From Anatoli's website:
Anatoli Akerman is a clown, physical actor, and a true and passionate artistic soul. He is one of the most intuitive comic performance artists in his field.
Among his career highlights, he was a member of the creation team and performed as a clown in Cirque du Soleil’s “KA” in Las Vegas and later in Cirque’s “ZED” in Tokyo, Japan. He has toured with the world-renowned Circus Roncalli and was cast as a clown in Walt Disney’s feature film “Dumbo”, directed by Tim Burton.
He has thrilled thousands on stages worldwide, including Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Las Vegas and Tokyo Disney Resort, Wintergarten Varieté in Berlin, Friedrichsbau Varieté in Stuttgart, Cirque Bouffon tour of Germany, Pomp Duck Circumstance Dinner Show in Berlin, Circus Roncalli tour of Germany & Austria, and many more…
Danise Payne’s memoir, Elbows In My Ears: My Life With Little People, Tigers, and Wardrobe Trunks, was released yesterday, just in time for International Clown Week! I picked up my copy last night and can’t wait to dive in!
Like many other African American women, Danise Payne graduated from a university and headed out into the world. But she finds herself spellbound on a different path and discovers her life's song includes elephants.
Enter the circus.
Elbows in My Ears uncovers a never-before-told tale of a black woman with a career among little people, tigers, and wardrobe trunks. Travel with Danise on a compelling journey inside the massive Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. View an all-black production called UniverSoul Big Top Circus. And witness her life as the first African American woman clown in a circus in Europe-a culture that is uncomfortable with women clowns.
This intimate memoir reveals the author's encounters with prejudice, exclusion, and her fight for acceptance. It delivers adventures of hilarity and perseverance. What a testimonial to triumph over naysayers! Enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek at a traditional circus that will capture your imagination.
If you love stories that inspire you to live the desire of your heart regardless of obstacles, this must-read account invites you to join the pomp that caught national attention.
DANISE PAYNE holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and is a circus clown with twenty-five years' experience. She graduated from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1978 and toured with the Red and Blue Units of The Greatest Show on Earth. She has performed with five circuses and became the first African American woman clown in a circus in Europe. Ms. Payne was featured in Ebony magazine, on Entertainment Tonight, and NBC's Today show. She is a member of The Circus Fans Association of America, the Circus Historical Society, and the Screen Actors Guild. She and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Discover more: www.danisepayne.com
They appeared on television many times around the world including "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and "The Hollywood Palace".[1][2][3]
After retiring, Milo Brandon gave Ted Lesley all of their equipment and the rights to perform the act.[4] Then a father and son team from Germany, Adi and Phillip Becker, purchased the equipment and rights with a goal to resurrect the act.[5][6]
Pat Cashin, the founder and namesake of this blog, passed away six years ago today. He was one of the funniest people I've ever met, and his love for his family and the art of clowning was immeasurable.
Please feel free to leave any memories of Pat in the comments below.
Please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Clown College 1990 grad and trapeze superstar, Mary Kelly Rayel!
The clowns of the two Circo Hermanos Vazquez units at the 2015 end of the year party.
From the East Unit: Mr. Bells, Tin Tin, and Pancho the Martian
From the West Unit: Carmelo and Steve & Ryan
Today we celebrate Maude “Flip” Bayless on what would have been her 76th birthday.
Maudie attended the Ringling Clown College in 1970, and she and Peggy Williams were the first female clowns to be hired on the show during the Feld era: Peggy on the Red Unit, and Maudie on the Blue Unit.
Maude spent five seasons on the Blue Unit, and she was also Boss Clown on Carson & Barnes Circus for a number of years.
Eric and Kolinda Zander-Hussy have performed together on the Kelly Miller Circus during its final years, the International Clown Festival in India, Circus Osorio, the Three Ring Super Circus, and they are currently on tour of the United States with Loomis Bros. Circus.
Born on 5 March 1953 in Altstätten, Canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland, Gardi Hutter graduated at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zürich (Schauspiel-Akademie Zürich) from 1974 to 1977, where she absolved an induction and training in theatre education and theatre pedagogy. Gari Hutter gave lessons to the students, but she felt unhappy not to practice what she taught. At the Centro di ricerca per il teatro (CRT) in Milano Gardi Hutter graduated as maestros (master), being also her so-called Clownsgesellenzeit (literally: apprenticeship as a clown) of three years to become an approved member of the Clown community. Gardi Hutter was taught by Mario Gonzales, Pantalone of the Théatre du Soleil, Nani Colombaioni (I Colombaioni) and Ferruccio Cainero of the Teatro Ingenuo.,[1][2]
For the national "700-year anniversary" of Switzerland, Gardi Hutter played the women jester in the Federal Assembly Chamber of the Swiss Parliament in 1991. For the festival "700 years" of 1998 of her hometown, Gardi Hutter acted as co-writer. In the winter season 1997/98 she was starring in Romulus der Grosse at the Schauspielhaus Zürich.[2]
Since 1981, Gardi Hutter had more than 3,300 performances in 30 countries and four continents, including Andorra, Brazil, China, Russia, Spain, Sweden, USA and Switzerland. There were also recordings on TV stations of 17 countries and auditions in numerous radio programs.[1]
