Traditions grow at 10th Summer Circus Spectacular

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Sergey and Sasha are a father/daughter acrobatic and balancing act featured in the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016 at the Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Sergey and Sasha are a father/daughter acrobatic and balancing act featured in the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016 at the Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

The Circus Arts Conservatory is marking the 10th anniversary of its Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater by sticking to a formula that works. The show is a wonderful and brief introduction for young and old to circus traditions with a mix of comedy, thrills and the ethereal beauty of aerialist Dolly Jacobs, all within steps of the Sarasota home of circus king John Ringling.

Bailey Yelding-Sloan returns as the Ring Mistress, introducing a fast-paced, hour-long show that touches on the international and ever-evolving nature of circus. You see familiar acts with new twists and the intimacy of the theater allows audiences to get a close-up view of the tricks and specialty moves.

Sergio Martinez of the Dancing Gauchos creates images with his bolas, ropes with balls attached at the end, during a performance in the Summer Circus Spectacular. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Sergio Martinez of the Dancing Gauchos creates images with his bolas, ropes with balls attached at the end, during a performance in the Summer Circus Spectacular. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Sergio and Martha Martinez, the Dancing Gauchos, have boundless energy, as they rapidly bang on drums or spin bolas (ropes with small hard balls at the end) to create the sound of a large crowd tap dancing. Those spinning ropes move so fast that you also begin to see intriguing shapes form as they catch the light.

Juggler Rony Gomez, part of a Cuban circus family, also plays with light (particularly black light) while juggling an ever-increasing number of balls, either in the air or off the floor. He performs with an intensity and concentration that is captivating, as the movement of the balls create beautiful images that seem to transform round balls into long tubes.

Juggler Rony Gomez performs  in the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016 at the Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Juggler Rony Gomez performs in the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016 at the Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

The thrill act this year is Sergey and Sasha, a father-daughter acrobatic and balancing act. With just a tiny pad on his head, Sergey supports his young daughter as she rises upside down over him, head to head. They do a variety of balancing tricks, as she bends, stretches and rests spread eagled over him, and at one point, he swings her like a kettle bell before climbing over a ladder with her on top, looking perfectly comfortable and at ease.

In another segment, he supports her with one arm, shifting from a standing position to lying down and then twisting his body around, all while keeping her up in the air.

For humor, the show features the charming antics of comedian/clown Adam Kuchler, who gets the audience clapping in rhythm with just some hand signals and impish grins. Later he plays around with catching hats and getting stuck in a shopping bag, before creating a horizontal stack of boxes between his hands. His routine is a variation on those seen in past summer shows, but Kuchler brings his own personality to it.

And when it comes to style and personality, there are few as distinctive as Jacobs, the Circus Arts Conservatory co-founder, who still glides and floats with the same kind of grace she has for years, commanding your attention.

Comedian and clown Adam Kuchler gets audiences laughing at the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Comedian and clown Adam Kuchler gets audiences laughing at the Summer Circus Spectacular 2016. STAFF PHOTO/JAY HANDELMAN

Once again, patrons are offered admission to the Ringling’s Circus Museum for an addition $5 per person, a great deal to capture the history and current vibrancy of the circus.

CIRCUS REVIEW
SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR 2016
Reviewed June 16. Runs through July 30, Historic Asolo Theater in The Ringling Museum visitor center, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota. For ticket information: 941-360-7399; ringling.org

CIRCUS REVIEW
SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR 2016
Reviewed June 16. Runs through July 30, Historic Asolo Theater in The Ringling Museum visitor center, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota. For ticket information: 941-360-7399; ringling.org
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Jay Handelman

Jay Handelman is the theater and television critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he has worked since 1984. He also is President of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time past chairman of the association's executive committee. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4931. Follow him at @jayhandelman on Twitter. Make sure to "Like" Arts Sarasota on Facebook for news and reviews of the arts.
Last modified: June 17, 2016
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