Run, don’t walk, to see the Flip Circus in its last few days in the Bronx.
Under the big top outside Bay Plaza Mall, Flip Circus offers two hours of amazing performances, including aerial, tightrope and balancing acts, a live band, juggling with too many balls to count, a hilarious (non-scary) clown, and contortionist Mearg Kidu, nicknamed “The Fantastic Elastic Man,” who had the audience screaming in shock.
Jan Vazquez, the show’s ringmaster, said his family created Flip Circus four years ago as part of a four-generation tradition of shows that originated in Mexico City and eventually moved to Texas. No matter where Flip Circus performs, the family strives to “keep the essence of circus,” he told the Bronx Times.
Though the show follows the “classical circus” style, it also incorporates modern lighting and sound systems, pop music and climate control to keep audiences comfortable, according to Vazquez. “We want to focus on bringing the best attention to the audience.”
Vazquez grew up in the circus life and said it’s normal for him and his fellow performers to live out of RVs as they tour with Flip Circus 10 months out of the year.
Circus performers are a strong international community, as well as an industry, he said. While on tour, the Vazquez circus family meets other circus families and develops friendships everywhere they go. “We are like a small traveling city,” he said.
Just a few days remain to catch the show in the Bronx, which closes Nov. 4. Flip Circus then moves to Forest Park in Queens from Nov. 7-25 and McCarren Park in Brooklyn from Nov. 28-Dec. 14.
Tickets are available here, starting around $17 each for the Bronx shows.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
