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April 5-6, 2001
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Circus Smirkus
| Running Away to the Circus |
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At the end of the show, director and founder Rob Mermin addressed the audience, revealing that each summer, Circus Smirkus ran a camp for kids who wanted to learn about circus arts. For one to two weeks at a stretch, they could learn tumbling, juggling, riding unicycles, and wire walking. Annual auditions were also held for more advanced students who wanted to perform with the circus' Big Top Tour. Rachel was immediately intrigued. "I hugged my mom's shoulder and said, 'I want to do this.'" She spent the next two summers at circus camp. By the time she was 10, she "graduated" to become a member of the touring crew. Each summer, an ever-changing small group of about 30 troupers spends several weeks training and developing their tour's theme. The theme changes annually. (Last year it was based on The Adventures of Robin Hood.) The crew then travels throughout New England for six weeks, performing two shows daily. The work is exhausting, but more importantly, it's exhilarating. Mermin says the troupers always undergo a transformation by summer's end. "You can't help but mature when you undergo an intense adventure," he says. "Everyone is a little bit older, bolder, and wiser." |
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The circus bug bit 16-year-old Rachel Schiffer about 9 years ago when her grandmother and mother took her to see the internationally renowned Circus Smirkus in Vermont.
| Feel the Fear |
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For the past two years, Rachel has performed on the high-wire and in an aerial act called the "cradle." The cradle is a rectangular platform made up of metal rods that hangs from the top of the tent.
One dramatic trick begins with her standing on a bar above the cradle platform. Using the bar as her launching pad, she springs backwards into the air. As she plunges toward the floor, her catcher halts her downward flight by grabbing her wrists. (To be safe, Rachel always wears a safety belt attached to a wire pulley system.)
Rachel may be wearing a smile on her face for the audience, but she works hard during her high-altitude performance to control her fear. "Fear can be very good or very bad," she explains. "When it's good, it can focus you more. When it's bad, it can psych you out, make you think TOO much. This is very relevant for the wire. The wire takes a lot of focus without too much thinking. The cradle is about timing, feeling the rhythms of my partner and me swinging through the air." To paraphrase the well-known credo: She feels the fear and does it anyway. Despite the constant battle with her nerves, "it's a rush," says Rachel. "Seeing the challenge, then being able to do it. It feels amazing afterwards. And it's a lot of fun while you're doing it, too." Rachel's courage is actually a common trait found among the kids who participate in the circus, says Mermin. "They're totally individualistic, completely different people. But there's something in each kid's character that allows them to do this. They have the courage to go out and find an adventure."
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"I'm a flyer," she explains. "My partner hangs from his knees from the platform. He swings me by my feet or by my hands." Using the momentum caused by the swinging, Rachel performs aerial stunts.
| All in the Family |
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Rachel has not decided if circus acrobatics will be part of her future career. "It's definitely an option. I have not made up my mind about what I'm going to do when I grow up, so to speak," she says. Still, it wouldn't be a surprise if she stuck with it. After all, the grandmother who first took her to see Circus Smirkus had performed as a clown. "When she retired from working, it was her dream to become a clown," Rachel explains. "She went to one of the clown colleges after retirement. She didn't perform in the circus, but she did fundraisers and hospital visits." What is Rachel's advice for other kids who might want to get into the circus? Well, gymnastics, acrobatics, and the ability to juggle helps. Still, not everyone at Circus Smirkus does everything, she explains. "I'm not a wonderful juggler. A lot of it has to do with how much you want to do something." And combining desire with discipline and fun is what Circus Smirkus is all about. |
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