Melrose 12-year-old performs in youth circus
Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the Melrose Free Press on August 29, 2017 and was written by Conor Powers-Smith. Childhood may have changed dramatically in recent generations, but some things remain the same, among them the cherished dream of running away to join the circus. As 12-year-old Melrose resident Eva Lou Rhinelander discovered last year, that goal is not only within reach, but within easy driving distance. Rhinelander just wrapped up her second summer with Circus Smirkus, the Greensboro, Vt.-based youth circus that attracts child performers from across the country. She and a friend were the youngest performers in both 2016 and…
Trouper Close-Ups: Chase Levy, Jeannette Oubre, and Cheya Potter
Touper Close-Ups: Chase Levy, Jeannette Oubre, and Cheya Potter Chase Levy is a 16 year old Trouper from Newton, MA. Chase got his start with circus by being a homestay family at the age of 8, where the Troupers opened his eyes to the world of circus. “From there, I went to Circus Smirkus Camp for 6 years.” Chase did not learn all of his skills overnight, and he never let the word “No” defeat him. “Two years ago I auditioned and didn’t get in. So, I auditioned again last year and made it, and this year as well.” All…
Trouper Close-Ups: William Borges, Maedya Kojis, and Laska Léonard
Trouper Close-Ups: William Borges, Maedya Kojis, and Laska Léonard William Borges is a 16 year old from Baiting Hollow, NY and this is his first year as a Trouper. He got his start with circus by training gymnastics when he was young, and his mom introduced him to flying trapeze. He started training more regularly and says, “flying trapeze opened the doors to aerial and juggling.” Will performs in the hat juggling and the rope/cube act. Although Will is not in a flying trapeze act this year, he says that is his specialty and favorite thing to train. His favorite…
Zambian Performer Joins Circus Smirkus
Editors note: This article is KYMELYA SARI of Seven Days Vermont and was originally published there on August 9, 2017 When Zambian circus artist Patrick Chikoloma does a back flip or strikes a pose on a Chinese pole in front of an enraptured audience, he isn’t just defying gravity. He’s also proving skeptics wrong. Chikoloma, 18, grew up in Chibolya Township, a slum in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. “If you come from Chibolya, no one believes in you,” said Chikoloma in an audition video that he submitted to Circus Smirkus last December. “My target is to kill the bad name of Chibolya using circus…
Trouper Close-Ups: Hannah Grove, Isabella Majzun, and Anna Zuckerman
Trouper Close-Ups: Hannah Grove, Isabella Majzun, and Anna Zuckerman Hannah Grove is a 15 year old from Blacksburg, VA and this is her 2nd year as a Trouper. She was first inspired to get involved with circus when she saw her first Cirque du Soleil show when she was 10. She began at Circus Smirkus Camp in 2013 and continued by going to a camp at Ecole National de Cirque in 2014 where fell in love with tight wire. Tight wire is her favorite thing to train and says, “I am self taught, so I can easily train it myself.”…
Trouper Close-Ups: Graham Reicher, Saffi Watson, and Leah Zuckerman
Trouper Close-Ups: Graham Reicher, Saffi Watson, and Leah Zuckerman Graham Reicher is a 14 year old from Piedmont, CA, and he is a second year Trouper. He got his start in circus by seeing Circus Smirkus at the age of three. He was so excited, that by the age of six he started going to Smirkus Camp. Additionally, Graham has trained at the Kinetic Arts Center and is a part of their circus troupe. Graham has learned a lot from being a Trouper, but he says one thing that had really stuck out is the teamwork. “You learn how…
Trouper Close-Ups: Lucia Mason, Nemo Mass, and Serafina Walker
Trouper Close-Ups: Lucia Mason, Nemo Mass, and Serafina Walker Lucia Mason is an 18 year old Trouper from Montague, MA and this is her 2nd year on tour. She got her start in circus because, “I was a really antsy kid, and my mom wanted an outlet for all my energy, and circus is a really positive place for that.” This year she is the rope/cube act and loves it. She says, “I’ve done rope before, but I haven’t touched a cube until I got here! It is really fun.” “Lucia says her favorite part of tour is, “hanging out…
Trouper Close-Ups: Eva Lou Rhinelander and Alexa Wang
Trouper Close-Ups: Eva Lou Rhinelander and Alexa Wang Eva-Lou Rhinelander is a 12 year old Trouper from Melrose, MA. She is a 2nd year Trouper and is so excited to be back on tour! She first got involved with circus by taking a hula-hooping class. “I like hula-hooping, but I also really like handstands and contortion a lot.” She says her favorite part about being on tour is, “meeting new people at the homestays.” The most difficult part of being on tour for her is, ”the physical activity. I just have to stay on top of conditioning”, which she gets help…
A Day in the Life: Pie Car
When an audience comes to see a Circus Smirkus show, they see the final product. They see the gorgeous costumes and the pretty lights, they hear the sensational sounds of the Smirkus band, they smell the freshly popped popcorn, all as they watch the hardworking Troupers perform. But what the audience does not see is how the crew and Troupers live while not performing. In Circus Smirkus’ backlot, where the staff lives while on tour, there is a travelling Pie Car that comes with us. It is essentially a kitchen on wheels, and is where all of the Trouper and…
Smirkus Comes To Marshfield
Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the Patriot Ledger on July 26, 2017 and was written by Mary Whitfill MARSHFIELD — Kids crowded around a circular stage, climbing over each other to get a better view as young circus performers soared, danced and spun Wednesday. Circus Smirkus, a traveling show made up of performers 12 to 18 years old, had come to Marshfield to present shows that are raising money for the Marshfield Education Foundation. “There is a useful enthusiasm and a spirit of giving these kids all share with the audience,” Circus Smirkus artistic director Troy Wunderle said….