Come ooh and aah at “America’s Got Talent” top ten finalist The Bello Sisters as they test their strength balancing on each other like Jenga blocks. Watch members of the Bingo Troupe on a trapeze high in the air and ogle with mouth agape as the Duo Vanegas perform dangerous stunts on the “wheel of steel.”
For the first time ever, the newly formed Flip Circus is in the Bronx wowing locals inside a red and white tent setup in the Bay Plaza mall parking lot — the big top visible to the eye from neighboring I-95.
“[My favorite part was] when the silly person threw the popcorn at the security guard,” said eight-year-old Amanda Escobar who was all smiles as she attended the circus with her father on a recent Saturday afternoon.
Conceived in 2020, Flip Circus was founded by the Vazquez family, the same family that created “Circo Hermanos Vazquez” (Vazquez Brothers Circus) in Mexico City in 1969. At the time, the Ringling Brothers dominated the circus circuit and Guillermo and Aurora Vazquez, along with their five sons, wanted a circus that catered specifically to a Spanish-speaking audience.
In 1986, Circo Hermanos Vazquez was the first circus to perform in the prominent Zocalo plaza in Mexico City and after touring Mexico and Central America for decades, they broke into the American market in 1993 where they still perform today under their rebranded name — Circus HVazquez.
However, the HVazquez tent is too large to fit smaller venues and takes lots of time and manpower to move from place to place – that’s where Flip comes in with the smallest circus tent in the United States, according to Alexa Vazquez, granddaughter of the Vazquez franchise founders.
“[We] wanted to create something smaller that could reach areas that Vasquez couldn’t reach, towns that we haven’t been there before,” she said. “We could be at shopping centers or places to move really fast. Vasquez takes about three days to be built and Flip can be built in a day, so that’s the unique thing.”
Performances are introduced by ringmaster Arthur Figueroa who also pulls audience members on stage. At one point, 10 volunteers are lined up together as a member of the Super Tumblers flips over them with ease. Feats of strength and trapeze balancing acts are popular amongst the crowd and the laughs keep the show seamless.
The acts vary from places all around the globe – Ukraine, Italy, West Africa, Mexico and more. But the performers lives are that of a nomads, spending approximately 10 months out of the year on the road and never being able to call someplace home.
“Our life has to fit in a suitcase,” said Loren Bello of the Bello Sisters trio.
The Bello sisters are the eighth generation of a long line of circus performers hailing from Italy. Their father, known as Clown Stiv and a former member of Cirque du Soleil, began training them at a very young age and in 2016, they enrolled at the Circus Academy of Verona. Today, the sisters perform at “Circo Medrano” (Medrano Circus) back home in addition to traveling the world, making their Bronx debut with Flip.
And even though performers typically hail from generations of clowns, acrobats and strong-men, it is rare that they receive the same contract to work together — like the Bello Sisters, whose father Stiv and uncle Roni Bello are also in the Flip Circus.
Even their younger sister Vivien is traveling with them although she has not yet begun her circus career. “Maybe one day,” said Bello. “We’re traveling as a family and that’s very special – as Italians, family is the most important thing.”
The performers make the stunts look easy as they contort their bodies while showcasing their super-strength and flexibility, but it comes at a vigorous price. Artists must ensure their bodies are in top physical condition and can spend up to six hours a day training, which is the biggest challenge, according to Bello. Even if performers are not feeling well, whether physically or emotionally, the show must go on.
And the multi-cultural backgrounds of the acts is a testament to the tenacity and can-do spirit of immigrants in America.
“It’s a free country built by migrants,” said Vazquez. “It’s universal and that’s what makes it so special.”
The performers would like to add that they judge how well they do based on the crowd’s response so be sure to clap, laugh and cheer as loudly as possible to help these dedicated individuals validate their efforts.
Flip Circus performs every day at 7:30 p.m. through Nov. 19 with three shows on Saturdays and Sundays. The traveling circus will then move on to Forest Park, Queens and then McCarren Park, Brooklyn in December. The show is two hours with a 15-minute intermission and tickets can be purchased here. Use promo code AUD20 to save 20% on your order. Every seat is a good seat and remember, don’t let your kids run away with the circus.
Reach ET Rodriguez at etrodriguez317@gmail.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
