Circus Harmony Teachers, Colleen McIntee, Jessica Hentoff, Briland Farnell & Richard Kennison with Judy Finelli
The American Youth Circus Organization’s American Circus Educators Conference is a biennial event that brings together circus educators from around the country and even further afield. Four Circus Harmony coaches attended this year’s conference in San Francisco from October 6-11, 2016. This is the act we saw on the first night of the conference by 18 year old Althea Young and her 14 year old partner, Ellie Rossi, of The Brave Little Circus. I have never seen the last trick they do done by anyone else. Can you imagine, in an art form as old as circus, finding something no one has ever done? Can you imagine the trust and responsibility involved in this trick or the physical ability required? This act was the beginning of the Conference and the epitome of what youth circus is capable of accomplishing.
Judy Finelli‘s heartfelt, universally personal opening keynote brought tears to many eyes. Titled “How Circus Saved My Life”, it started with how the stories of so many of us there started with “Why the circus chose me and not the other way around.” I, too, feel like I signed the same “ironclad contract” with the circus that Judy signed. These days, like Judy, “I’m a student of circus arts and of my students”. I was so touched to be mentioned by her and to be on two slides in her presentation. I remember meeting Judy and Hovey Burgess right as I fell in love with the circus at Warren Adam Bacon’s circus class at SUNY Purchase. I remember passing 8 clubs with her at the 1976 IJA Festival in Los Angeles. I remember Judy, Kazia Tannenbaum (of AirJazz) and I all being invited to audition for some act and how honored I was to be considered a juggler of their caliber. (Judy got the job.) I love that she quoted my old coach Gregory Fedin on how circus is an art form that can only be performed truthfully. I even loved that it was Jackie Davis who was holding the pages of the speech for Judy to read from and how Jackie just let fall each page as it was done and they slipped to the ground like leaves. My heart was so full at the end when Shana Carroll came up, her eyes welling with emotion, and we stood by Judy with our arms around each other and talked about how my students, Sidney Iking Bateman and Melvin Diggs are in the 7 Fingers “Cuisine and Confessions” show Shana directed. Because circus does save lives and we are all so connected and all part of that story.
Each hour (or sometimes minute) at the conference I heard the most amazing stories about how circus is being used to touch and even transform people’s lives. The art of circus continues to attract audiences, to compel people to find new ways to show the power of the human spirit and body and to be able to reach people through social circus programs, regular circus shows as well as flying trapeze opportunities and juggling classes that truly help people defy gravity and other limitations. This is the power of circus. It is what I found when I was 18 and what I continue to witness, now that I am 61. This is why I performed the Hentoff & Hoyer double trapeze act and why I now am the director of www.circusharmony.org. As Judy Finelli put it in her keynote, somehow “The circus found me and not the other way around.” I can only continue to keep sharing it to show my gratitude.
While in San Francisco, I also went to see Zoppé an Italian Family Circus. A former student of Circus Harmony’s, Liam Halstead is performing with them. He does a great and technically difficult cigar box routine. He has overcome a lot to become a performer. Liam told me that he found the secret to life is that he wants to perform more than anything else so he was able to control and overcome the issues that were his challenge to focus on what truly matters to him: to be part of a circus. Giovanni Zoppe has created a circus show that is timeless. He says “this show is our family performing for your family that way our ancestors performed for your ancestors.” Liam performs alongside 9th generation performers like Giovanni’s son, Julian.
On the last night of the American Circus Educators’ Conference there was a final key note, awards and numerous acknowledgements. Shana Carroll gave the final key note in which she promised that “generosity of creativity will always come back around and serve you.” It was seen in every moment on that stage the last night from Shana’s keynote to Victoria Angello and Jaron Aviv Hollander’s Innovation in Education Award, Elsie Smith and Serenity Forchion‘s Excellence in Education award, Judy Finelli’s Lifetime Achievement Award so brilliantly presented by Althea Young, to thanking all the staff and volunteers of American Youth Circus Organization/American Circus Educators and ending with Jackie Davis’ moving acceptance of Rick Davis‘ Legacy Award using his words to remind us that “We are all warriors of light, love, laughter and life.” This ending hearkened back to how Shana started when she said, “Sometimes it takes concerted effort to keep love at the forefront.” That night, in that room, love certainly was.
What an incredible tapestry the American Circus Educators Conference was. How poignantly perfect to end it by seeing Lorenzo Pisoni‘s movie, “Circus Kid.” After spending this time at Circus Center surrounded by Pickle Family feelings and memorabilia in the company and listening to the stories of Judy Finelli, Shana Caroll, Karen Quest and others and to then see the movie featuring Lawrence Pisoni, Gypsy Snider, Hovey Burgess, Cecil Mackinnon and the rest of the people who are all part of the story evokes so much feeling and engenders so many memories! How amazing to see how it is all woven together and how it connects and continues!
Jessica Hentoff
Oct. 13, 2016