simple as the ability to make people laugh is a superpower in itself.
An especially heart-warming act was that of Cathy and her exotic animal menagerie. From Duchess, the four ton elephant, to Buster, the ten pound terrier, the menagerie consisted of a wide array of animals and performances. Camels, ponies, dogs, and elephants galloped, ran, and even danced their way across the spotlight in a riveting display of skill and precision.
One of the later and certainly most dramatic acts was the Shaolin Troupe, which featured the ancient form of qigong, a form of meditation and discipline. The Shaolins demonstrated that through focusing on internal peace and relaxation incredible feats can be accomplished. In just one perfectly placed strike, a Shaolin warrior broke a wooden pole. In a breath-taking moment, one warrior balanced on the sharp point of a spinning trident without harming himself. Later, the warriors took the forms of the five honored animals, the crane, the frog, the tiger, the monkey, and the snake, demonstrating not only their flexibility but also their quirky side.
Last year the circus caravan came through Tallahassee with Fully Charged, and it also plans on gracing us with its presence again next year with a whole new set of performances and themes. It is certainly a unique opportunity provided to students and families in the area to experience what the circus has to offer. Countless smiles and sticky cotton candy fingers were seen, and numerous laughs and gasps of astonishment were heard when the circus came to town, proving once again that the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey truly is the Greatest Show on Earth.