Alumni Profile: Emily Gare
China. Europe. UK. South America. Australia… I was lucky to catch former Smirko Emily Gare while she was at home for a short stint in Melbourne, Australia. Originally from Wellington, New Zealand, Emily is now booked full-time as a career circus performer. You may remember Emily from the Big Top Tours: 2011 Frontpage Follies & 2012 Topsy Turvy Time Travel. So how did someone all the way from New Zealand make their way to Vermont? Emily learned about Smirkus from another New Zealander, past Smirkus coach Jennie Ritchie, who encouraged Emily to audition. So at age 13, Emily sent in her audition…
Letter from a Trouper: Frederick Buford
Editor’s note: This post was written by Frederick Buford, longtime Smirkus Camper and 1st year trouper. WATCH: Here is Frederick’s fall audition video for the 2019 Big Top Tour, which includes footage of his summers spent at Smirkus Camp. When I first arrived at the magical Circus Smirkus Camp in 2016, I had no idea that, three years later, I’d receive a call saying I would be accepted to perform on the Big Top Tour. I’ve loved circus for as long as I can remember. I was first introduced to circus when I lived in France and got to see one…
Announcing the 2019 Troupers!
Watch this video to meet our 2019 Big Top Tour troupers! Congratulations to the 30 young circus artists, ages ranging from age 11-18, who will go on the road this summer performing nearly 70 shows all over New England in our beautiful circus tent! There are 21 returning troupers and 9 new troupers, consisting of 15 Girls and 15 Boys. The troupers reside from the following United States (CO, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, and WA) and Internationally (Canada). Stay tuned for our tour schedule and ticket information. Tickets go on sale May 1, 2019. Special thanks to Andrew Levy and Andy Bell for filming the…
From Our Executive Director
Lives Auditions for the 2019 Big Top Tour took place last weekend! Every January, the Circus Smirkus staff gathers at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, VT with approximately 40 young performers and their families as they audition to become a part of the summer tour. It’s somewhat ironic that we kick off our preparations for the summer tour on a January weekend when the temperatures plummet and the snow piles thick. This weekend, we awoke on Sunday to more than a foot of freshly fallen snow. It’s a very typically Vermont juxtaposition! For me, the highlight of the weekend…
Considering Life After Smirkus
Editor’s note: This post was written by Chase Levy, 3rd year trouper. Not only has Chase been a trouper as part of the Big Top Tour for the last 3 years, but he has shared his love of filmmaking by creating the promotion videos for the 2017 & 2018 Big Top Tours. WATCH: Here is a short film made in 2016 which encapsulates both my love for film and circus. The film is a promo for an act created for the 2016 First Night Burlington show. As I start to think about what my life might hold after high school,…
Big Apple Clown, Adam Kuchler
“Why am I out here doing it? I believed what circus can be and I had a desire to keep my Smirkus heart when performing.” Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour alumnus Adam Kuchler is now clowning and juggling cigar boxes in the newest Big Apple Circus show. And he carries the spirit of Smirkus with him wherever he goes. Since 1995, he has worked in 43 of the United States and 14 countries around the globe, in circuses, variety theaters, parks, cruise ships, and once in a bullfighting ring. He appeared on Late Night with David Letterman multiple times, and in 2012, was…
Streaming Videos are Here!
Relax with family and friends and relive the fun of past Big Top Tour shows with Andy Bell’s recordings. The 2018 Big Top Tour video is now available in either a physical DVD from our webstore or to stream for rent or purchase on Vimeo On Demand. For those you with a smart TV, a Roku or an Apple TV, you can also stream the videos using the Vimeo app. Andy has not only recorded and edited these shows, he has donated 100% of the proceeds to Circus Smirkus. So whether you purchase a physical DVD or stream it, your…
VIDEO: Audition for Smirkus
Applications and audition videos for the 2019 Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour and Advanced Smirkus Camps are due November 1. Make sure to start your applications early so you don’t forget anything last minute. Click here for more information.
Wire Walking with Philippe Petit
Editor’s note: This post was written by Soleyman Pierini, 1st year trouper. In 2012, when I moved to Canada from Italy, one of the first things I did was to watch a Cirque Du Soleil show. In Italy, the culture of circus isn’t very present, but as soon as the show was over I had chosen my next goal: to become a circus artist! I started training and eventually I went to ENC (École Nationale de Cirque de Montreal), and one day the school got a call from a casting agency. They needed a boy that was (or at least looked) from eight to…
Franciscan Children’s Hospital
For the third year, our troupe of thirty Smirkos visited Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts to perform a special show for the kids in treatment there. The troupe performs about 20 minutes of material and then had the opportunity to meet and greet with the kids in attendance. Bringing our show to the hospital allows a group of children to experience a Smirkus show that they would not typically be able to attend due to their healthcare needs. It is a powerful and heart-warming experience for the Smirkos and spectators alike. Click on the images below to see a larger photo: