It is with tremendous sorrow that we announce the passing of Ivor David Balding, founder and artistic director of Circus Flora.  Not only did David create Circus Flora, he was the person who asked Circus Harmony director, Jessica Hentoff, to start teaching in St. Louis and to form the St. Louis Arches. So, in a very real way, Circus Harmony would not be here if it were not for David. In the words of Jessica who worked with him for 28 years, “It’s not the life you make for yourself, it’s the life that your living makes for others that matters most.  David’s vision of a traditional one-ring circus with animals, great acts and a true feeling of family both in the ring and and on the back lot of the tent, made Circus Flora the best circus in America to see and be a part of.  It had a profound impact not just on the thousands of people who came to see the show but on the artists— very much including all of the St. Louis Arches— who got to perform there.  David was a bridge who connected many people. David was a friend, a colleague and one of the most important people in my life.”