Next month, St. Paul will be full of tumblers, fliers, balancers and many other circus-type performers as it hosts several different acrobatic-related events. I thought it was quite interesting that all of these events began within the same month, and all in the same city.
+ Cirque du Soleil (July 2-Aug. 2): The Big Top is already being raised in the Kellogg/Broadway lot of downtown St. Paul for the latest Cirque performance, KOOZA. Clowns and acrobats will perform the company's trademark physical amazements as the audience follows a loner's journey to find his place in the world. Read the Star Tribune story here.
+ The Freedom Cup, Acrobatic Gymnastics (July 10-12, RiverCentre): An international competition for acrobatic gymnastics (common training for some who go on to perform in Cirque), the Freedom Cup will welcome some 150 gymnasts from around the world to compete. "Acro" gymnasts compete in pairs or groups, performing amazing balancing feats. The U.S. Acrobatic Gymnastics Junior Olympic National Championships will be held in conjunction, also at the RiverCentre, July 13-16. For more information, see the USA Gymnastics Web site. (Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster or the Xcel Center box office.)
+ Circus Juventas (July 30-Aug. 16): Not too many people know we have our own circus right here in town. The students at Circus Juventas, which is celebrating its 15th year, offer a summer performance with YuLong: The Jade Dragon, a story inspired by an ancient Chinese legend. These local students are extremely talented under their own Big Top in St. Paul, so anyone interested should make an effort to see some local acrobats awe and inspire. (Image courtesy of Circus Juventas Web site)
+ Minnesota Fringe Festival (July 30-Aug. 9): While I can't guarantee the nation's largest, non-juried performing arts festival will include circus acts, with more than 160 productions, I bet a clown or an acrobat (or even just a somersault) makes an appearance somewhere. And perhaps that will happen at the festival's brand-new venue, St. Paul's Gremlin Theatre. As Communications Director Matthew Foster says to the Star Tribune, they're putting "the 'Minnesota' in Minnesota Fringe," and holding some performances outside of Minneapolis (where its other 21 venues are located) this year.
You'll find me at KOOZA on Thursday evening, and perhaps YuLong in August. Where will you get your circus/performance art fix this summer?
--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor
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