The Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center with a reimagined, reinvented and reinvigorated show for the 2021-2022 season! It felt so wonderful to be back to live, in-person, family entertainment during these pandemic times as we relished in one of our favorite annual family traditions.

Here’s a few reasons why families should see the Big Apple Circus before this edition disappears on Jan. 30, 2022:

1. Be dazzled by The Wallenda Family on the high wire

Nik Wallenda is the most famous high wire artist in the world. He’s walked a tightrope stretched over Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, and even Times Square! It was an electrifying thrill to have Wallenda and his family do what they do best — slink across the high wire effortlessly as they do tricks and even ride a bicycle. During the finale, Wallenda surprised (no spoilers) everyone and brought the audience to their feet.

2. Every seat feels make you feel like circus VIP

The intimate, ringside seats are in the middle of the action so every guest feels like they’re an integral part of the special performance. Regardless of where you sit in the theater for this one-ring extravaganza, you’ll be less than 50 feet from the awe-inspiring acts. You’ll be able to see the sweat on the performer’s faces, hear high wire performers communicate during routines, and smile with surprise as a clown brushes by your seat.

3. Near-death underwater tank escape

This was the most non-traditional Big Apple Circus act based on our past experiences, but no less mesmerizing. America’s Got Talent escape artist Matt Johnson had the audience cringing with fear and audibly gasping during this spectacle. Defying death, Johnson unlocked his hands from handcuffs, holding his breath far beyond two minutes while submerged in a water tank. I was on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding during this Houdini style stunt. Many of us attend the circus to see astounding, dangerous feats and this act delivered.

4. Cute dog tricks bring the house down

You expect animal acts when attending the circus. The most delightful, surprising, all-the-feels moments occurred during Diana Vedyashkina’s dog act. This talented troupe of adorable dachshunds danced, jumped, played limbo, and performed other dazzling tricks. Sure, they were persuaded by the treats in their trainer’s pouch, but our family was loving every minute of this cuteness overload.

5. Yes, we felt safe at the Big Apple Circus

Most families want to understand if it’s safe to return to these types of in-person experiences. We felt safe. Guests age 12 and older are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and they did a thorough check upon entry. Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask. Everyone else is required to wear a mask while at the Big Apple Circus, except while actively eating or drinking. Understandably, due to the pandemic, the Big Apple Circus didn’t provide audience members opportunities to meet, greet and engage with the performers as in years past.

I was struck by the recurring theme and messaging — “MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE!” — during the performance. Nik Wallenda spoke openly about chasing and fulfilling his lifelong dream of owning his own circus. Both he and the ringmaster discussed inspiring others, never giving up, and pursuing dreams against adversity. Mission accomplished! Wallenda recently became an owner of the Big Apple Circus!

Overall, the Big Apple Circus delivered on laughs, unbelievable acts and loads of family fun. We missed having a flying trapeze act as in years past, but our family loved it and are planning to be back again next year.

The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center through Jan. 30, 2021. To purchase tickets and learn more about the award-winning show, visit www.BigAppleCircus.com. 

DISCLOSURE: NYC Dads Group received complimentary family passes to attend the Big Apple Circus. The opinions and experiences expressed in this post are authentic and our own.

The Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center with a refreshing new rendition, and it’s the best one we’ve ever seen! It continues to be an annual family tradition for me and should be a must-see destination for families this holiday season.

Here’s a few highlights on why families should venture to the Big Apple Circus before it wraps up on Feb. 2, 2020:

1. Every seat a good seat at Big Apple Circus

Glancing at my children, with necks craned skyward in sheer wonder during acts of daring feats, strength and athletic precision is why the Big Apple Circus keeps us coming back every single year. (Gobbling popcorn and cotton candy has also become an integral part of the festivities.) The intimate, ringside seats are smack dab in the heart of the action so every attendee feels like they’re a part of the special performance. You don’t miss anything with every seat in the one-ring theater less than 50 feet from the thrilling acts. In fact, you can literally see beads of sweat on the performer’s faces, hear aerialists communicate signals during their routines, and gasp while the acrobats soar over your head. A magical experience for parents and kids alike!

2. Be mesmerized by the ‘Wheel of Death’

Our family agreed that this act alone was worth the price of admission. Twenty-three-year-old daredevil Jayson Dominguez climbs in, around and above the rotating human hamster wheel that propels him five stories up in the air. The audience cringes with fear and audibly gasps during this spectacle. Defying gravity and death, Dominguez leaps through the air — jumping, skipping rope and performing a somersault — during this “you have to see it to believe it” act. Many of us attend the circus to see astounding human feats and this act brought the house down.

3. Can a cat really do tricks?

You expect several animal acts when attending the circus. The most unusual, delightful, tug-on-your-heart moments occurred during the The Savitsky Cats act. These cat acrobats — “Acrocats” — climbed ladders, walked on their hind legs, and performed other dazzling feline tricks. Sure, they were heavily persuaded by the treats in their trainer’s hands, but our family was loving every minute of this new, unique troupe that was recently discovered on America’s Got Talent.

4. Aerial acrobatics 

Watching bodies defy gravity and soar gracefully through the air on the trapeze is breathtaking. The challenging tricks on the flying trapeze are a feat of passion, grace and risk. The Aliev Troupe have raised the stakes in their high-flying act, by combining spectacular, aerial acrobatics with the artistry of the Russian Barre 20 feet above the audience. We were gawking up in the sky and on the edge of our seats with stunning flips, somersaults and dives.

5. Meet your favorite Big Apple Circus performers

The Big Apple Circus provides audience members opportunities to meet, greet and engage with the performers. After the show, fans had the chance to meet the performers, ask questions about their acts and pose for photos with them. We enjoyed meeting numerous cast members including daredevil Jayson Dominguez as well as new female ringmaster Storm Marrero.

The Big Apple Circus delivered on laughs, gasp-worthy acts and barrels of family fun. Our family loved it and will definitely be back again next year.

The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center through Feb. 2, 2020. To purchase tickets and learn more about the award-winning show, visit www.BigAppleCircus.com.  (Children under 3 are free when on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap). 

DISCLOSURE: NYC Dads Group received complimentary family passes to attend the Big Apple Circus. The opinions and experiences expressed in this post are authentic and our own.

An entertaining force to be reckoned with, the Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center in New York City for it’s all new, 41st edition. It continues to be an annual family tradition for me and should be a must-see destination for families this holiday season. I could list a dozen reasons, but will leave you with four good ones to visit the Big Apple Circus before it wraps up on Jan. 27, 2019:

1. Every seat, the best seat in the house

The intimate ringside seats are immersed in the action so our family felt like we were a part of the performance. Unlike massive entertainment stadiums, the Big Apple Circus tent only has about 1,500 seats so every seat is a good one. No seat is more than 50 feet from the ring so you can see sweat dripping off the performer’s faces, hear aerialists communicate signals so their acrobatics are in sync, and cringe with nerve-wracking fear as they soar above you, sometimes without a net. A radical experience for parents and kids alike!

2. Marvel at the sheer strength of dynamic “Duo Fusion” couple

The husband and wife powerhouse duo were extraordinary and mesmerizing. I thought I had seen it all, but the wife reverses traditional gender roles and displays unbelievable strength as she hoists her husband up in a variety of ways. The audience was stunned by her tandem of balance and brute force as she performed the act in a pair of high heels! Many of us attend the circus to see astounding human feats and this act brought the house down.

3.  The flying trapeze soars again

There’s something truly breathtaking about watching bodies defy gravity and soar gracefully through the air on the trapeze. The challenging tricks on the flying trapeze are an aerial feat of passion, grace and risk. The Flying Tunizianis troupe are back at the Big Apple Circus once again, and keep you on the edge of your seat with stunning flips, somersaults and dives.

4. Approachable Big Apple Circus performers

It’s one thing to observe death-defying feats, clowns that make you giggle, amazing rescue dogs and ponies, and the allure of a female ringmaster up close and personal. This year we felt that the Big Apple Circus went above and beyond to give audience members more opportunities to meet, greet and engage with the performers. Our daughter was fascinated by the friendly mime and clowns under the big top before the show began. There was bubble blowing and an imaginary tea party and my daughter was instantly hooked on the magic of the Big Apple Circus. I enjoyed that several of the clown vignettes took place in the aisles and among the crowd. We truly felt like we were part of the show. During intermission and after the show, fans had the chance to meet the performers and pose for photos with them. We took advantage and enjoyed meeting clowns as well as ringmaster, Stephanie Monseu.

The Big Apple Circus was a spectacular experience! While I missed some of our favorite performers from last year — Grandma the Clown and Nik Wallenda — the latest edition of the Big Apple Circus delivered on laughs, jaw dropping acts and loads of family fun. Our family loved it and look forward to going back again next year.

The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center through Jan. 27, 2019.  To purchase tickets and learn more about the award-winning show, visit www.BigAppleCircus.com.  (Children under 3 are free when on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap). 

DISCLOSURE: NYC Dads Group received complimentary family passes to attend the Big Apple Circus. The opinions and experiences expressed in this post are authentic and our own.

Do you have magical memories of going to the circus as a child? It was an annual tradition for our family while growing up and I’m so fortunate to carry the torch and attend the circus with my kids every year.

That’s why I’m excited that the Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center in New York City for its 40th anniversary! Here’s five reasons to visit the Big Apple Circus with your family before it disappears on Jan. 7:

1. You’re incredibly close to the action

The cozy, intimate ringside seats are immersed in the action so my children could carefully observe all the sweat, smiles and fear showing on the performers’ faces. Unlike large entertainment stadiums, the Big Apple Circus tent only has about 15 rows of seats so no seat is more than 50 feet from the ring. A true “being there” experience.

2. The clown vignettes are hilarious

In past circus performances, the clown acts seemed like long-winded, filler during set-up for the next big act. Not the case this year. Grandma the Clown was full of whimsical surprises during each encounter and had our family in absolute hysterics during the “Coney Island” water vignette. “That was incredible,” chanted my 9-year-old son as he was giving the clowns a standing ovation. Potty humor, non-verbal antics, and just the right dose of integrating audience volunteers left us craving more.

3. Nik Wallenda and the Fabulous Wallendas deliver

We come to the Big Apple Circus for numerous reasons, but this year our family was giddy with excitement to see the legendary “King of the High Wire,” Nik Wallenda and his family. Covered with goosebumps and with our necks craned up in the air, we gawked in disbelief as Nik and the Fabulous Wallendas dazzled, pranced and effortlessly moved across the tightrope. The grand finale mesmerized the entire audience (we’ll keep the daring feat under wraps) and was the highlight for our family at this awesome one ring circus. This single act is worth the price of admission!

4.  The flying trapeze soars

There’s something truly breathtaking about watching bodies defy gravity and soar gracefully through the air on the trapeze. The challenging tricks on the flying trapeze are an aerial feat of beauty and risk. The Flying Tunizianis troupe keep you on edge of your seat with twisting flips, tucks, pikes and dives. Prepare to be fascinated by the feature presentation of a quadruple somersault!

5. Overall experience creates lasting memories

Beyond consuming the yummy popcorn, sticky cotton candy, frozen slushies and gooey nachos, the Big Apple Circus knocked it out of the park with creating lasting memories. Marveling at a contortionist shooting a bow and arrow with her FEET and landing a direct hit. Grateful for getting in and out of the big top venue in UNDER two hours while juggling a 2-year-old. Meet-and-greets with our favorite performers like Grandma the Clown and Nik Wallenda was spectacular! The sparkling glint in my daughter’s eyes as she watched the horses perform their tricks hit me right in the feels.  Our family has been jabbering on about the Big Apple Circus for days after the performance and that’s just the recipe we need to make plans on going back again next year!

The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center through Jan. 7, 2018.  To purchase tickets and learn more about the award-winning show, visit www.BigAppleCircus.com.  (Children under 3 are free when on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap). 

DISCLOSURE: NYC Dads Group received complimentary family passes to attend the Big Apple Circus. The opinions and experiences expressed in this post are authentic and our own.

Big Apple Circus, NYC

Seeing the world through my child’s eyes are parenting moments that I live for.  The wonder, amazement, and surprise that sparkle in their eyes are enough to make my heart dance.  As a child, I was obsessed with going to the circus with my family each year when it arrived in town.  It’s important to pay it forward and carry on the annual family tradition of going to the circus with my family.

On a recent cold and wintry Sunday afternoon, our family ventured over to Lincoln Center to sprinkle a little extra joy into our lives at the Big Apple Circus.  Armed with our tub of popcorn, apple juice, and pink bushel of cotton candy, the lights dimmed in the Big Top as we were transported into the magical world of the new-show, Metamorphosis.

The Big Apple Circus delivers everything you would expect from a top-notch circus experience – illusions, amusing clown vignettes, animal trickery, and a few hidden surprises.

Big Apple Circus: Intimate yet big experience

The intimate ringside seats (no seat is more than 50 feet from the ring) enabled us to immerse ourselves in the action where we closely observed all of the sweat, fear, and smiles of the performers’ facial expressions.  A true being there experience!

There’s so many spectacular acts and moments to highlight: incredible Contortionists bending themselves like rubber to fit in a small cube, talented dogs jump-roping and riding a scooter, an aerial-gymnastic stunt team dazzling in the air, and the crowd-favorite, the Quick Change.  In this cunning display of eye-popping illusions, a dynamic duo went through twenty-five costume changes in three minutes before our eyes, and left us gasping in amazement.

Truth be told, beyond the yummy popcorn, sticky cotton-candy, and normal circus fare, our family would’ve been content if the Big Apple Circus only had one act. The hands-down winner for most entertaining performance was the flying trapeze.

It’s all about the flying trapeze.

Bodies sailing through the air like birds.  Edge of your seat electricity. Death defying stunts.  An audience of necks craned upright. Aerial and acrobatic display of beauty. Somersaults. Flips. Dips. Dives. Breathtaking moments where you’re not sure if the performer will hang on.

Most exciting for me was taking my eyes off the performance and seeing that magical glint in my son’s eyes (and my wife’s) as they were 100% captivated by the glory of the flying trapeze.  That was Metamorphosis! That insane moment we went from mere audience observers and were transported into a world of enchantment.

The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center through January 11, 2015.  To purchase tickets and learn more about the award-winning show, visit www.BigAppleCircus.org.  *Use promo code “BIGAPPLE” to save up to $25 off each ticket. (*Limited availability. Offer good on select seats and shows.  Other conditions apply.  Children under 3 are free when on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap).

**Disclosure: NYC Dads Group received a complimentary family-pass to attend the Big Apple Circus.  The opinions and experiences expressed in this post are authentic and our own.

What’s a circus experience without popcorn & cotton candy?

Posers

Editor’s Note: Stuart Krasna wrote about the lessons he hoped his 2-year-old daughter would learn about life from the circus back in January 2013. More than a year and many circus visits later, he evaluates his mission. – KMcK.

Our 4-year-old daughter knows more about the circus than her peers and most other people.

She appreciates that the circus combines many different genres (dance, acting, music, art, athleticism) and includes technology, artistic expression, teamwork and altruism. She understands that the circus is also a business with a mission.

She knows that circus life is an alternative one – a self-contained community that travels almost anywhere they want to put on a show – and a complex one, from the setting up of equipment to the individual steps that combine to create a performer’s maneuver to the inevitable breaking down of the equipment to move on to the next show.

She also knows the circus is not always smiles and laughs. Everything and everybody is not always happy-go-lucky. Some performers get hurt or need to rest. She’s seen some near misses herself. Still, she sees these performers return stronger than ever, and in no way is she herself deterred from attempting great feats, such as sliding down a pole in the playground after failed attempts where I must catch her. (She refers to the pole as the Chinese Pole. Gotta love that)

Our daughter has become comfortable in the big top now, and knows the circus is here to stay in our family. Likewise, the circus is also stuck with us, and I hope they don’t mind. I’ve learned the circus loves their fans, but to go further, to become involved, you need to have something to offer that benefits their work. I’ve been trying to juggle three balls for the last six months. I almost got it. I also went to a weekend clown workshop where I was taught by three great masters: Dick Monday, Barry “Grandma” Lubin and Tiffany Riley. They said I connect to the audience very well. I’ll get there one day.

By the end of last season, we had met many of the performers and staff at the Big Apple Circus, and at our last show, a souvenir program was passed around, and every performer went out of their way to write something in it for us (while the show was going on no less.) This last gesture symbolized our passion for the genre, and we quickly put that gem away in a safe place until our daughter becomes old enough to appreciate what it truly is: a gift from the most talented and renowned performers in the world.

– Stuart Krasna is a full time stay-at-home parent and lives in New York City with his wife and their daughter. In addition to being a daddy, Stuart also likes to play musical instruments and go running in Central Park. Most recently, Stuart and his family have become passionate about circus arts. Stuart has spent the last year trying to learn how to juggle three balls. He still hasn’t done it. Before becoming a parent, Stuart worked in a beige cubicle in an office building.

Father and celebrated clown Bello Nock joins us on this new episode of The Modern Dads Podcast to talk fatherhood, circus life and how he balances the two like he balances on the highwire.

The acclaimed daredevil known for his bright upswept hair joins Matt and Lance to discuss his boyhood growing up as a touring circus/theatre daredevil, finding work/life balance when your whole family is part of your business, and strategies for watching your children do dangerous (and not so dangerous) stunts. He also discusses his daredevil circus/clown show Bello Mania that will be playing at the New Victory Theatre in April. 

Bello Nock, often known simply as Bello, is an American daredevil clown and circus performer. He is a master of the highwire, swaypole, wheel and trampoline who thrills audiences while adding a health dose of humor to his amazing feats.

Nock has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records his highwire walk over a cruise ship. He has rappelled off Madison Square Garden and hung from a helicopter over the Statue of Liberty among his many stunts. 

Born in Sarasota, Florida, Nock is a seventh-generation circus performer, a descendant of the family that founded Switzerland’s famous Circus Nock in the 18th century.

In 2001, Time magazine included him on a list of “America’s Best Artists and Entertainers”, as “America’s Best Clown.” In 2004, the N.Y. Daily News said that he “might be the greatest athlete ever to set foot” in Madison Square Garden. He spent eight years with the famed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

City Dads Group columnist and L.A. Dads Group member Whit Honea joins us again to talk about the importance of encouraging kids to take risks, even if they may fail.

Listen to The Modern Dads Podcast here or:

• Listen and subscribe on iTunes (a nice rating and review would helpful as well)

The Big Apple Circus is travelling to Georgia, then New Jersey, then Boston, and finally Queens. My wife thinks I’m crazy to even think about traveling to the far locations just to see the circus yet again and again at such great cost. It’s crazy, I know, but I feel that by taking Maybelle to see more of this show now is really a long-term investment into her future. I hope that as Maybelle grows, she too will go out of her way to seek out the types of communities that I am exposing her to. Right now, the Big Apple Circus is it. Anyone want to join us?

About the author 

“The circus is coming.  The circus is coming.”  I’m reflecting back at the excitement those words used to mean to me when my parents would mention it when I was growing up.  We went every year and I have so many fond memories of sharing those precious moments together with my family.  One of the best parts of being a parent is reliving some of my favorite childhood experiences with my son.  Consequently, if you didn’t get the memo, the circus has ‘arrived’ – BIG APPLE CIRCUS: Legendarium – is in town through January 13.

After a devastating storm that destroyed our area and left so many of our family members and friends without power, flooded homes, no heat, no gas for their cars, and with challenges navigating back to work…our family was in need of a pick-me up and a good laugh, so we headed over to Lincoln Center last weekend to enjoy the Big Apple Circus.

When going to a live theater event, most people choose to sit in the orchestra section (if they can afford it) because you sit so close that you feel like your part of the show and can see the facial expressions, spit coming out of the actors mouths, and the beads of sweat on their brow – that’s entertainment!  It’s with this important concept in mind, the Big Apple Circus wins over the audience because venue is set up in such a way that every seat is good and you’re never sitting more than fifteen rows back (about fifty feet) from the ring.  Add to the mix, a variety of dazzling acts including animals and wonderful stunts that only last a few minutes each…and you have a winning combination for families with young children.  The quick paced show with over fifteen acts and a brief intermission leaves no time to be bored!  Quite the opposite: Big Apple Circus’ latest creation, Legendarium, was a spectacular show.

Munching on a large tub of popcorn, our son sat on the edge of his seat, and was thrilled with the clowns as they worked the audience.  The show has a little something for everyone, but there were several highlights for our family: we truly enjoyed the Central Park Dogs as they performed playful tricks and provided laughs, seeing a contortionist shoot arrows at a target using her feet, Menno & Emily’s juggling act, Katerina flying through the air on to top of us with her silk scarf, and Daniel Cyr whirl and spin around the ring in his steel hoop.  We were unanimous with our favorite act – there was nothing cooler under the Big Top than the all-female acrobats, trick riding on their bicycles.  Picture “synchronized” bicycling – truly mesmerizing.

We left the show in great spirits.  Most importantly, our son asked when we can return for another visit to the Big Apple Circus.  A true sign that he thoroughly enjoyed it.  The Big Apple Circus is in town through mid-January and would recommend it as a destination for your family this holiday season.

*Disclosure: We received free passes to attend the circus.  The opinions expressed in this blog entry are authentic and our own.