Summer Circus Spectacular is growing with shows in Sarasota and the Berkshires

Jay Handelman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

June 8, 2024 at 5:00 PM·5 min read

The Circus Arts Conservatory will be reaching even more people than usual this summer with two versions of its Summer Circus Spectacular, one in Sarasota and a new location in the Berkshires in Massachusetts.

The annual collaboration with The Ringling Museum continues the summer tradition June 14-Aug. 17 with intimate performances in the Historic Asolo Theater. What began as a two-week run in 2007 has grown to nine weeks this year with many sold-out performances.

It will feature several returning performers, including the clown Renaldo, contortionist Uranbileg Angarag and the acrobatic hand-balancing troupe The Bello Sisters (who were featured on “America’s Got Talent”), who performed in the winter Circus Sarasota show. New this year is Zoré Espana, a Cyr wheel performer who grew up in Englewood and is extending her family’s circus history to its sixth generation.

Zoré Espana, who performs on the Cyr wheel, represents the sixth generation of her family’s circus heritage.

Pedro Reis, the founder and CEO of the Circus Arts Conservatory, said the company will test out an expansion with a two-week run of what is called “SummerSaults in the Berkshires,” featuring most of the performers who appeared in last year’s Sarasota summer show.

“My vision is to repeat what we’re doing in Sarasota in the Berkshires” the next year, he said. “It’s going to require word of mouth and buzz. There is some kids stuff up there, but there’s nothing like the circus that’s truly a family-oriented discipline up there.”

“SummerSaults” will feature the comedy duo of Dick Monday and Slappy, the hand-balancing act of La Vision, bounce juggler Tersit Asefa Dersu, the crystal balance act of Serge Sergeev and Aurika Annaeva, and aerial rope artist Garrett Allen.

Introducing kids and families to the world of circus with Summer Circus Spectacular

The Sarasota production has become popular with summer camp programs. “Most of the kids come and see a circus show for the first time and most of them are coming to the Ringling Museum for the very first time, too,” Reis said. Ticket buyers can buy a pass to visit the Ringling Circus Museum for $5 on the day of the performance.

This year’s Sarasota show will feature Jared Walker as master of ceremonies, a role he first took on in the 2018 summer show. He will be introducing six acts:

Uranbileg Angarag, contortionist, began performing at age 9. She appeared earlier this year in Cirque des Voix.

Camille Langlois performs a hair-hang act in the 2024 edition of the Summer Circus Spectacular in the Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling.

Camille Langlois, originally from Quebec, performs a hair hang act, which Reis said has made a comeback in recent years with “music, choreography and themes that have made it more of an exciting act.”

Antino Pansa, who comes from Guyana, will perform a slack wire act. He is a graduate of the National Circus School of Montreal and has been featured in Cirque du Soleil’s “ECHO.” He also performed at the conservatory’s 2024 gala in February.

The Bello Sisters were featured in the winter edition of Circus Sarasota, just months after competing on “America’s Got Talent: All Stars.”’

Renaldo, who has performed frequently in the winter and summer Circus Sarasota shows, started his career with the Big Apple Circus and has toured with many circus productions nationally.

Zoré Espana spins out a circus family legacy

Zoré Espana started training in tumbling, hula hoops, diablos, aerials and other circus styles when she was 3 or 4 “but nothing felt like it was my thing,” she said in a Zoom interview from Las Vegas. When she was 15, her father, bought a Cyr wheel as a gift, thinking it might be right for her.

“The day it arrived, it was like a playground. I couldn’t get off of it,” she said. “It was so different from what I was used to and I instantly felt that’s what I’m going to do.”

A Cyr wheel is a large hoop in which a performer stands and maneuvers it around a stage or performance area with body weight.

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Espana said it’s an incredible feeling when “you’re so used to being grounded on your feet. On the Cyr wheel, in one second you can be upside down. It feels like a seesaw. I had a rush every time I did it. More than anything it’s very fun and you can make it beautiful.”

Espana grew up in Englewood with her family, and each year they were in town, they would attend Circus Sarasota performances under the big top. “I always wanted to perform there, to do a show in my hometown, with all the fellow artists and local people coming, showcasing your talents that you demonstrate around the world,” she said.

She hasn’t been available for the winter shows because she has spent the last few years performing her Hula Hoop act in “Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Pecularium,” which is co-owned by her father, Ivan Espana. That show tours around Florida during the winter season, overlapping with Circus Sarasota.

“But now it’s summer and I was free and I’m excited to be doing this show,” she said.