The ISU Gamma Phi Circus is the oldest collegiate circus in the entire nation. In 1929, the first circus performance was featured here. This weekend will be the 87th year and will be taking place at Redbird Arena. After last year’s Hollywood show, the expectations for their “Around the World” theme are higher than ever. To get an inside look at what being a part of the circus is like, we asked our friends Mattie and Lizzie to share their experiences with us.
Name: Lizzie Minarich
Age: 20
Major: English Education with a Psychology Endorsement
Name: Mattie Schaefer
Age: 20
Major: English and Legal Studies
Her Campus Illinois State: How and when did you join the circus? Did you have any experience prior to ISU?
Lizzie Minarich: When I first came to ISU, I had not even heard of the circus, let alone ever considered joining one. I was trying out different RSOs and exploring different options on campus when a guy on my floor invited me to come to the circus open house in August. I was involved in theatre in high school, but I’m rather uncoordinated and thought there was no way I could do anything. However, from the moment I set foot in the gym, the circus had my heart. People were doing crazy, amazing, and beautiful things and it set a fire in my heart and inspired me. I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could and be one of those astounding, daredevil people.
Mattie Schaefer: I joined the circus my freshman year of college. I have always known about it because my mom was also in the circus when she attended ISU. I was a gymnast growing up and became a dancer in high school.
HC ISU: What acts/skills/performances are you involved in now?
LM: This is my second year doing backstage for circus. However, even though I am not in a featured act, I am not upset. I can still practice in the gym and do what I love. I came in with no experience and now I can unicycle and juggle fairly well and I have basic knowledge of tight wire, trapeze, silks, German wheel, wall, and more. I may not excel at these things, but just saying that I have tried them and can perform them to some extent is something pretty special to me, the uncoordinated theatre kid.
MS: The acts I will be performing in this year is Lyra Silks and Multi-Trapeze. I’m also an extra in German Wheel and a dancer for the Russian Swing act. Other skills I possess include flying duo trapeze, lyric hoop, silks, Spanish web, solo trapeze, and tight wire.
HC ISU: What is your favorite part about being in the circus?
LM: It may have been the sheer awe of the activities in the gym that drew me into circus, but it was the environment and the people that made me stay. Everyone in there is there to support you. They want to share their knowledge, teach you, and see you do well, and I don’t just mean in regards to circus arts. I know that if I need a tutor or a ride or someone to let me use their oven to cook a pizza, I could turn to anyone in that gym. In addition, I trust these people with my life. I mean, literally. People have saved me from being run over or hit so many times that I actually owe a few people my life.
HC ISU: How has the process been preparing for the show? What are practices like?
LM: In the fall we start the year off with open houses and then we have the audition process. If you don’t make an act, you are still very much welcomed and asked to stay with the organization. There is so much that goes on backstage and we need members who can concentrate on keeping everything running smoothly.
Everyone is required to come to practice three nights a week and we are encouraged to go to optional open gyms. After winter break, we begin practicing for our home show.
During April, our nights tend to get longer and things get more intense. The week preceding show is when we move into the arena and begin to practice in the space we will be performing in. There are a lot of adjustments we need to make so practices have the tendency to go late. I’m talking the occasional 4 in the morning.
Show week is one of the hardest and most stressful weeks of the school year for me, but it is also one of the best. There’s something special about trying to find a mat that’s good for napping on, laughing deliriously, and occasionally crying until 4AM on a school night with 100 people who share the same goals and passions as you.
HC ISU: Do you have any part in choreographing the show? Who helps?
LM: Each act has at least one captain and those individuals are in charge of creating the content that occurs during their act. Everyone is very open to suggestions and input from others in the gym. Extras are often accepted into acts based on dancing or acting skill in order to create a more theatrical experience. There is a lot of room for creative freedom; students create all of the choreography. Our directors are there to supervise and provide guidance, but the students design the acts.
HC ISU: What can we expect for the show this year?:
LM: Every year we try to produce something entirely different from the years before. The tendency is that once someone sees the show, they come back every year. Because of this, we need to make sure the content is fresh. This year our theme is “Around the World”, so I can promise that there is a great deal of variety amongst costuming and music between the acts. We also switched a few things up with the acts this year, but you will need to come and see for yourself to find out what changes we have made.
MS: For show, you can expect to see things that will blow your mind. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. I see what my peers do every single practice and I am still immensely impressed. Our theme this year is around the world and we will be presenting a variety of countries from Argentina to Greece.
HC ISU: Why should people see the circus?
LM: The circus is something super special to Illinois State. There’s only one other college in the country that has a circus. Gamma Phi is entirely student based and it is just amazing thing to see what your peers can produce. It kind of makes you think you can do anything when you see what some of these students – individuals who work, maintain good grades, and are involved with other RSOs – can do. It isn’t some silly little show or club, but a truly breath-taking performance that is recognized across the nation. Because it’s such a unique opportunity, I think students should take advantage of seeing it or even taking part in it.
MS: I believe that every ISU student should try to come out and see the show because it is a part of ISU history. It is also a great thing to do during siblings weekend with your friends and family! May all your days be circus days!
Gamma Phi Circus will host the spring 2016 shows at 7 p.m. Friday, April 15, and at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Tickets are on sale at $15/$13 for adults; $13/$11 for students, senior citizens, and military; $10/$8 for children ages 5 through 12; and $5/$3 for children under 5. Group discounts are applied for groups of 10 or more tickets purchased together. These can be bought at the Braden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, on ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800)-745-3000, or at the door of Redbird Arena on show days. We hope you take part in this ISU campus tradition!