Years before I moved to New York City, I constantly heard rave reviews about the Big Apple Circus. After experiencing it myself for the first time, I can say that the Circus is a must-see event focused on immersing the audience and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. The tent has an atmosphere you cannot get anywhere else.
While first walking in, you immediately forget you are in the city, surrounded by vibrant lights and colors. As you enter the concessions area, you venture into an out-of-this-world carnival scene. Both the concessions and souvenir stations are disguised as carnival booths, and there are face painting stations all around. I realized this was more than a show, but an experience that makes you feel like a kid again.
As the show began and I took my seat around the ring, the music and energy of the dancers and performers as they ran out was infectious. The theme of the Big Apple Circus is different each year, making every show season unique. This year, “Hometown Playground” focused on an animal that probably knows the city better than anyone else: rats! The audience is given a tour around some of the city’s most iconic and well-known spots, from Times Square to Harlem, with themed performances at each “stop.”
Some of my favorite performances were “The Russian Swing,” featuring acrobats Adrian Poema Jr., Antoly Brazzan, Lucian Balsanulfo and Lexi Ann Eakin-Gonzales; “The Human Fountains,” featuring Jesse Highley, Neal Skoy and Robert Ryan; and “Abril Amore,” featuring Alec and Daniela Bryant. While all these acts were different and unique in their own way, it was the excitement and joy on the audience’s faces that made them stand out.
From any seat, you could see the connection and trust the performers shared, which made the choreography seem more real and vulnerable.
“The Russian Swing” is a large swing that can rotate 360 degrees, in which performers propel themselves into the air and do numerous stunts and flips before landing in a tarp to catch them. The crowd’s anticipation of each feat that would be attempted, left audience members cheering with each success as if they were completing it themselves.
While different from the other stunts and daring acts performed in the show, “The Human Fountains,” can easily be declared a crowd favorite. The members, as seen on America’s Got Talent, put on a choreographed routine to an instrumental version of “My Heart Will Go On.” The act itself is unexpected, especially after watching the earlier performances, and the seriousness of the members of the “Human Fountains” is what really sells it. Not only was it funny to watch from the audience, but the aspect of crowd participation will make this act different each time you see it.
Another act that truly stood out to me was “Abril Amore.” The act consisted of a Tango-inspired aerial routine that told a beautiful story of love. From any seat, you could see the connection and trust the performers shared, which made the choreography seem more real and vulnerable. Besides the beautifully told story, the skill and strength required to do the tricks featured in the performance is unfathomable, as the duo seemed to complete them easily.
One notable mention is “The Cartoon Poodles,” an act conducted by Rafael and Isabel Abuhadba, where their eight rescue Poodles perform tricks like diving, jumping and even riding a scooter showcasing these dogs’ talent. The Big Apple Circus typically does not include animals in their show, but it was heartwarming to see these poodles involved.
With all the components and acts featured in this show running so seamlessly, one might think they have been performing as a group forever, but this is far from the truth. Neal Skoy, a member of the “Human Fountains” and a clown featured in numerous other parts of the show, recalled his experience.
“This whole thing came together in two weeks! Previously, the Big Apple Circus would rehearse for two months. So, this is kind of a Herculean effort and accomplishment that we have gotten this far,” Skoy said. He said that he has known that he has wanted to be a clown since he was four years old. Skoy said that he had never even dreamed that he would one day perform with the Big Apple Circus.
When talking to Skoy about the show, his pure joy for what he does makes it clear why the audience fell in love with these acts, as well as all the performers’ passion and gratitude for being able to perform. But just because they only had two weeks to rehearse doesn’t mean the process was all work and no play.
“Our choreographer, Theresa Stone, is the nicest individual you will ever meet! We didn’t rehearse all day, every day, 24/7; we had great breaks,” Tiffani Russell, a dancer in the show, said.
With tons of crowd work featured in the show, every seat in the tent is a good one, so everyone feels involved in the performance. Performances last from Nov. 8 to Jan. 5, 2025, in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center.