Behind the Scenes: Alisan Funk
Hello all, This summer we’re going to be highlighting work from all across the circus lot with guest blog posts by coaches, tent crew, the pie car and more. I hope you enjoy our first guest writer, Alisan Funk, our head aerial coach! -Emma “They arrive for rehearsal. I assess – how bright are their eyes? Are they attentive, hungry for the next piece of the puzzle? Or are they crumbling under the heat/cold/ rain/fatigue? Are they focused? I need to decide if pushing them today will lead to confidence, endurance and skill, or if it will risk an injury….
Lighting the Night!
Hello Smirkus Family, Today the Troupers added evening rehearsals in addition to all of their day classes. However, believe it or not, this post isn’t about how hard Troupers have been training (though they are training incredibly hard) but rather the scoop on a behind the scenes thing that you might not otherwise get to see: lighting. Lighting illuminates the dark, directs focus, and can change the whole mood of a tent. Yet, with troupers training in the Chapiteau from early morning through to the night, it can be difficult to find a time to get the lights set up….
A Smirkusbord Celebration
While a “smörgåsbord” is a Scandinavian name for a buffet with lots of dishes, or a large mixture of many different things, a “smirkusbord” is the name of our first ever Smirkus-wide summer kick off. On a warm Monday evening, we gathered at the new Smirkus Camp site on Breezy Avenue in Greensboro, Vermont. The farmhouse, barn and 30 acres, with its mazing hallways, hidden stairs and spectacular view, will become the permanent home of Smirkus Camp! The whole Smirkus company came together in celebration of another summer of Smirkus and in appreciation of all that makes Smirkus Smirkus. And what better a place…
A “Rest” Day!
Dear Smirkus Family, Yesterday was a day off for the Troupers, but don’t let that fool you into thinking they lounged around. After breakfast, we piled into the Smirkus vans and headed down the winding country roads to our first stop of the day, the Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, Vermont. Here we sampled apple goodies, tasted cider and munched on cider donuts. And of course, because yesterday was World Juggling Day, a couple of Troupers juggled apples. After that, we headed down the road to Ben and Jerry’s for ice cream. After an “udderly” pun-filled tour, we…
Welcome to the Mud Show!
Today at the Circus Barn, we’re bringing meaning back to the phrase “mud show.” A mud show was traditionally a show that travelled by horse and wagon from town to town and referred to the muddy roads travelled on. Today, the Troupers tromp up and down the muddy road to and from class bundled from head to toe in rain gear. Inside the tents, the wind whistles and the canvas ebbs and flows with each gust of wind. Overhead, the droplets of rain pitter-patter as they bounce off the top and drip down the sides. In the distance, the steady,…
Of Gnomes and Clowns
Hello Family, Last night at Council we were lucky enough to have two incredibly special guests join us. The first was a little man with a round face and a pointed green hat: a bobble-headed garden gnome. For many years, a gnome named Lorenzo guarded the Circus Barn. Unfortunately, there are only so many times a porcelain gnome can be hot-glued back together and as head counselor Dani Kehlmann put it, Lorenzo was quite literally “loved to pieces.” Feeling the hole left from the loss of Lorenzo, Zed Fatka, Maintenance and Facilities Manager, took on the task of getting a…
In Anticipation…
Hello Family, Today I had the pleasure of watching as casting decisions were announced. Before you’re too far into this post though, please realize that some of it has been left purposefully vague. Titles of acts are kept a surprise to add an element of mystique for you. However, even without these details, I hope that you will be able to imagine yourself sitting cross-legged on the well-worn floor of the Circus Barn studio- breathing in the sweet scent of warm wood with a hint of dust that has accumulated from years of classes and movie nights. You sit in…
The Migration Home
From the moment my alarm went off yesterday morning, I could feel that it would be a good day. The sun was shining, the Troupers were to be arriving late in the afternoon, excitement was in the air! Carefully, so as not to fall onto LeeAnne Brown, the Production Intern who sleeps in the bed beneath me, I climbed out of my top bunk perch. By the time the breakfast bell chimed at 8am, I was showered, dressed and ready to go. Morning flew by with tour staff bustling around in every direction prepping and handling last minute details. Then…
Rain and Rainbows
Hello Smirkus Family! Before we dive feet first into the waters of Smirkus, let me tell a little about myself. I’m Emma Behrens, Marketing and PR Assistant for the Big Top Tour this summer. I was raised not far from the Circus Barn (located in Greensboro, Vermont) in the tiny town of Strafford. Having grown up nearby, I’m very familiar with the pristine rolling hills and welcoming atmosphere Vermont offers. Though I’m a Vermonter through and through, I’ve spent the past two years at Ithaca College in upstate New York where I am majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications and minoring…
There’s No Place Like Greensboro…: Monday, August 19th
We’ve come, it seems, full circle. After a record-setting two and a half hour tear-down in Hanover, New Hampshire, it was time for Smirkus to head back to Vermont. But Vermont holds more than maple syrup and green mountains – it is Smirkus’s home. Smirkus has been going to Montpelier for 26 consecutive years, and after being there for six shows in three days it’s easy to see why we keep going back – the crowds were enthusiastic, with many shows selling out! Not to mention, there’s plenty to do and see in town, which is just a few blocks…