The Big Apple Circus is a circus that is located in New York City. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil, as well as Ringling Bros. tent-based circuses (like the now-defunct Kaleidoscape) and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora.

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History

The beginning

Paul Binder and Michael Christensen were a pair of American street jugglers who, after meeting in San Francisco, decided to travel to Europe in the early 1970s. During 1974, while in Kent, England, they decided to tour around Europe with their act. Eventually they would also participate in the prestigious Nouveau Cirque de Paris, in France. By the time they had decided to return home in 1976, they had already gained some celebrity in Europe.

The 1970s

The idea of starting a circus school to train future "first" generation circus performers was the innovation of Russian born Gregory Fedin and his then wife Nina Grasavina. The school had a humble beginning working out of a Lower Manhattan loft.
The circus couple collaborated with the Paul and Michael to develop the Big Apple Circus following the European style "one ring" circus tradition. In 1977, they located and secured an open grounds area where they could debut the Big Apple Circus. The small green tent was filled with big hearts of performers, families and circus enthusiast the summer of 1977. Headlining that show was Paul Lubin (Single Trapezist) , Ethel Janneir (Dog Act) a tight wire number, Michael and Paul (Jugglers and Clowns), the Back Street Flyers, Mia and Jesse (double trapeze) and a host of performers. This area was located at Battery Park, in New York.

During 1978 the circus moved from Manhattan. By 1979, two circus arts schools had been opened with money raised from the circus shows.

The 1980s

The Big Apple Circus began the 1980s decade with a lot of media attention, having established a special holiday celebration in honor of the circus and its staff, and then appearing in a Hollywood film.

In 1981, the circus began performing at Damrosch Park of Lincoln Center for the first time. Its winter season has been at Damrosch Park ever since.

In 1982, the circus won a silver medal at a circus performing competition held in Paris.

1983 saw the circus begin to tour, as tours across New England began to be arranged. The circus also received an Obie award that year.

By 1984, the New York School for Circus Arts/Big Apple Circus relocated to East Harlem (1 East 104th Street) . The New York School for Circus Arts inconjunction with the NYC Public School system and ArtsConnection established the Young Talent Circus Training Program (Mr. Richard Levys' brainchild). The circus program mission was to teach talented children of diverse economic communities circus arts. One of the goals was to nurture and develop talent into potential circus performers. A core group of young circus "talent" participated in a circus competition resulting in a "Gold Medal" award. Three years later another group from the pre-professional circus program (located in the Harbor School for the Performing Arts in East Harlem) would compete in the II Rampe International Circus School Competition in Monte Carlo, Monaco. These students were awarded the Junior Jury and Nice Marin Awards. The New York School for Circus Arts techncial and artistic faculty included: Mr. Philip Beder (trampoline, tumbling, acrobatics and gymnastics))Mr. Abel Shark (Back Street Flyer) Mrs. Irina Goldstien (trapeze, acrobatics) and Ms. Rosalinda Rojas (aerial, ground acrobatics and choreographer) and Mr. Sasha Pavlata guest instructor and circus specialist. In 1985, the famous Boston Pops teamed up with Big Apple Circus for an extraordinary collaboration and live performance. That same year (1985) and for the next few years performers (Michael Christenson (Big Apple, Deni LaCombe (Big Apple and Cirque Du Soleil), Carlos Guity (Big Apple), Rosalinda Rojas (Big Apple and NYSCA) appear as guest artists with the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center (Manon, Turandot and Macbeth).

One of the biggest steps in the institution's history was taken in 1986, when the circus opened the clown care unit, a group of professional clowns, trained extensively in hospital procedures, circus skills, and improvisation, make rounds as "clown doctors."

1987 marked the circus' tenth anniversary, and big time celebrations were held during the entire year. A new tent and seating system was bought. Topping the tenth anniversary celebrations was a prestigious silver crown, which the circus won in Monte Carlo, Monaco. This year six acrobats/ jugglers showcased their talent at the International Circus School competition in Monte Carlo. The creative and technical (dance and acrobatic) projected was headed by Rosalinda Rojas. Carlos Guity and James Clowny were the two lead pre professional competitors. Many of these New York School for Circus Arts students advanced to international professional circus careers.

During 1988, the Big Apple Circus once again made headlines, when the company participated in the first circus collaboration between China and the United States in history. "East Meets West " debut at the Lincoln Center Damrosch Park Winter Season. Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from Dartmouth College that year.

In 1989, NYNEX started to sponsor metropolitan New York tours to residents of the area and tourists as well. The tour included a trip to the Big Apple Circus' grounds. Michael Christiensen received the Raoul Wallenberg humanitarian award that year for the creation, three years before, of the retired clown's pension program. The same year, the circus and some of its performers were showcased on a Woody Allen movie, Alice . In 1989 also, the circus surpassed the amount of one million dollars in fund raising for the first time.

The 1990s

By 1996, there was increased interest in Big Apple Circus and its performers in cities outside the New York/New England area. This was in part due to the circus' exposure in the Allen film, as well as a result of all the diverse achievements the circus. So, that year, Chicago and Columbus were included in the circus' yearly tour, with those two cities becoming the first two cities outside New York/New England where the circus performed. Michael Christensen received two more awards, including one named after Red Skelton.

The Harlem Hospital Center, founded with funds that came from the Big Apple Circus, was opened that year, and the hospital's pediatric area in particular became a headlining facility, as professional performers specially trained as "clown doctors" would visit perform for patients. HBO aired a special documentary about the circus that year also.

In 1991, Big Apple Circus' performers participated in a collaboration between American and Russian circus performers. That same year, Paul Binder was given a presidential medal of achievement by Dartmouth, as well as a doctorate in fine arts by the Pratt Institute.

In 1993, the circus set a new attendance record. A new tent was purchased, and Michael Christensen was given a Parenting Achievement award by Parents magazine, to recognize his work with the Clown Care Foundation.

Gary Dunning became the Big Circus' executive director in 1994. Meanwhile, Christensen received another award, this one the "Sullivan Trail Sertoma's Club Service to Mankind Award". A creative Center campaign was announced, the coffee brand Chock full o'Nuts began sponsoring the circus, and a new mark was set as far as most funds received during one year.

Peter T. Grauer became the circus' Chairman in 1995, replacing Patricia Rosenwald.

In 1996] the circus' Art in Education program began to work in different grade schools. Clown Care continued to develop, opening chapters in Washington, D.C. and in Connecticut.

1997 saw new attendance records set, as an estimated 170,000 people went to see the circus' "Medicine Show" production over a total of 114 New York City performances. Clown Care completed 150,000 hospital visits in one year for the first time in the program's history, and Paul Binder received an honorary doctorate from Rhode Island College.

During 1998, the circus was able to break attendance records again, as it celebrated twenty years of operation with engagements at New York's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and in Boston. The Boston engagement was particularly pleasant for the circus' performers, as it was one of the longest stays in that city that they had ever experienced. TJ Maxx, a major American company, began to sponsor Big Apple Circus appearances in Chicago and in Atlanta by bringing the circus' "Circus of the Senses" to those cities. Circus of the Senses is a circus performance specifically geared towards children with special needs. Sign language interpreters and sound augmentation for deaf patrons allow the audience to experience the circus as never before. In 1999, over 6,000 children took advantage of these performances.

That same year (1999), Michael Christensen was inducted into Miami's Ambassador David A. Walters pediatric Hall of Fame, for his "contributions to pediatrics" by way of the circus and its different programs.

The 2000s

In 2000, Binder and Christensen continued garnering awards, being declared "Living Landmarks" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. Once again, "Circus of the Senses" attracted a large number of special children, with 9,000 kids participating.

The Circus dropped plans for a second unit that was to play in theaters after less than successful financial results during a trial run.

2001 saw the circus' best known performer, clown "Grandma" (Barry Lubin), inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame. A new seating system was installed in the circus big top, and, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the circus opened its "Dreams of a City" show, which was dedicated to the City of New York.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed November 1, 2002, as "Big Apple Circus Day". A newsletter, "The Ringside Report", was produced and sent exclusively to circus members and donors, and a Clown fashion show raised more than one million dollars, which were promptly transferred to the circus' various charity programs. The circus celebrated its 25th anniversary with a documentary film about the creation and production of that year's show.

Carnival show actors and circus performers Pedro Carrillo and Aleysha Goulevich entered the Guinness Book of World Records when, in 2003, they set records, at the same moment, in their different specialties: Carrillo skipped a rope on the high wire 1,323 times in a row, and Goulevich twirled 99 hula hoops at the same time.

"Circus to Go," a traveling stage show, allowed Big Apple Circus to reach new communities. The company ventured to the American Western states for the first time. Michael Christensen, meanwhile, received another honorary certificate, when he was given the "Distinguished Alumni Award" by the University of Washington's arts department. He was also given an award by Exceptional Parents magazine, presented during a Baltimore Orioles baseball home game.

In 2004, the TV documentary created by ABC TV on the Circus received an Emmy award in the "Outstanding Entertainment in Programming Single Program" category.

2005 saw the introducution of a new big top tent. Clown Barry Lubin collaborated with Steve Smith to produce a show entitled "Grandma Goes To Hollywood".

On December 2, 2008, Britney Spears performed her hits Circus & Womanizer in a televised promotion concert on Good Morning America at the Big Apple Circus. The Big Apple Circus went on to become the opening act on part of the North American and European leg of the phenomenally successful The Circus Starring: Britney Spears world tour.

The Circus operates a special program serving 19 pediatric hospitals in seven cities called Clown Care and works with seniors in elder care settings in Chicago in a program called Vaudeville Caravan.