By: Robert Murray – Fort McMurray Today
Fort McMurray A.B. posted June 8, 2017 at 7:10PM
Joseph Dominick Bauer couldn’t imagine ever leaving the comfort of the big top that is the Royal Canadian Circus.
It’s his current home on a lifelong journey and more than eight generations of circus performers that travels from town to town across North America.
“It’s the oldest form of family entertainment,” says the Sarasota, Fla. native whose family came to the United States from Switzerland. “It’s never been censored. We’re older than baseball; the circus has been around forever.
“It’s still holding its own.”
As the ringmaster and performance director for the circus show that will be coming to the Casman Centre parking lot for seven shows this weekend, Bauer’s skills are well-noted, as are the acts coming with him.
There’s the high wire Duo Guerrero, formerly featured on Americas Got Talent in 2016, a fifth-generation circus clown by the name of Piolita Videla from Argentina as well as the Dominguez Dog Act and Liberty Horse performance among others.
The show also features circus standards including aerialist stunt performers and the Globe of Death with three motorcyclists zooming around one another in a 17-foot steel ball.
While the circus has had to change with modern technology and the changing attitudes towards the use of exotic animals, Bauer believes they stand on firmer ground.
“The acts have become more daring and more modern,” noted Bauer. “The lighting, the sound, the whole aspect of the circus is modernized.
“Like this big top here for instance, in the old days, the elephants would be out there pushing the tent up and all that. This is all motorized, 2,700-seat with ventilation top and everything.”
Bauer’s immediate family are also directly involved with the circus as his son travels with him when they’re on the road eight months of the year, his daughter is touring south of the border and his sister owns her own production.
The whole performance is a tight ship that lends itself to a comedic interjection that Bauer sees existing for a long time to come.
“I think it’ll be around forever honestly,” he added.
The Royal Canadian Circus will be performing this weekend at the Casman Centre parking lot. Performances on Friday are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, shows are scheduled for 12 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the show will run at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Post published by Fort McMurray Today