Circus news from 2025

 26 December 2025

The Danish circus year 2025 in review

The Danish circus year in review is an annual review published on this website by the end of each year. You can find link to the previous year's reviews at the bottom of the circus news page.

Introduction

It is not easy to run a circus. The cost of live entertainment such as a circus and a theatre are high. Due to this ticket prices cannot compete with the cost of a ticket to a cinema. At the same time, there are rules and regulations in Denmark that give both industry and municipalities a number of useless but time-consuming tasks.

In 2024, the Danish circuses received operating subsidy of 5 million DKK from the so-called cultural distribution funds. It was a one-off grant that was not repeated in 2025. But the Danish circuses were included in the Parliament’ Finance Act for 2026 and will receive 5 million DKK in subsidy each year in the years 2026, 2027 and 2028. The money will be distributed between Circus Arena, Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni, Circus Mascot and Circus Trapez.

Six Danish circuses were on tour in 2025: the large Circus Arena, the medium-sized Circus Baldoni and the smaller Circus Arli, Circus Krone, Circus Mascot and Circus Trapez. In addition, there was the very small Circus Solvej.

After a few bad seasons, Søren Østergaard's Circus Nemo went bankrupt at the beginning of the year and did not tour. The trustee sold the tent and wagons to a company owned by Jackie Berdino. The tent was subsequently sold to an Englishman and the wagon fleet to a Brazilian who runs a circus in Florida.

Søren Østergaard did not have the money to buy the tent himself, but believes that the trustee or buyer should have given him time to put something together in order to buy his circus tent back. Before the bankruptcy, he had planned to do a number of farewell performances with his circus this year. But that was stopped by the bankruptcy. In a bankruptcy estate, the trustee is the creditors' man, for whom it is all about getting the most money possible for the creditors and not to assist the owner of the bankrupt company.

This year's performances

During the school children’s winter holidays, CIRCUS MASCOT performed in Herning Shopping Centre. CIRCUS BALDONI performed in Ishøj city shopping centre. JIMMY ENOCH produced a performance for the Rosengårdcentret shopping mall in Odense. CIRCUS TRAPEZ presented winter circus in 17 sport centres in Jutland. CIRCUS PANIK had performances in their circus building in Vanløse Copenhagen. THE CIRKUS MUSEUM IN HVIDOVRE, Copenhagen, offered a performance with the illusionist Kim Kenneth.

Circus Arena

Circus Arena had its national premiere at Bellahøj in Copenhagen on March 25. This year they celebrated their 70th anniversary.

There are not many circuses that manage to survive for 70 years. And certainly not with a director who has been there from the very beginning. But the Berdino family's Circus Arena has managed it and is today both the largest and oldest circus in the Nordic region. And a circus that for many years has offered excellent performances with international world-class artists.

This year's Arena performance, as the 2024 performance, was presented by Bubber and Malene Qvist. They did an excellent job. Malene is probably the best of the partners that Bubber has had as co-hosts in the ring over the years.

35 years ago, Bubber was known from the children's TV program Sytten-nul-dut, which was popularly called Bubber's Bathtub. In 1991, he was with Circus Arena for the first time for an entire season. That year Circus Arena presented Circus under water and Bubber came sailing into the waterfilled ring in his bathtub. For the rest of the 1990s, he was a regular ringmaster at Arena. A job he returned to in 2019. Apart from the corona years 2020 and 2021, he has since been an indispensable part of the performances in Circus Arena. Photo: Ole Simonsen

The performance began with an illusion number, which according to the printed program was to be presented by Christoffer Eötvös. However, he was not present at the premiere performance at Bellahøj. The explanation was that he was in the German Circus Krones winter performance in the circus building in Munich, where the season did not end until April 5. Christoffer performed on stage in Circusland last year. It can be difficult to make a stage act work in a ring. The act which was shown at the premiere at Arena probably used some of Christoffer's props and offered great illusions, which unfortunately could be a bit difficult to see for the spectators who were not sitting in the middle of the grandstand.

Magic in the ring – at least for those who were sitting in the parquet seats. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, Malene and Bubber welcomed. The singing Malene came down a staircase from the band stand wearing a beautiful red dress. Before I forget it: big praise to the well-playing 6 pieces circus band!

Malene on the stairs. Photo: Ole Simonsen

The first acrobat act was the young Steven Ferreri with a beautiful and extremely well-executed act on tightwire. The act featured both backward and forward somersaults. Steven was also with Arena in 2023.

A master on a tightrope. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Next followed a short entrée with Circus Arena's long-time house clown Jimmy Folco, who wanted to be applauded when Bubber welcomed him into the ring. Bubber therefore had to send him back several times and encourage the audience to give more applause when Jimmy came back in. Including a standing ovation at the end at Bubber's request.

The versatile artists Leonardo and Vita Costache were with Arena for the first time in 2017. Their specialty is perch acts and aerial acts using mouth bits. This year is their 6th season at Arena, and they presented an impressive perch act that first involved Leonardo climbing ladders while balancing a perch with Vita on his forehead. Their entrée ended with Leonardo carrying a perch on his shoulders. A perch that had a 'wheel of death' on top, which Vita rode. Particularly spectacular when the act ended with lights in the wheel and Vita's costume!

Duo Costache. Photos by Ole Simonsen and Jacob Boas Leitisstein, respectively.

Circus Arena does no longer have their own animals, but instead rents them from others. Last year, some were disappointed because there were no horses in the show. That's why this year they rented 6 beautiful Friesian horses from the Swedish Circus Olympia. They were presented by Karsten Berdino, who had been on a short training stay in Olympia's winter quarters to get to know the horses.

This year there were horses in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next act in the ring was with an artist we had not met in Denmark before. And with an act we had not seen the like of either. It was French William Tournoud, who performed rola bola on a swinging platform. However, he did the last tricks while the platform was hanging still.

Rola Bola on a swinging platform we have never seen before in Denmark. Photos respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

Then followed a short wild west entrée with the feathered Jimmy Folco and his whip-crapping wife Claudia. The entrée where Jimmy ends up losing all his feathers. Jimmy and Claudia had a silver wedding anniversary last year.

Jimmy Folco before he loses his feathers. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act before the interval was two members of the Ortiz troupe in the wheel of death which achieved great speed. In the last half of the act, one ran on the outside of the wheel, while the other functioned as an 'engine' inside his wheel. The outside man mastered both blindfolded running, flipping and some deadly jumps, but without somersaults.

Wild jumps on the wheel of death. Photo: Ole Simonsen

After about a 20-minute break, the young Swedish artist David Hammarberg came into the ring, riding a camel. Using a rope, he climbed up to another rope, the ends of which were attached to the circus dome, so that the rope hung down in a V-shape. He then showed a number in what is called cloud swing, where the artist swings in the rope and repeatedly lets himself fall, so he catches the rope with his feet or does a somersault. Today a relatively rare discipline. The last time we saw it at Arena was probably in 1986. In previous seasons at Arena, the versatile David Hammarberg has performed in tissue and in bungee trapeze. It was nice that this year he showed something we rarely see. To end the act, Karsten Berdino came to the ring with 3 camels, which, like the horses, were rented from the Swedish Circus Olympia.

It has been almost 40 years since we last saw cloud swing in Arena's ring. Photos respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

During the break, Malene Qvist had changed into a blue dress. Bubber teased her that she could then be called Madam Blue, which as the older members of the audience know is the name of an old-fashioned coffee pot. Malene rather wanted to be little Miss Himmelblå. Together with Bubber she sang Gitte Hænning's and Dirch Passer's old hit about Miss Himmelblå.

Little Miss Himmelblå, put on your crooked hat … Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Now the young juggler Michael Ferreri came into the ring and juggled with balls, the number of which increased and increased every time a ball fell from a box under the circus dome. Just like his brother Steven Ferreri, he was at Arena in 2023. He mastered having 9 balls in the air at once. An attempt to also manage 10 balls failed at the premiere, but undoubtedly succeeded many times during the season.

Difficult to keep all the balls in the air … Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Jimmy Folco has been known for and sometimes criticized for dragging spectators into the ring. At the premiere, he managed without any helpers other than Mrs. Claudia. The couple's last entrée in the show was the well-known restaurant gag where Jimmy had to serve his guest Claudia. I will hardly give anything away by revealing that Jimmy ended up getting a sandwich cake in his head. After throwing spaghetti pieces on the heads of spectators in the ringside chairs!

At the restaurant in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next artist in the ring was the 15-year-old Gabriel Della’Acqua, who performed a fabulously strong handstand act which also included hand jumps on a platforms that formed a kind of staircase. After the act, he received a well-deserved spontaneous standing ovation. He was also the one who received the talent award of the year from the Danish Circus Award. In 2022, he won gold at the European Youth Circus festival in Wiesbaden.

Gabriel Della’Acqua – a rising star! Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act of the performance was the 7-man high wire troupe Los Ortiz. They were also at Arena in 2023, where the Danish Circus Award gave them the prize for the best act of the year. As in 2023, they ended the act with the famous 7-man pyramid, where artists in 3 floors walk over the wire. Impressive! In 2023, the poles for the wire act were set up next to the tent poles to the right and left of the artist entrance. This year they were set up so that the line stretched across the ring, which was an advantage compared to the 2023 setup.

Los Ortiz got the prize for best act of the year 2 years ago. Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

In the finale of the premiere performance, Bubber mentioned that the man behind it all, Benny Berdino, has been with Circus Arena for all 70 years. A deeply moved Benny Berdino thanked and also expressed a warm thank you to his children Suzanne and Jackie Berdino.

Benny Berdino has been with Circus Arena ever since his father started it in 1955. Benny was 8 years old at the time. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance

Circus Arena ended its season on August 24 in Slagelse. On September 6th and 7th, they performed in the new super arena in Torshavn on the Faroe Islands. From September 30th to October 7th, they visited a number of Greenlandic cities.

As in previous years, Circusland in Circus Arenas winter quarters in Aarslev was open during the summer and autumn holidays. Just like in 2024, Circusland offered a number of open-air concerts with well-known Danish bands.

Circus Arli

On March 30, Circus Arli opened the season at the Mill Hill in the Copenhagen suburb Fløng.

"Where do you always find a good mood - here at Circus Arli". This is how Martin Arli's welcome song begins. And this year's performance fully lives up to the circus director's promise: an excellent and well-composed performance, featuring talented artists. Including several that we have not previously seen in a Danish circus.

The singing Martin Arli welcomed. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

New this year was that the traditional clown entrées were replaced by several good run-ins with Alexander Arli, in one reprise assisted by Sergey Polupan. And Martin Arli's cozy magic was replaced by an illusion number with Jelena and Sergey Polupan.

Just like last year, the director couple had divided the tasks of presenting the acts between them: Bettina presented the 1st section and Martin the 2nd section.

The explanation is called Jamie and Noah, who are 3 and 4 years old respectively, and are Martin and Bettina's grandchildren, whom they often look after when their father Alexander is in the ring and his wife Tara Toya is at the theater. Tara is an actress and this year appeared first in the Sound of Music and then in Beauty and the Beast. Thus, Martin looked after Jamie and Noah during the first part of the performance and grandmother Bettina during the second part.

Only a few times during the performance did we meet Bettina and Martin Arli together in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After Martin's welcome, Duo Polupan showed a nice illusion act. We know that Jelena is inside the box, but it's hard to understand how it can be done. After the "box trick", the couple showed the well-known substitution trunk trick which always works well. Finally, a short juggling act, where Jelena swung around with luminous balls. Spectacular!

Where is Jelena Polupan hiding? Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next came a short run-in with the trumpet playing Alexander Arli.

Mr. Trumpet. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Glenn Folco was new to a Danish circus ring. He has previously performed in major circuses such as Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione in Paris, Blackpool Tower Circus in England, Gt. Yarmouth Hippodrome in England and Flic-Flac in Germany. Great that the Arli family is now presenting him to the Danish audience. Glenn Folco's first entrée was a fine act in pole.

Can you walk in the air? Photo: Ole Simonsen

He was followed by the two young Gallingani Sisters, who were also new to a Danish ring. Nathalie and Shelby are 20 and 23 years old, respectively. They did an impressive hand-to-hand number, which also featured contortion. However, the act had to be dropped after a few weeks, as one of the sisters was pregnant and it was not proper to continue with such a demanding act as theirs. For the rest of the season, they were replaced by their father Davide Robert with a plate spinning act.

Young rising stars, who unfortunately had to leave after a month. Photo: respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

Now Alexander Arli came back to the ring and wanted to tap dance on a disc he had brought. But every time he started, the spotlight moved, so he had to move around the ring. In the end, the spotlight hit one of the poles!

Alexander can actually tap dance! Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next act was a similar act to the one Bettina Arli made her ring debut with years ago: a knife-throwing act. This time, however, not with Bettina and Martin, but with Duo Montico, where the male partner, in addition to throwing knives, also shot with a crossbow. A little unconventionally, it was the female partner who moved to the right and left during several tricks. Normally, the girl stands still at the shooting target. Their last trick was that the male partner, blindfolded, stood on a rotating target and threw knives close past the partner's target. Duo Montico was also new in a Danish arena.

Throwing blindfolded from a rotating target. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The first act after the break was Davide Robert with a beautiful and daring rola bola act, performed on top of a 2-meter-high pedestal. 2025 was apparently a rola bola summer in the Danish circuses, as both Arena, Arli and Baldoni had such an act in their performances.

I didn't dare! Photo: Ole Simonsen

David Robert was followed by a hula hoop act with Miss Teylor, the female partner of Duo Montico.

Hula hoop with Miss Teylor. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

"Do you want to see clowns?" asked Martin Arli. The answer was of course a resounding yes. And then Alexander Arli came into the ring together with Sergey Polupan in a moody and beautifully choreographed entrance as mini-clowns. An entrée where they used their hands as feet. Similar acts have been seen before in other circuses, but as I remember never as a duo, which gave the act an extra twist.

Two small clowns. Photo: Ole Simonsen

This year's aerial act was a number in tissue with the versatile Jelena Vasiljeva Polupan.

Queen of the Air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, Alexander had a short comical juggling run-in where he wanted to show that he could have 9 balls in the air at once. When you saw the performance, you discovered how he solved that task.

Alexander can juggle 3 balls. Can he also do it with 9 balls? Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act of the show was a top act of international format: Glenn Folco with an excellent entrée as a tennis juggler. He started with a kind of devilstick juggling and ended up with 5 rackets in the air. By far the best tennis juggling act I have experienced since Serge Percelly more than 20 years ago. Serge, who was the son of the white clown Bruno Stutz from Chicky & Co, retired due to shoulder problems many years ago. So, isn't Glenn Folco the world's best tennis juggler today?

Can he win a tennis championship? Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance

Circus Arli ended the season on August 18 in Sengeløse. As usual, they stuck to Zealand with Faxe Ladeplads as the southernmost venue.

For the 12th year in a row, the Arli family was in charge of H.C. Andersen's Christmas market in Copenhagen from mid-November until Christmas. This time, however, at Gammeltorv, as a competing Christmas market snatched the lot on Nytorv where they usually used to be, right in front of them.

Circus Baldoni

Circus Baldoni had its national premiere in Hillerød on April 8.

Baldoni's performance was a strong and well-staged performance. Just like last year, it was staged by Peter Nørgaard and was presented by the young singing ringmaster Mickey Juel Prüssing.

At the entrance to the tent, circus director René Baldoni, clown José Michel and ringmaster Mickey Juel Prüssing welcomed

After the opening song, all the artists came into the ring, before the stage was left to Lénárd and Daniella Metos with their excellent and fast-paced bicycle act, where Lénárd jumped around on his unicycle. They were also with Baldoni in 2022 and in Baldoni's Christmas circus in 2023. But the act is so good that it could easily withstand a reunion.

This is how Lénárd walked up a staircase

The next act was also an act we have seen before: Nandor Varadi with a juggling act. First with clubs. Then with balls. Then with rings to end with juggling with torches. Premiere nerves are certainly to blame for a couple of tricks going wrong. Nandor and his partner Diana Boiachin were also at Baldoni in 2023 and 2024.

Nandor Varadi

After a short run-in with the clown José Michel came a beautiful and classic act: Ballerina on a tightrope, stylishly performed by Marine Durand Rech from France. The act featured both chair balance and splits and ended with her walking across the tightrope on tiptoe! However special shoes, where there was a groove in the toes.

Ballerina on a tight wire

After a short intermezzo with Mickey Juel Prüssing and the show's drummer, we had come to the top act of the show: Quincy Azzario's handstand number. In a class of its own, the best handstand number I have seen a female artist perform. Years ago, Quincy and his sister Katie had an absolutely fantastic handstand act, the Azzario Sisters, which in 2012 brought them a silver clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo. The duo disbanded when Katie married big cat trainer Alexander Lacey. Quincy continued with her solo number with handstand, but was also part in other acts. In 2023, Quincy, together with René Casselly Junior and his sister Merrylu, received a gold clown in Monte Carlo for their “pas de trois” on horseback. At Baldoni, she showed her beautiful and fast-paced handstand act, which also contained elements of contortion. Her final trick was one I have never seen a female artist perform before: the famous Encho trick, where she stood in a handstand on a stack of brick-shaped blocks and pushed them away to land on the handstand bars with just hands. Fantastic. And with no less than 8 blocks, which has probably earned her a Guinness record.

The Danish Circus Award gave her in August the prize for the best of the year.

A world class star in the ring

Quincy is the daughter of the show's clown José Michel and Mrs. Giulia, who was undoubtedly enjoying a season with their daughter.

The first act after the interval was an act we haven't seen in Danish circuses in many years: an act with a revolving ladder which rotates in the same way as a wheel of death, performed by Lénárd and Daniella Metos. Nice act performed at a high tempo!

Acrobatics on a revolving ladder is not something we see every day

Now came a short run-in with the Indian José Michel as a knife thrower and with an audience member in front of the shooting target. Seen before, but world class clown José does it far better than most others.

José Michel as a knife thrower

At the premiere, José was followed by Nandor with a somewhat drawn-out plate spinning act, which was not quite up to par with the other acts in the show. However, it was a temporary solution, as one of this year's artists, Rubel Medini, could not start at Baldoni until April 15 due to other commitments. He is dating Quincy Azzario and showed an absolutely fantastic rola bola act, which replaced the plate act from April 15.

Now José and Giulia Michel entered the ring with their main act: the funnel gag which was both started and ended with them playing tenor sax and soprano sax, respectively. I've seen the funnel gag performed by others, but never as well as José and Giulia do it. They were absolutely amazing! They also showed the act at Baldoni in 2024, but the act could easily bear to be seen once again.

A wet session!

Nice to see musical clowns

After the clown act, Diana Boiachin had a short entrée in tissue. Such entrées can sometimes be a bit long-drawn-out, but director Peter Nørgaard had not let the act drag on longer than it could bear.

Diana in the air

The last act of the performance was a world class act. The Spanish juggler Alfio Macaggi with “bouncing balls”, which were thrown both into the air and down to the floor. The act ended with a few rounds in the ring, where Alfio simultaneously juggled hats that were grabbed with both the hands and the head. A strong and fast-paced number that was the perfect way to end the show.

He can rightly call himself a tempo juggler

As usual, the talented young photographer Jacob Boas Leitisstein took a number of photos from the performance. You can see them at https://cirkusportalen.dk/cirkusgalleriet-3.html

The tented season, which traditionally stuck to Zealand and Lolland-Falster, ended on September 3 in Tureby. In previous years, the season ended with guest performances in arenas on the Faroe Islands. However, the requirement for rent of arenas had increased so much that this year they gave up this visit.

In November and December, BALDONI'S CHRISTMAS CIRCUS had performances in a number of sport centres etc. on Zealand and Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, including in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen.

Circus Krone

The small Danish Circus Krone had its national premiere in Hovedgaard on May 17.

Just like in 2024, director Frank Thierry had chosen a concept with an approximately 1 hour long performance without an interval. There were quite a few days off during the season and always at least one day of break when they moved to a new location.

Jørgen Lorenzen wrote about this year's performance (my translation):

Frank Thierry welcomes with Krone's traditional bowing entrée, where the audience greets the sidemen and bows to the director. And he introduces his mother Irene, who this year has her 75th anniversary - according to his statement in the costume she wore when she debuted as a 3-year-old! It's probably not entirely true, but she was wearing something between a space suit and a boiler suit. The children around me told me it was a Mineon figure.

The first act was Aurelie Brua, in a double pole act. She brought to mind an insect, an otherworldly creature or an exotic bird, which easily and effortlessly crawled, hung, floated and balanced on and around the two poles. Among other things, she stood in splits up of one pole and the next moment stood with outstretched arms horizontally out from the same pole.

Aurelie Brua. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

Next came a fearsome giraffe, which strode dignifiedly through the tent and greeted the children it passed. The soundscape was fine: smacking and gnawing sounds, farting and burping, just like a giraffe can. The clown Allando tried to drive it out of the tent, but it responded with such violent farting sounds that Allando fainted in the ring and had to be helped out.

The giraffe. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

The juggler Kasparas Bujanauskis juggled cigar boxes – dressed in black, which is the gentleman juggler's usual costume. It is always a good act with balance, movement, rhythm and excitement – ​​especially when he picks up 15 boxes from the ring floor as the final trick – and holds them together in a row.

Kasparas. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

And the tempo changed. Frank Thierry opened his artist school, and children from the audience were invited in the ring and equipped with suitable prince and princess costumes before they had to learn the difficult art of balance. One stood on hands – Frank's hands! Another person stood on his shoulders, and Frank accompanied the performances with cheerful and encouraging subtle comments. The act works well if the children enjoy the joke. It becomes more difficult if they feel uncomfortable and get scared. Frank tries with all his energy to de-dramatize and smooth things out, so that it works.

Frank with a student at the artist school. Photo: Henrik Andersen

And there was more Ninja. Sacha Yenivatov was dressed in the same outfit as Irene – a banana in pyjamas. He danced, tap danced, and did splits – and ended up as a banana split - as Frank Thierry called it.

 

Frank and Sacha. Photo: Henrik Andersen

Allando's main entrée was the one where he goes hunting. There is a nice and cuddly polar bear, who is his target, but the children like the polar bear, and one of the children shouted: you can shoot yourself! And of course it ended well, and both the polar bear and Allando survived.

Allando and the polar bear. Photo: Henrik Andersen

The final act was a great juggling act with clubs and rings. It was Kaspar(as), who showed classic, stylish juggling. All the routines and variations seem to be included. But one trick amazed me: a club was balanced on his forehead. He throws it backwards, and it falls down his back – whereupon he puts it back play with a throw of his heel. He could manage juggling with 8 rings, but he said that if the tent had been a little higher, he would have managed 9 rings

Kasparas. Photo: Henrik Andersen

And then it was time for the finale. The extra act was the well-known Krone pyramid, in which all artists participate.

The sound system was fine, tuned to the individual numbers, so that the music highlighted and emphasized the atmosphere and the artists' performances. Kate Thierry operated the sound system.

The performance lasted an hour, and one hour is enough for smaller children. They have absorbed and are getting tired of the many impressions. The concept of only one – long – section is probably a good choice for a circus that wants to be child-friendly. The children had a great time, and the big kids were delighted. And one of the joys of going to the circus is seeing the children's reactions. They live in the fairy tale – at once completely absorbed, and yet understanding, because the realm of imagination is theirs in a way that we adults forget or have outgrown. At least we think so!

And then it was time for the finale. The extra act was the well-known Krone pyramid, in which all artists participate.

The sound system was fine, tuned to the individual numbers, so that the music highlighted and emphasized the atmosphere and the artists' performances. Kate Thierry operated the sound system.

The performance lasted an hour, and one hour is enough for the children. They have absorbed and are getting tired of the many impressions. The concept of only one – long – section is probably a good choice for a circus that wants to be child-friendly. The children had a great time, and the big kids were delighted. And one of the joys of going to the circus is seeing the children's reactions. They live in the adventure – at once completely absorbed, and yet understanding, because the realm of imagination is theirs in a way that we adults forget or have outgrown. We think so!

Later in the season, Kasparas Bujanauskis was replaced by two young students from the artist school in Budapest. One, Daniel, juggled with balls and clubs. The other young man, Zsolt, did a ladder balance and also juggled a bit standing on top of the ladder.

Not least Daniel had good audience contact.

The season ended on August 16 in Herskind.

Circus Mascot

Circus Mascot had its national premiere on March 29 in Balling. Just like in 2022, 2023 and 2024, they played in sports centres etc. in Jutland and Funen, etc., and left the tent at home in the winter quarters in Roslev.

Can you present a circus in a hall? The answer must be a clear yes. From 1920 to 1966, the English Bertram Mills had Christmas performances in the Olympia Hall in London. The large American circus Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey switched to performing in indoor arenas in 1958. For a number of years, Circus Schumann had performances in halls in Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg, after they had finished the season in the Circus Building in Copenhagen. And Baldoni's Christmas circus has been shown in halls since 2007.

So, I do not agree with those who claim that you can only show real circus in a tent or a circus building.

Circus Mascot was a tent circus for many years. After the corona lockdown, they tried their luck in the fall of 2021 with a tour of sports centres etc. It went so well that since 2022 they have chosen to leave the tent at home in the winter quarters in Roslev and instead have performances in sports centres etc in Jutland and Funen.

One problem in the sports centres has been that you could not show aerial acts. But Circus Mascot has now found a solution to this: they have purchased a huge tripod (Aerial Tripod), see photo, which allows performances in both trapeze and tissue and which does not require anchoring to the floor.

Thus, it is with good reason that Circus Mascot called this year's performance Air under the wings.

The first act was Oleksi Trunov with a juggler's act that ends with cube juggling. Even with a final laser show.

Next, Daniel Deleuran welcomed the audience before handing over the ring to his good friend Gulio, who has been Circus Mascot's much-loved clown since 2003. In Gulio's first entrée he was an oriental magician with comic magic, including sword swallowing and balloon swallowing.

Daniel welcomes

The next act was an indispensable part of a Mascot performance: Marianne Deleuran and her playful dogs. An excellent act that impressed the audience. And the dogs had fun!

Dogs can also drive a car

Dogs on the seesaw

After the dog act, Oleksi came back into the ring, this time with a slush doll. Impressive how the slush doll could bend over! The entrée ended with a short quick-change act that revealed that it was Oleksi's partner Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold who had been inside the slush doll.

Now Gulio came into the ring with a popcorn-hungry stork, while the props set up the tripod for the aerial act.

The first act in the tripod was a trapeze act with the young Danish artist Zanya Abelgren. She was a clear talent, from whom we can expect a lot in the future. The season at Circus Mascot was Zanya's first season with a touring circus. Zanya does not get her talent from strangers: her mother is the actress etc. Jenny Abelgren, and her father is René Baldoni from Circus Baldoni.

Next, Gulio was back in the ring, where he with the help of a couple of volunteers from the audience made a painting of them, while the man with a rose in his hand proposed to the girl. I will not reveal what the drawing depicted.

After a short entrée with Marianne and a goose, another aerial act comes: Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold in tissue.

Marianne and her goose

Gegee

After an interval with the opportunity to ride a donkey, Gulio came into the ring, this time as a cowboy with a mimic entrée where he got help from the male volunteer from his previous entrance.

Then it was the turn of another animal act: Marianne with a pony. In previous years, the pony has shown itself to be a mathematical artist. This year it performed in liberty dressage.

After the pony, Gulio's daughter Juliya came into the ring with a hula-hoop act.

Next act was Gulio, who juggled scarves. First alone, then together with a little girl from the audience. She later turned out to be able to juggle three balls. You have to see the performance to find out how it happened.

Next we met Marianne with the pig Sille. This year in a new act, where Sille played the drum, among other things, and where Marianne later tucked Sille in and read him a bedtime story. Of course, the one about the Big Ugly Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. A fun twist on the pig act.

Now Gulio came to the ring once again, this time in cooperation with Daniel in the well-known don’t play here gag. But in Gulio and Daniel's very own version!

The last act was Oleksis and Gage with a nice roller-skating act, which they had been rehearsing since last year, when they were also at Mascot, but with completely different acts than this year.

The season ended on October 19 in Roslev. There was a summer break from June 14 to August 4. Circus Mascot will also in the future perform in halls and not in tent.

Circus Trapez

Circus Trapez opened the season on April 16 in Tønder.

The main character of the show was the Hungarian clown Gabor, who was also with Circus Trapez in 2023 and 2024. He is what was called a run-in clown in the old days, and has many fine reprises between the other acts of the show and is also a versatile acrobat.

He briefly opened the performance before all the participating artists came to the ring for a charivari, where they showed short samples of their skills, and where circus princess Stine-Marie Greisen finished Gabor's make-up and gave him the red clown nose, before Isabella Enoch Sosman welcomed.

The first artist act was Duo Variety, which consists of Bini and Hiwi. They came from Ethiopia and showed formation juggling with clubs.

Gabor then had a short run-in where he, among other things, balanced a club on his forehead.

Next came Bernhard Kaselowsky in the ring. First with a beautiful black Friesian horse, then with a pony together with the horse and finally with three ponies.

After a short oriental run-in with Gabor, Stine-Marie and Bini, Bernhard was back, this time as a fakir and fire swallower.

½
 

With the help of a person from the audience Gabor did some acrobatics, see photo.

Duo Medini came from Italy. They presented a nice, traditional act with parrots. Something we probably hadn't seen in a Danish circus arena since 2015, when there were parrots in the ring in Circus Benneweis.

With the help of a few spectators, Gabor did some acrobatics again.

Artists as dancers were the introduction to Bini's foot juggling act where she first juggled scarves and then a barrel and a table.

With the help of a drum, Gabor had a short clap entrée before Hiwi entered the ring with cube juggling.

The next act was the top act of the performance; Andrei Bocancea with dogs, a few of which he took over from his late girlfriend Rosi Hochegger. An elegant act where he combined acrobatics with dog tricks. After the dogs had jumped through a ring, Gabor thought that Andrei should do the same. And he did!

Save my love, my darling is a well-known clown entrée, where the clown mimes to Renée and Renato's old hit. Gabor had an excellent version of the entrée, where he did something different and more than just copying other clowns.

The performance's aerial act was a fine trapeze act with Stine-Marie Greisen, who replaced Lilje Bekholt, who was with Circus Trapez the first part of the season.

With the assistance of Stine-Marie and then a girl from the audience, Gabor had a reprise, where he, among other things, stood on his hands on a rola bola board.

The last act of the performance was bouncing juggling, performed by Duo Variety.

In addition to the usual performance, Circus Trapez had some short nursing home performances and some short open-air performances during the season. The tent season ended on September 14 in Vejen. From October 11 to 19, they presented circus next to  Føtex Supermarket in Randers. From December 4 to 7, they presented Christmas circus in Kolding.

Circus Solvej

The tiny Circus Solvej is owned by the young Victor Høeg Abrahamsen. They have room for about 60 spectators in the tent. The summer season started on July 10 and ended on August 5. One of the year's performances was shown on July 27 in the Riding House at the Circus Museum in Rold. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance and wrote (my translation):

Around 100 people had taken their seats in the traditional and atmospheric riding house. The 2-hour long performance – with 5 artists and a number of animals, both real and artificial – became a long, festive parade with features that revealed deep respect for and love for the old circus culture.

The director is Victor Abrahamsen. Among other things, he received his "circus training” during an internship at Circus Mascot and with Katja Schumann and Luffe Bøgh at the Circus Farm in Løkken. A perfect start for anyone who wants to be a circus artist. He is not yet a full-time circus director, but has a job as an assisting teacher during the off-season.

At the beginning, philosophical gems rang out from the speakers: “Some dream of winning – some dream of being – and some dream of the circus”.

Both Victor Abrahamsen and the chairman of the museum association, Niels Chr. Hansen, welcomed the audience. The latter said that the performance had been made possible by a donation from the Savings Bank Danmark.

Victor Høeg Abrahamsen calls himself Denmark's youngest circus director. He is currently a teaching assistant at Skolecenter Hirtshals. But for 4 weeks during the summer holidays, he tours with his small circus Solvej. All photos are smartphone photos, taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

And then we were off. Ventriloquist Preben Palsgård had received a package with a carnivorous plant from Grenaa, or was it New Guinea? The plant could bite, scold and show its teeth. However, it was tamed and sent back to the pet shop Clausen in Christianshavn.

The ventriloquist Preben Palsgård and the talking and carnivorous plant

The director entered the ring with the pony Mattias, It is always funny when animals act as if they had human intelligence (even if animal rights activists protest!) The pony could clean the table – and clean the table when rye bread was put to it. It could sit comfortably in an armchair and tease Victor.

Victor and his pony.

Then the juggler Jonas Alich came with a poetic number with rings – almost a dance number, where he pointed out that rings consist of a radius with a hole through it.

Bettina (Bettina Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) had a live dog that was transformed into a hot dog, but without any harm. And then a number with pigeons, where the pigeons however not ended as roasted pigeons.

And again, a philosophical comment: “Circus sneaks into the body, in the movement, in the breath. This is not a farewell to the old circus – but a thank you”

Frida (Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) is a young talent in aerial acrobatics – with a great career ahead of her. Her first act was acrobatics in a large, rotating snail, while grandfather stood outside the ring playing the guitar and singing a song with the lyrics: We believe in better times. Yes, thank you, also better times for the circus!

After the interval came a version of the old clown act: Don't play music here, where Victor blew the trumpet. And a shaky old man wandered into the ring, but gradually he threw off his mask and behind the facade was Frida.

And again, an interaction between Victor and a pony, and again a pony that thought and behaved like a human being, who – of course – is smarter than real people. Preben Palsgård showed his sketch with the two talking, love-sick shoes, before Bettina put out a fire in her hair.

Jonas Alich juggled with diabolos and Preben conjured animals and sang along with them.

 


Jonas Alich with diabolo

The final number was Frida's main act: a beautiful number in arial hoop. The number was performed with strength, confidence and elegance – such that the professional artist would surely characterize the number as fully developed, and that means ready for the big rings out in the big world.

Frida in the aerial hoop. Frida has just turned 15. Due to the low tent height in the circus Solvej's small tent, she does not perform the trapeze act in the tent performance

Understandably, mother Bettina ended the performance with a tribute song to her daughter, who was sitting at her feet.

Victor and his 4 artists

Other performances

The Dutch-owned horror circus Circus of Torment visited Denmark in March, April and early May with performances in Copenhagen, Odense, Vejle and Aarhus. With a performance which was certainly not reminiscent of the family-friendly performances we know from Danish circuses. They described their show as follows:

“In this horror circus, the tormented soul of the late circus director Alexander Ferluci returns from the dead. But he is not alone! Together with his former artists, they haunt the darkness within their cursed Big Top! Travel back to a dark time and experience the spectacular freak show where eerie fortune tellers, insane acrobats and terrifying clowns get you on the edge of your seat…”

Circus of Torment at the lot at Trianglen in Copenhagen

For those who love a classic circus show and believe that the shows they saw 20 years ago were better than today, the show at Circus of Torment was a disappointment. The same was true for those who think that a circus is something they should see with a child or grandchild in their hand.

But for those who love the Halloween atmosphere and wanted to see what the circus also can be, a visit to Circus of Torment was an experience. They wrote that the show was not suitable for children under 12. I would set the age limit a little higher and believe that the primary target group is young people from their twenties to mid-thirties. An age group that would otherwise not visit a circus. Therefore, Circus of Torment was not a competitor to the Danish circuses.

The small 2-mast tent had room for 250 spectators.

In the dark tent you were surrounded by scary freaks, psychopathic artists and murderous clowns, who were certainly not afraid to get very close to the audience.

As is usual in contemporary circus performances, the performance was to be seen as a whole and not as a show that focused on the individual artists, who were not presented by name. There was no ringmaster. However, this did not change the fact that the performance offered excellent artist acts. With several artists who have also performed in traditional circuses.

The recurring figure was a skilled mimic with several good entrées as a comic magician. A girl with hair hanging combined her entrée with contortion. From the world of fair acrobatics, the audience met fire-eaters, one of whom returned as a fakir and sword swallover and ended by using a hook through his nose to pull a girl up into a trapeze.

A juggler (Danish David Sosman), who was presented as insane, bounced his balls down into his podium.

A diabolo juggler mastered getting 3 diablos into the air at once.

A duo showed an excellent and extremely fast-paced roller-skating number.

All the performers had an impressively good make-up, see photos. Apart from the photo from the finale, all artist photos are press photos from Circus of Torment, as photography is not allowed during the show.

From the finale just after the circus director Alexander Ferluci hanged himself, Perhaps a slightly macabre way to end the performance.

Years ago, you could experience artist performances in many amusement parks. But that is unfortunately history.

Katja Schumann has a Circus Farm just outside the seaside resort Løkken, where she had performances from the end of June to August 10.

As is tradition, there was an International Night Cabaret in connection with Aarhus Festival. Among the performers was Søren Østergaard with shortened versions of three of his well-known entrances:

The Man Who Can't whistle

The Smash Man

Bager Jørgen

Despite his illness (Parkinssons disease), he was funny on stage, but not as exuberant as in the Nemo years.

Among the other performers were the Finnish magician Marko Karvo, whom we have seen several times in Zircus Nemo, and the Chinese Duo YingLing, who were with Circus Dannebrog in 2003 and in Zircus Nemo in 2013. Although they are not any longer quite young, they did impressive juggling act with umbrellas and scarves, just like when we first saw them more than 20 years ago.

During the school autumn holidays, CIRKUS ARENA produced a performance for Kolding Storcenter, as in previous years. Just like in 2024, a Halloween-inspired performance. The Circus Museum in Hvidovre offered performances by juggler Jonathan Zeuthen and magician Andreas Brunsborg.

The season for Wallman's Dinnershow in Copenhagen's Circus Building normally runs from September to June. However, the 2024/25 show JUBILEE stopped at the end of March. After that, the building was closed until August 2025 due to various renovation tasks.

September 24 was the official premiere of the 2025/26 show Konfetti, which had been shown since the end of August.

As always, in addition to singers and dancers, there were artists in the performance. This year, muscle-swelling Dmitriy Karpenko in a hanging pole, the Canadian street artist DynaMike and Daniel Rosenfeldt. From a platform a little way up the steps, the latter first played fingerstyle guitar and then a fantastic number, which he calls orbit juggling or The Star Catcher, where luminous balls danced in the air at a leisurely pace in a kind of orbit. He also showed close-up magic at some of the tables.

The Danish Circus Award

This year, the Danish Circus Award went to Circus Arena's ringmaster Bubber. The award ceremony took place on August 15th in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre with the participation of Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt. This year's talent prize went to Gabriel Dell'acqua from Circus Arena. The award for best act of the year went to Quincy Azzario from Circus Baldoni. The Circus Directors' Association's effort prize went to theater director Kasper Holten.

19 December 2025

Circus Trapez winter circus 2026. As previous years, Circus Trapez will present winter circus in a number of sports centres etc. in Jutland in February. In 2026, they will visit 17 halls from February 6 to 22. Among the performers in the 2026 winter circus are

Eddy Carello, drum juggling and comedy

Josefine Kaselowsky, pony and dog act

Nynne Hulsig Samuelsen, hula hoop and trapeze

Joel Lutzny, chair balancing and billiard juggling

Stefan Dvorak rola bola

The young Stefan Dvorak comes from Austria. In February this year, he performed in Enoch's Circus Show at the Rosengaardcentret in Odense. It's incredible that he can keep his balance on that many rolls.

16 December 2025        

Winter Circus in Malmö, Sweden. On the weekends of December 12 to 14 and December 19 to 21, the young Albin Ganovic presents a winter circus at Barnens Scen (Children’s stage) in the amusement park Folkets Park in Malmö. The small circular building can accommodate a good 200 spectators – up to 180 on the grandstand and 30 - 40 on chairs around the ring.

The first time Albin presented a winter Winter Circus (Christmas circus) was in 2013 in Helsingborg. Albin was only 19 years old at the time. He also presented a Christmas circus in 2014. Then there was a break until he presented a winter circus in a tent in Malmö and Helsingborg in 2019. He repeated this in 2022. In 2024 he moved indoors to Barnens Scen, and this is also the case this year.

Since there is no foyer in Barnens scen, a foyer tent has been set up outside the building selling candy floss and popcorn, etc. Purchases must be paid for with the Swedish payment system Swish and not with credit cards or cash.

First, the clown Cito alias Albin Ganovic entered the ring with his artists.

The first artist act was the young Danish juggler Jonathan Zeuthen. He first juggled with rings and then with balls. He also juggled with three cigar boxes, which he later balanced with 6 other cigar boxes. His excellent entrée ended with him grabbing rings that a couple of other artists threw at him in great speed. The first time he failed, but it was probably a fake accident.

Jonathan Zeuthen

Now Cito came back in the ring with a (mechanical) rat who had become Minister of Culture and who wanted to ban the circus. It is hardly surprising that during the performance Cito and his crew managed to make the rat positive towards the circus.

Acts in aerial ring can be a bit monotonous. But such an act get a boost if it is with two artists. Under the name Matricas Anna and Dorka from Hungary showed a nice act in aerial ring.

Duo Matricas

The next artist was Orest Glavatskyi from Ukraine. He showed an act on a unicycle, where he jumped up and down on brightly coloured wooden pallets and jumped over artists who were lying on their backs in the ring.

Orest Glavatskyi

Now Finnish Milja Jaskari came into the ring with an excellent act in cyr wheel.

Milja Jaskari

Next it was the time for the youngest artist of the show, the 11-year-old Matvey Molodid from Ukraine. He performed with handstand, contortion and in aerial straps. Unusual to include aerial straps in a handstand/contortion act. Considering Matvey's age, the number was impressive.

   

The youngest artist in the show Matvey Molodid

After the interval Jonathan Zeuten was back in the ring, where he juggled with colour-changing clubs and balls. Very spectacular.

He was followed by Cito in the well-known chair game with himself, a boy and three adults from the audience as participants. Of course, the boy won and chased Cito out of the ring.

Now another Finnish artist came into the ring: Minea Korhonen, who performed in aerial straps.

Minea Korhonen

Next, Cito invited three children into the ring. They were equipped with water pistols and had to shoot at soap bubbles that Cito blew out. Of course, the water also hit the audience!

Just like in 2024, Cito had children with water pistols in the ring.

In the last artist act in the performance, Orest Glavatskyi was back in the ring. This time with a rola bola act, which featured the tricks that such acts usually do. Impressive that he could keep his balance!

Did you dare that?

As mentioned above, the Minister of Culture-rat was not positive about the circus. But that changed when he himself was given the opportunity to perform as the cannonball king!

All in all, a nice performance, which clearly won by being accompanied by a 5-piece live band. Probably amateurs and not professional musicians. But they did very well.

Live music always gives a performance an extra kick

The performance run for a good 1½ hours including intermission. Let's hope that there will also be a winter circus in Malmö next year.

13 December 2025

Zirkus Nemo's trucks to Florida. As previously mentioned on this page, a company owned by Jackie Berdino bought the tent, grandstand and wagons from the bankrupt Zirkus Nemo. The tent was quickly sold to an Englishman. And now the wagon fleet has also been sold. The buyer is a Brazilian who runs a circus in Florida.

Some of Zirkus Nemo's trucks

13 December 2025

The sports centre at Kulsviergården in Alsønderup was well filled when Circus Baldoni offered Christmas circus on Friday, December 12. A happy René Baldoni says that the same thing, except in Aakirkeby, has been the case with the other Christmas performances.

In Hillerød, the performance's juggler was Oliver Berdino. Until December 7, the audience met the juggler Jonathan Zeuten. But then Jonathan had to stop because he had a job at the Malmö Winter Circus. He was therefore replaced by Oliver. Originally, Baldoni had engaged the Russian-born juggler Victor Krachinov, but his act had for various reasons to be cancelled before the premiere at the Christmas Circus.

11 December 2025

State support for Danish circuses. Today, the Danish Parliament adopted the Finance Act for 2026 and thus the support for Danish circuses of 5 million DKK per year in the years 2026, 2027 and 2028, which has previously been mentioned on this page.

On this occasion, MP Anders Kronborg wrote the following on Facebook (my translation):

Yesterday during the Finance Act debate, there was a festive celebration on the 3rd floor of Christiansborg (the parliament building), where we thanked each other for the long-standing fight, so that for the first time ever in Denmark we have succeeded in getting circuses on the Finance Act.

This is something I have worked for for several years, as I believe this form of culture is important for cultural life in Denmark. The Chairman of the Danish Parliament's Culture Committee, Hans Christian Schmidt and the Chairman of the Danish Circus Directors' Association, Martin Arli (Cirkus Arli), gave fine speeches.

Several politicians from the parties in the Danish Parliament were present. Both politicians from parties that are part of the budget agreement, but also politicians from other parties. Among others Mikkel Bjørn and Kristian Bøgsted. It is great that the decision that the circus should be recognized as an important cultural heritage and should be part of the budget has received such broad support and ownership across parties in the Folketing.

There are six circuses left in Denmark. Several representatives from these circuses also showed up, so there were also exciting anecdotes from a long life on the road. Next year, Benny Berdino, for example, can celebrate his 50th anniversary as circus director of Circus Arena, which has today grown to become the largest circus in the entire Nordic region.

Thank you to many of my colleagues for a really good cooperation and for succeeding in broadening cultural policy to also include traveling circuses.

Photo from Anders Kronborg's Facebook page. Anders stands on the platform. On the left, the neck of Martin Arli can be seen.

8 December 2025

Circus Charlie. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance in Maarslet multihall on December 6 at 3 p.m. and writes (my translation):

In 1972, the Danish author Per Højholt wrote an essay, or rather a book, about circus and other forms of show. It is called Intethedens grimasser (The Grimaces of Nothingness). His thoughts are difficult to access, but you can understand him when he says that “the nature of a show is the ability to create great and precise expectations.” This sentence was appropriate when Circus Charlie was reborn as a traveling circus – this time as indoor circus. Circus Charlie was on the road from 1988 – 2007, and the beautiful Charlie tent stands today in the summer months as a monument when you visit the Circus Factory in Lindum, where Einar Trie is the director, entrepreneur, idea creator, enthusiast, organizer – and probably so much more. But now it took place in the sports centre in Maarslet.

Einar Trie welcomed. And the children saw a nice, old man – grandfather – who was funny, warm, a little secretive and full of ideas and unpredictable whims – completely different from other adults. A grown-up child – one of their own, whom they could see themselves in. Great and precise anticipation from and to the ring! And the children were on edge every time he invited a child into the ring to help. Great and precise anticipation, as Højholt put it. Both ways.

There were only 4 actors in the two-hour long performance, which didn't seem a minute too long, because something interesting and relevant was constantly happening inside the ring. There were no dead moments, but a constant "flow" with good tempo changes and great variation in the individual numbers.

The director was at his best. He frolicked with well-placed and funny lines, e.g. “She has traveled all the way from Mongolia to here, so she has been up early.” And he showed off some quirky tricks: the Chinese magic bag, the rope trick, the nail box and the trick where a man from the audience is tied up and where the ropes change to a medium behind the curtain. And finally he put on his clown nose and showed off his old trick where he walks on a tightrope stretched between two chairs. And it doesn’t work out either, but it’s funny to live with his antics. The children have fun and have lots of good suggestions for what he should do to make it work.

Einar Trie as a magician. All photos: Anny Schaldemose

Einar Trie as the clown who wants to walk on a tightrope

The versatile artist couple Gegee Ganbold and Oleksi Trunov were in the ring separately and as a couple. Oleksi is a skilled juggler. It was noted that he could shoot a ball up from his foot to his forehead and from his foot to his shoulder – where the ball remained. He was also inside the spectacular Slinky figure, which strongly appeals to children's imagination and humour.

Oleksi as slinky

Gegee showed her skills in tissue, including standing in a split while hanging from the two fabric webs. And her act on the pedestal – a mix of handstand and contortionist – showed artistry of great beauty and high class. It ended with archery with her feet while standing in a handstand.

Gegee in tissue

Gegee in handstand

Together, the artist couple had two acts. A parterre act, characterized by beauty and strength. Gegee stood in one-handstand on Oleksi's head and in a handstand on his forehead. Powerful, but aesthetic. And in the final act of the performance, they ran on roller skates, round and round. Lots of movement and colors and rhythm.

Gegee and Oleksi

The last artist was Lilje Bekhøj. She was an assistant to Einar Trie, and she had her own act in solo trapeze. An exciting act because she doesn't use the prop to fly as much as other female trapeze artists, but rather does acrobatics in and on it while rotating around the axis of the trapeze.

Lilje Bekhøj

As I said, the performance lasted about two hours, including the intermission

7 December 2025

Cultural Heritage Medals for Trolle Rhodin (Swedish Cirkus Brazil Jack) and Tilde Björfors (Swedish contemporary Cirkus Cirkör)

The Swedish Royal Patriotic Society has awarded Trolle Rhodin III the Cultural Heritage Medal for “his work in renewing the traditional circus art”.

Tilde Björfors was also awarded the Cultural Heritage Medal for “her innovative work in establishing contemporary circus in Sweden”.

The Medal for the Preservation of Swedish Cultural Heritage (Kulturarvsmedaljen) was established in 2012 with the aim of awarding and highlighting the importance of the many selfless and committed efforts that individuals, associations, companies, congregations and organizations make to preserve, develop and make accessible the Swedish cultural heritage. The medal is made of 18 carat gold.

For more than 250 years, the Royal Patriotic Society has awarded medals and honors in various fields of activity.

The medal recipient Trolle Rhodin. Press photo from the Royal Patriotic Society. Photo: Jonas Ekströmer (TT) / Royal Patriotic Society

6 December 2025

Circus Trapez Christmas Circus. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance in Kolding on December 4 at 6 p.m. and writes (my translation):

Christmas performance – a feature of Kolding Light Festival

In fact, Kolding is a good circus town. The town has a circus lot – with road signs that show strangers the way. The town has a year-round campsite where artists can spend the winter while they wait for a new engagement. And every year during the autumn holidays, Kolding Storcenter has a week of circus performances on the centre square.

And right now, there is a light festival, where circus Trapez participated – with a performance and subsequent parade with torches and a fire show. The planned circus lot at the end of the castle lake had to be changed. There were to be fireworks at the same lot and the fire authorities said no to circuses. But Kolding municipality offered a new lot next to the railway station. Small, but very eye-catching. And the entire neighbourhood around the train station was an orgy of light and sound, in the streets, in the open spaces and on the house ends – and right up in the blue air.

House end with lights. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

The performance lasted an hour – in a well heated tent and with many young people and children – both in the ring and in the rows of chairs on the other side of the ring.

After the opening parade with all the participants, David Sosman goes into action. He is a versatile artist who knows many of the disciplines of the profession – at a high level. Here it is bottle balancing, after he has given a concert by hitting half-filled wine bottles. With a stick in his mouth, he manages to balance with bottles and glasses, which he puts on the stick. The final trick: he places an inflated balloon on the stick. A bottle is balanced on the balloon, and when the balloon bursts, the bottle falls onto the stick – and stays standing!

Pusle Picasso is only a child, but her skills in aerial ring point towards a great career. And even as a little girl she has the charisma and confidence of an adult artist.

The prankster Lasse Hasager now has so much experience in the ring that his

comedic talent radiates in all directions. He conducts the audience in a clapping concert, where there are many interruptions and cunning comments – physically and verbally. And he also finds time to flirt with a female spectator.

After Lasse come Pusle and Nicolai with ponies. This is followed by Lasse's diabolo act, and after the big one (Lasse) comes the younger one (Josef) and finally the youngest one (Nicolai) – also with diabolo.

Then the fire show is set. Bernhard Kaselowsky swallows fire and blows fire – surrounded by his dancing harem. In the crowd you can see Isabella Sosman, Katja Enoch, Jasmin Nørgaard and Stine Marie Greisen.

Bernhard Kaselowsky. Smartphone photo taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

Lasse follows – with a light show consisting of a candle lighter.

David Sosman then appears with a pastry bag, which makes a bang every time someone from the audience throws an imaginary ball into the ring. And sometimes it hits the bag.

Jasmin Nørgaard shows a nice act in tissue while the ring is populated by angels, and among them is Lasse, who most resembles a fallen angel, flapping his wings like a large insect.

Jasmin in tissue. Smartphone photo taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

The penultimate act is David Sosman's great juggling and bouncing act. A quality act that could do in any big circus. And the most impressive part is perhaps where he lies down on his back and stands up again – with the balls in play.

David Sosman is son of circus director Isabella Enoch Sosman and the late Eddy Sosman. Smartphone photo taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

The final act is Andrej Bocancea, assisted by Stine Marie Greisen. The dogs enter on at a time, but the act include everything that a good dog act should have. And a dog act is easy for children to associate with, because many have dogs at home. The dogs jump, dance, leap, run, do pirouettes and roll. And perhaps the most difficult part: who has ever seen a dog run backwards before?

The performance is over, the artists are introduced and the audience goes home happy – an experience richer – the one that only a circus can provide.

Later there was a parade. The artists walked through the city, and there were a few performances in the squares the procession passed. It would have been much better, though, if it had taken place during daylight hours, so that people could see the parade. And best of all, if there had been live music and the artists were transported on a vehicle. Maybe they will learn that next year!

2 December 2025

Christofer Eötvös returns to Cirkus Arena 2026. The Hungarian illusionist Christofer Eötvös performed in Circusland in 2024 and in Circus Arena in 2025. However, in 2025 he was in Circusland during the summer holidays and his illusions during that period were presented by someone else. Christofer Eötvös is back in Cirkus Arena in 2026 with different illusions than the ones the audience saw in 2025. Well helped along the way by his many magic assistants.

Christofer Eötvös & co. Press photo from Cirkus Arena

30 November 2025

Circus Charlie back on the road. Einar Trie's small Cirkus Charlie toured from 1988 to 2007. Since then, Einar Trie has, apart from a few One man shows, concentrated on the Circus Factory in Salling, of which he is the daily manager.

But this year Circus Charlie is on the roads for a short period with performances in some sport halls in North Jutland. They write (my translation):

Circus Charlie is back on the road, now with artists from Mongolia, Ukraine and Denmark. As always, they live up to their reputation as Denmark's Funniest Circus, and audiences of all ages are with them all the way. The performance has everything you would expect from a REAL circus, there are aerial acts, juggling, magic and conjuring, serious acts mixed with crazy acts, there are circus princesses and of course clown acts. As they say themselves, they have Denmark's Best Audience, this is because the performance is a party in close collaboration between artists and audience all the way.

The performance lasts 90 minutes including intermission. There are the following performances:

Sunday, 30 November 30 at 15: Søby Højslev Arena, Studholme 20, 7840 Højslev

Wednesday 3 December at 5 pm: Nykøbing Hallen, Nygade 29, 7900 Nykøbing M

Saturday 6 December at 3 pm: Mårslet Multihal, Testrupvej 6B, 8320 Mårslet

Sunday 7 December at 3 pm: Videbæk Idræts- og Fritidscenter, Vestervang 28, 6920 Videbæk

There was a dress rehearsal in Skave Multihus on 16 November.

Among the performers is the couple Oleksi Trunov and Gereltuya “Gegee” Ganbold, who toured with Circus Mascot this summer. They come from Ukraine and Mongolia respectively. They have moved into Circus Factory with their child Anna. After the performances in Circus Charlie they will go to Austria, where they will be in a Christmas circus.

Gegee. Photos from the performance on November 30 by courtesy of Einar Trie.

From Denmark comes Lilje Bekhøj, who has trained in Salling Circus Kids for several years and has spent the last three summers with Katja Schumann at the Circus Farm in Løkken. Lilje is now in ninth grade and is doing an eight-month school internship at Circus Factory.

In the performance you will also meet Husik, son of the clown Gulio. Husik works on cruise ships, but lives at Circus Factory during his holidays. In Circus Charlie's performances, he performs a solo act to keep up his training.

30 November 2025

Malmö Winter Circus has announced a few more names of the performers:

Duo Matricas (Anna and Dorka) from Hungary perform an aerial act.

Orest Glavatskyi from Ukraine performs with rola bola and on a unicycle.

The names of the other performers were mentioned on this page on November 28.

28 November 2025

Malmö Winter Circus. In December 2024, Albin Ganovic presented a winter circus at Barnens Scen in Folkets Park in Malmö, Sweden. There were 5 performances plus a couple of sold-out performances. It was a success that Albin will repeat in December this year, where there are 10 performances from December 12 to 21.

Barnans Scen (the childrens stage) is a small circular building that can accommodate a little more than 200 spectators - up to 180 in the grandstand and 30 - 40 on chairs around the ring.

The performance's featured character is the clown Cito, aka circus director Albin Ganovic.

In addition, you will meet the Swedish children's entertainer and singer Pidde P (Petter Hedwall) and the Swedish  actress Marianne Mörck, who in her younger days has been both Eliaza in My fair Lady and Maria in Sound of Music.

The artists in the performance include Minea Karhonen in aerial straps, 11-year-old contortionist Matvii Molodid, Milja Jaskari in Cyr Wheel and Danish juggler Jonathan Zeuthen, who was also part of the performance in 2024.

The performance is accompanied by a 6-piece band under direction of Rasmus Ringdahl.

27 November 2025

Circus Baldoni 2026. They write (my translation):

Next year we will have our 25th anniversary and we are already planning a tour and booking artists and we can once again promise that it will be amazing. Among other things, we have Peter Nørgaard back as the ringmaster, Mr. Jumping our most sought-after artist who will delight you on his trampoline. In addition, we are going a little beyond our concept as in 2026 we will include a cat act, which has also been in demand since they were here in 2017 and don't worry, animal welfare is completely in order. Of course, we also have many other artists on the program.

Mr. Jumping (Peytchev Plamen Metodiev) was first time at Baldoni in 2006. This photo is from 2011. The last time we saw him at Baldoni with his trampoline was in 2017.

In Circus Baldoni 2026 you can see, among other acts Fatime (Fatime Horvath) and her cats. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

26 November 2025

Cultural award to Niklas Bengtsson. In the municipality of Gislaved in Sweden, this year the municipality's cultural award goes to director Niklas Bengtsson who runs Circus  Olympia together with his family. For several years now, Niklas has been presenting the horses. But he works with everything in the circus! One minute he's a mechanic and the next he's talking to landowners. He does it all!

Niklas Bengstsson with pony. Press photo. Fotpgrapher: Emelie Kindblad

21 November 2025

Baldoni's Christmas Circus 2025. Jacob Boas Leitisstein writes (my translation):

Baldoni's Christmas Circus is once again back on the roads. The Christmas season started with sold out performances in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, on November 15 and 16.

Again, this year, it was Mickey Juel Prüssing and Matilde Holmstrup Andersen in the parts of Nis and Nisseline who guided the audience through the performance. We know Mickey as the ringmaster in recent summer seasons at Circus Baldoni. This year, Mickey and Matilde spice up the Christmas performance with singing, dancing, pixie antics and funny features. René Baldoni is also in the ring – both as Santa Claus and together with the Christmas pig Anton.

Nis, Santa Claus and Nisseline. All photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

René and the Christmas Pig

The performance started with knock-about table act by Artists of Dance. The act mixed wild stunts with humor and dance. Artists of Dance also presented a breakdance act later in the performance.

Gabor Mayer and his Artists of Dance

Breakdance        

Duo Santus was also ready in the ring twice during the performance. First with a great cycling act – on two and one-wheeled bicycles. On the bicycles, both juggling and acrobatics were performed. The second time Duo Santus entered the ring, it was with a roller-skating act.

Duo Santus

From Denmark came the juggler Jonathan Zeuthen Gradman. Jonathan presented an elegant, safe and classic juggling act, where both clubs and balls were juggled.

Jonathan Zeuthen

The performance ended with a foot-juggling act with Vanessa Alvarez. With her feet, Vanessa juggled blankets and also a guitar.

Vanessa Alvarez

Baldoni's Christmas Circus can be seen in sport halls and cultural centers on Zealand, the islands and Bornholm until December 14th.

Finale. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos.

8 November 2025

Cirkus Trapez presents Kolding Christmas Circus 2025

Cirkus Trapez writes (my translation):

In cooperation with Kolding Light Festival, Slotssøbadet and Kolding Municipality, we will be visiting Kolding in connection with the Kolding Light Festival from December 4th to 7th.

Look forward to see a magical and adventurous circus performance that offers fantastically fast-paced juggling, diabolo artists, beautiful aerial acts, clowns, cute farm animals and much more.

All to the tunes of lovely Christmas music, and everything else that belongs to Christmas and the circus.

But it doesn't end there. In our awning we offer everything your heart desires from popcorn, candy floss, apple slices, mulled wine and much more.

We are looking forward to welcoming you all.

Location: The circus tent will be set next to the Castle Lake in Kolding.

See the What’s on for performance times and ticket bookings. The performances last approx. 1 hour.

The performers in the Christmas performance are:

David Sosman with the musical bottle act and the bouncy balls, plus a reprise.

Lasse Hasager with diabolo together with Katja Enoch's son Joseph.

The Christmas angel in a veil is Jasmin Nørgaard.

The prankster in the air ring Pusle Picasso (Pusle Picasso Lund Larsen)

In addition, Pusle will perform with one of Circus Trapez's ponies

The horse Frederik will perform with angel wings

Andrei Bocancea with dogs

In addition to the aforementioned Christmas performances, you can experience Circus Trapez's special open air light circus show with juggling, diabolo artist, hula hoop, fire-eating and much more in Kolding City Centre on 4, 5 and 6 December at 7:45 pm and 8:30 pm. All with lots of beautiful lights and fire. Before the performances, the artists move in a beautiful parade from Slotssøbadet to the city center. The performance lasts 25 minutes and is free - tickets are not necessary.

In 2020, Circus Trapez had planned to present a Christmas circus in Kolding from December 19 to January 3. However, the Corona meant that all the performances had to be cancelled. They tried their luck again in 2021, but after only 5 days of performance, the Corona restrictions forced them to cancel the rest of the performances. According to the principle of all good times three, they then presented a Christmas circus in 2022. The visitor numbers were disappointing, so they did not present a Christmas circus in 2023 and 2024. But this year there is a Christmas circus in Kolding from December 4 to 7 in connection with the Kolding Light Festival.

29 October 2025

The Donnert family to Circus Arena. In my presentation on 10 October of Circus Arena's 2026 program, I wrote that it featured, among other things, the Donnert family with a pas de deux on horseback. Benny Berdino says that the rest of the Donnert family is also in the show with their jockey-riding act. They come from Hungary and are one of the circus world's well-known equestrian families. They received a bronze clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo in January 2013 and were later that season with Circus Benneweis. In 2014 and 2017, they performed in the Swedish Cirkus Brazil Jack. About their performance in 2017, I wrote: "In addition to the classic jumps from and to horses, they flawlessly master both a forward and a backward somersault on horseback. They also manage the backward somersault from horse to horse, finally even in a version where the jumper stands on the back of another acrobat."

A backwards somersault from horse to the horse running behind was one of the tricks that won the Donnert family a bronze clown in Monte Carlo in 2013. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

Donnert Family at Benneweis in 2013. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The Donnert family at Brazil Jack in 2017. Photo: Ole Simonsen

In particular young people find the fast-paced jockey acts more exciting than the traditional act with horses in liberty.

25 October 2025

State support for Danish circuses. The government (Social Democracy, the Liberal Party and the Moderates) and the Conservative Party have reached an agreement on the Finance Act for 2026. The agreement means that approximately 2.3 billion DKK will be prioritized for culture, media, sports and associations. Of this amount, 5 million DKK per year in the years 2026, 2027 and 2028 is what the Ministry of Culture calls "helping the circuses". The amount corresponds to the government's proposal, which was mentioned here on this page 26 August.

In 2024, the government for the first time ever gave the Danish circuses support of five million kroner from the cultural distribution funds. The money was distributed to Circus Arena, Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni, Circus Krone, Circus Mascot and Circus Trapez and the now closed Zirkus Nemo in proportion to how many tickets they sold in 2023. There was no support given in 2025. The 2026 amount will most likely be distributed to Circus Arena, Circus Arli, Circus Baldoni, Circus Krone, Circus Mascot and Circus Trapez in proportion to how many tickets they sold in 2025.

23 October 2025 

Turbulence. On Thursday, October 30th, the contemporary circus performance Turbulence will premiere at Dynamo - Workspace for circus & performing arts in Odense. It will be shown at Dynamo until November 1st. From November 6th to 13th, it can be seen at AFUK Scene in Copenhagen.

The performance is presented as follows:

Hail the size of a man’s fist, droughts, hurricanes, wildfires and floods. Climate change is no longer something vague, something that belongs to the future or distant lands. It is here and now, and we are in the middle of it.

Chinese pole, Cyr wheel, rola bola, double acrobatics and live music meets the absurd, tragicomic and the grotesque when 5 circus artists are thrown into a battle to build a home in a world of extreme weather that requires them to move at all time.

TURBULENCE examines the effects of climate change on ordinary people and the physical experience of being on the run. Here, five circus artists are put into a physical battle, where the survival strategy requires them to constantly move their base. Their center for acrobatic expression is set in motion and challenged, and they must invent new ways of acting in order to survive.

TURBULENCE will bring together circus artists from the Nordic Region who have a combination of circus disciplines and music skills that are integral to create the vision of the performance:

Kajsa Bohlin (Swedish): Cyr wheel and floor acrobatics, vocals and string instruments

Mikkel Hobitz Filtenborg (Danish): Chinese Pole, slackline, Pair acrobatics, guitar

Eivind Øverland (Norwegian): Pair acrobatics, trapeze

Lotta Paavilainen (Finnish): Pair acrobatics, rola bola, vocals

​Stina Kopra (Finnish): Pair acrobatics, rola bola, vocals

​The performance is being co-created and directed by Troels Hagen Findsen (Denmark), who has worked with numerous circus artists and companies (including Acting For Climate, Tin Can Company, Clowns Without Borders, Lotta & Stina, Sparrow Dance, Villads Bugge Bang, Alfred Hall von Kriegbaum & Sonia Matos, Sunniva Byvard among others) as a director, consultant and co-creator. 

​Music is being composed by Rumpistol (Denmark), aka Jens Berents Christiansen

​TURBULENCE is being produced by Out of Balanz. Out of Balanz is an award-winning, international touring performing arts company based in Copenhagen, Denmark,

​

17 October 2025

Cirxus Arena has for many years produced autumn performances for Kolding Shopping Mall. This is also the case this year. Jorgen Lorenzen saw the performances on 16 October 16 at 1 pm and 3 pm. Jorgen writes (my translation):

There were 3 performances – at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. And each performance was different from the previous one. Julia and Joakim Myllykangas (children of Lasse Nørager and Mrs. Tiina) were the recurring characters. They are versatile artists who can do a lot of things much, and you can see that they are passionate about showing it. To help them, they have Freddi Steckel, who enjoys every second on stage – and who has so much comedy in him. You can almost feel that he is the one having the most fun.

Lasse Nørager - in his impressive baggy pants - is the announcer. And then it goes wild – in his words: “strange, creepy and crazy.” And yes, it contains everything: thrills, humour, mood, madness, and the stage is something between a marketplace for the clowns and a circus for the artists.

Lasse Nørager. All photos are smartphone photos taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

As I said, the acts were different in the 3 performances. But Julia’s hair hanging was part of all 3 performances.

Julia hangs by her hair

In the morning, Freddi Steckel was a stuntman with his knock-about table act. And for the last performance, there was an exciting new artist. Othilie Zielke trained at Dynamo in Odense. With her slender figure and her black suit, she made a strong impression – not least because it was so far up to the roof of the centre, where she hung high up in the fabric. It was a real aerial act, and Ottilie's slender body radiated fragility and strength at the same time. Poetry - and an epic tale of the human desire to show the incredible and reach the limits of the possible. With her, it became an aesthetic and playful demonstration - beauty, boldness and skill merged and made a strong impression on the audience.

Othilie Zielke in tissue

Two artists had come from Hungary. Lajos Nereus showed a cheerful and stylish plate spinning act - with water splashing and a water meteor - that is, a filled glass that is inside a ring that is thrown around - without the water running out. Angelica showed a nice whip act, first with herself as the target, and then with a "victim" from the audience, who had to hold the roses, which the whip shattered. When she was finished, Lasse Nørager said that she was going to Egtved Girls' School to whip whipped cream. And then she whipped away!

The two Nørager children were full of jokes and gags – different and diverse, seemingly from an inexhaustible stock. And new ones are added to the repertoire. A simple example: Joakim had constructed a monster of a bicycle – described by Lasse Nørager as “the bicycle dealer’s nightmare.” The bicycle would not work – it broke down, the wheels went in different directions and spun around themselves, and it turned into a living beast. An older gentleman from the audience – and you could see it was Freddi Steckel in disguise – wanted to help getting the bicycle under control – in more ways than one! But then something went wrong! Joakim definitely has an act here that can develop and turn into a longer act similar to what Joe Jackson JR showed in his time – where the bicycle becomes a monster that lives its own, unruly life and takes power from him.

In short: great entertainment. Varied, inventive and funny. Just like circuses and clowns are at their best.

Incidentally, the centre square was transformed into a Halloween place, with skeletons, ghosts, witches, blood and teared of limbs.

16 October 2025

Hanne and Benny Berdino celebrate 50 years as a circus director couple. In 1976, Circus Arena got their first 4-pole tent with room for 900 spectators.  On Saint John's Eve, which in Denmark is celebrated every summer on 23 June, Circus Arena’s owner Arne Berdino Olsen died suddenly and unexpectedly. That same evening, his son, the 29-year-old Benny Berdino was in the ring as a circus director. Thus, Benny and Hanne Berdino can celebrate their 50th anniversary as a circus director couple on 23 June 2026. Benny can also celebrate a special day in 2026: on 3 August 2026, he turns 80.

Benny and Hanne Berdino, photographed during the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo in 2012. Benny was that year member of the jury. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

14 October 2025

Circus Trapez autumn performance.

Jorgen Lorenzen saw the performance 12 October at 4 pm in Randers next to Føtex Supermarket on Mariagervej, and writes (my translation):

Circus Trapez was located on a grassy lot by an access road to Randers – visible to everyone. There was a well-maintained tent in blue and red and a large, equally well-maintained fleet of vehicles in muted pastel colors. There was no doubt: here was a real circus – worth a visit!

The performance lasted an hour. That is probably a suitable length for smaller children, who cannot maintain concentration for longer than that. And it is probably a good idea for a circus to be in one place for a longer period of time – as Circus Nemo did. And in return, they focus more on pre-sales and preparatory marketing. In Randers, where Cicus Trapez will stay for 9 days, posters were put up almost everywhere.

The tent was well heated, and the performance took the audience all the way around circus culture – showing what circus can and does. And illustrated why the circus is magical and fascinating – and always will be.

Isabella Enoch Sosman welcomed. But the recurring character in the performance was Lasse Hasager. He is and has a comedic talent. With his lanky, thin figure and his confident ring performance, he appeared during the performance as a prankster, as a clown and comedian – and indeed also as an artist, because his diabolo act was of high quality. With his gags, his entrées and exits, small and large misunderstandings and disasters, he brought to mind other entertainers dressed in black and dresses: Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, who oscillated between a sensible vagabond and a wise old-world ruler. He had something to work on and develop – on his way to a great career.

Duo Variety – Hiwi and Bini – were jugglers. They could juggle in formation and standing, where one stood on the shoulders of the other while the clubs went up and down., They could bounce, i.e. hit the balls on the floor. And they knew the difficult art of juggling to and from a slanted space – so that the balls could take on strange and unpredictable travel routes. And the female part of the duo showed a fine act as foot juggler, i.e. lying on her back, while she juggled tablecloths and larger props with her feet and hands.

All photos: Anny Schaldemose

Jasmin Nørgaard showed her fine act in “aerial silks”, “tissue” or what you call the two fabric webs hanging from the dome of the tent. Balance, strength, agility and above all safety characterize that act. First and foremost, it is about securing your position so that you do not fall without control. And a highlight is when she falls in rotations down the tissues – and stops just before she reaches the ring floor. Thrill, relief, admiration and amazement run through the audience – and you can feel it and hear it.

And the circus is connected to animals. You can present a circus without animals, but you always notice from the applause that the animals are welcome and well-liked. Bernhard Kaselowsky was in the ring with a magnificent black horse in interaction with a pony – big and small, where the pony can run under the horse and around it. And Andrea Bocancea presented his dogs – of many kinds. The dogs showed what a dog can, will and does if allowed: jump, leap, run, dance, roll and bark. And the dogs were allowed to do so, and as in a good animal act, there was never any doubt that there was a close bond between the animals and the trainer. It was a game – cheerful, bright and animal-friendly. And a funny move: there was only one need for a prop, a ring that the dogs had to jump through. But why not the other way around: why couldn't it be the trainer who jumped through the ring? And that's how it was! The roles were reversed.

Stine Marie Greisen was involved in most of the performance. As a dancer, as an assistant, as a ringmaster. And one detail: director Isabella Enoch Sosman changed her dress several times during the performance. Maybe because circus people apparently love changing costumes. And maybe because it expresses respect for what happens in the ring.

The artists gathered at the entrance when the audience left the tent. A good custom. You get the opportunity to greet them, give them a comment and generally get close to them. And you noticed what is most important: the audience was fully satisfied with what they had seen. And when the circus stays in town for a few days longer, there is a chance that neighbours, friends and acquaintances of the afternoon audience will follow the good advice to go there with their children, so that they too will have a good experience.

P.S. It is an old custom among the artists that you change clothes when you go into the finale. When you are called up at the end, it is not in the costume you performed in – but a different one.

10 October 2025

Circus Arena 2025. Circus Arena writes (my translation):

REAL WORLD-CLASS CIRCUS 2026

Give your family a first-class experience when Circus Arena comes to your town with Bubber and Malene Qvist as ringmasters in a show you've never seen before.

In 2026, Circus Arena makes history: Hanne and Benny Berdino celebrate their 50th anniversary as a circus director couple. No other European circus director has ever been in charge of a circus for 50 years. We're celebrating with a fireworks display of an anniversary performance for the whole family!

Together with Bubber and Malene, you'll experience the best of the very best in the circus world. Award-winning world class artists, cute animals and the smell of sawdust - that's real circus.

Bubber and Malene Qvist are back as ringmasters. Malene Qvist is known from the Danish pop trio Sukkerchok and as a children's host from, among others, TV’s Ramasjang and Rasmus Klumps Christmas Calendar - and of course from Circus Arena.

In this year's anniversary show, Cirkus Arena is once again raising the bar for what is possible in a circus ring. Look forward to world records in a row.

In the ring, we welcome, among others, the new child-friendly clown Michael Alves, who with infectious energy, legendary timing and new tricks creates warm laughter among children and adults together with Jimmy Folco.

Also experience the bike artist Kelly Folco who is the first ever to cycle on a unicycle consisting of 15 wheels on top of each other!

The award-winning acrobats Quincy Azzario and Rubel Medini (gold and silver winners from the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo and 7 Guiness World Records) literally balance on the edge of the impossible in an astonishing rola bola act which you have to see to believe.

Also look forward to adrenaline-filled stunts, impressive illusions, completely unparalleled juggling, elegant horses, enchanting aerial acrobatics and a string of songs and surprises.

Take part in the anniversary celebration when Circus Arena celebrates Europe's longest-reigning circus management, which over 50 years has developed Circus Arena from Denmark's smallest to the largest circus in the Nordic region.

Up to 2.5 hours of impressive entertainment are planned, bringing the whole family together for a fun and life-affirming experience when Circus Arena comes to your town in 2026.

There is season opening at Bellahoj in Copenhagen on Tuesday 24 March 2026, with dress rehearsals from March 20.

The new clown Michael Alves has performed in Circusland in 2023 and 2024. The same applies to his girlfriend Kelly Folco.

The clown Michel (Michael Alves) in Circusland in 2024.

Benny Berdino was member of the jury at the circus festival in Monte Carlo in 2012, where, at his suggestion, Quincy Azzario and her sister Katie were given a silver clown for their act Azzario Sisters. The duo disbanded when Katie got married. Quincy continued with her solo act with handstand, but was also in other acts. In 2023, Quincy, together with René Casselly Junior and his sister Merrylu, received a gold clown in Monte Carlo for their "pas de trois" on horseback. Benny Berdino has long dreamed of having Quincy in Arena's ring with a new partner. And he has now succeeded, as Quincy and her boyfriend Rubel Medini have created a brand-new act.

Other performers include juggler Juan Pablo Martinez, the Donnert troupe with a pas de deux on horseback, the young handstand acrobat Sara Dell'aqua, Duo Costace and David Hammarberg. More artist names will be announced later.

Juan Pablo Martinez was also at Arena in 2018. In 2025 he has performed in the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack.

Tempo juggler Juan Pablo Martinez in Circus Brazil Jack

The Donnert family performed in Circus Benneweis in 2013 and in Swedish Brazil Jack in 2014 and 2017. They got a bronze clown in Monte Carlo in 2013.

Duo Donnert with pas de deux at Benneweis in 2013

Sara Dell ‘Aqua is the younger sister of Gabriel Dell'acqua, who in August this year received the talent award from the Danish Circus Award.

2026 will be Duo Costace's 8th season at Arena. And for David Hammarberg it is his 4th season.

6 October 2025

X Circus in Malmö, Sweden. In recent years, you have been able to see three circuses in Sweden: the large Circus Brazil Jack, the medium-sized Circus Olympia and the small Circus Rhodin. In addition, there have been one or more smaller German-owned family circuses on tour in Sweden.

This year, the Swedes have been able to experience another circus: X Circus. It is a medium-sized circus, owned by the Swedish company MJ Entertainment AB. The sisters Michelle Dornseiff and Jasmin Dornseiff Köllner are the persons behind X Circus. During the tour, Jasmin is the daily manager of the circus. Her sister Michelle is not with them.

X Circus started their tour on August 8 in Gothenburg. Since then, they have visited Karlstad, Stockholm and Norrköping. The season ends in Malmö, where they have put up their tent at the parking lot at Jägersro trotting and race course with performances from October 3 to 12.

From the outside, X Circus doesn't look as much. A two-pole tent with a front tent. The only thing that suggests that it is a circus is a lighted sign with the circus name between the poles. No marked entrance, so passersby may well think that it is just some kind of work tent.

X Circus on a rainy day at the lot next to Jägersro trotting and race course

X Circus by night

In the front tent there is a kiosk and ticket sales. The main tent, which probably has a diameter of 26 meters, has 3 rows of plastic chairs with cushions (!) and 4 rows of benches with backrests. The slightly raised ring is square, and the piste is lattice-masted with many mounted spots. The lighting system is absolutely fantastic. Light years better than you would expect in a circus of that size. The music is pre-recorded and more modern than you are used to hearing in a circus. Everything indicates that they are targeting a young audience. It is also a young team that runs X Circus.

   

Inside the tent

There were not many spectators at the performance on Saturday, October 4th at 6 pm. There was also supposed to be a performance at 2 pm, but it was cancelled because of the storm. This may have also affected the number of spectators for the evening performance, even though the storm had passed. It probably didn't make it any easier for X-Circus to be the third circus to visit Malmö within a month.

The low number of spectators is a pity for both the circus and the audience, because X Circus put on a show worth seeing.

The first act was a one-man wheel of death that had been put up before the show began. In its “parked” state, the wheel of death almost reached the tent dome. This meant that the artist Jefferson had to duck when he ran on the outside of the wheel, and that the wild jumps we are used to seeing wheel of death acrobats perform on the outside of the wheel were not possible. Taking this into account, the artist performed what you are used to seeing in a wheel of death. Including walking blindfolded on the outside of the wheel

Jefferson in a wheel of death

The next act was Danish David Sosman, who is both a skilled comedian, juggler and entertainer. His first act offered comedy, music playing bottles, juggling and glass balancing, all performed with humour and good audience contact. He started his act at the audience entrance and ended in the ring.

David Sosman with bottle music and glass balance

The balloon is punctured and the bottle is caught on the stick in the mouth

After a short entrée with the Brazilian clown Mango, Viktoriia Burdeina from Ukraine entered the ring with a nice act in  aerial ring. The number featured, among other things, heel hanging - not something you see every day in this kind of act.

The clown Mango

Viktoriia Burdeina with heel hang in aerial ring

She was followed by Yuchan Iizuka in an excellent act in pole. Yuchan is born in Tokyo, but currently lives in Berlin when she is not on tour. She started as a ballet dancer and graduated from the Ballet School in Hamburg in 2010. Since 2017, she has also worked as an artist, especially with aerial acts.

Yuchan Iizuka in pole

The clown Mango now entered the ring with an entrée that ended with him using a ladder held by someone from the audience to grab a box hanging under the tent dome.

Now Jasmin Dornseiff entered the ring as a foot juggler. She first juggled with scarves and later with large balls. The act ended with a completely original trick, where she used a kind of ball slide to make three balls cascade around herself, see photo.

Jasmin Dornseiff

The first act after the interval was Mango with an entrée, where he walked blindfolded on a tightrope that was laid out on the ring floor.

Mango on a tightrope

Now time had come for David Sosman's main act, where he both bounced and juggled with balls. The act is clearly better than when I saw him a few years ago at the circus festival in Budapest and a nice alternative to the classic tempo juggling act which most circuses offer.

David Sosman

After a short interlude with Mango, Viktoriia Burdeina came back into the ring. Or rather over the ring in an act in tissue, also called aerial silks.

Viktoriia Burdeina in aerial silks

Next, Mango came back with a chair balancing act. At first, I thought it was a comic act. But he actually managed to balance on 6 chairs.

Mango with chair balancing

Now it was time to reunite with Japanese Yuchan Iizuka in what she herself considers her main act: a number in aerial straps, which she calls "Ballet Straps" or "Passion Seduction, Love". A distinguished act that offered something more than just her spinning up under the dome of the tent like other strap artists. For example, she hangs from both her knees and neck during the act.

Yuchan Iizuka

A favourite act among the younger part of the audience is the death globe. And X Circus ended the show with Team Nogueira in the death globe. There were originally supposed to be 3 riders in the globe. But one was injured, so the Malmö audience had to make do with two riders: Jasmin's husband Bira (Ubirajara Nogueira Neto) and his partner Lucien. The globe was probably a little smaller than the "splitting globe" we have seen Diorios perform with in Circus Arena and Circus Brazil Jack.

The Globe of Death

There was no ringmaster, and none of the artists were introduced by name.

Finale

It is never easy to start a new circus. They do not benefit from the goodwill that is attached to the name of the existing businesses. So, the season has probably, perhaps apart from Stockholm, not quite offered the audience Jasmin Dornseiff and her team had hoped for.

Despite the excellent program, X Circus is not a large circus. "We are just a small show that is starting and we just want to do what we love to do. Circus!", Jasmin writes.

3 October 2025

Baldoni's Christmas Circus. For many Danes, a visit to Baldoni's Christmas Circus has become a tradition. This year's performance will premiere in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, on November 15. After that, and until December 14, they will present the performance in a number of indoor arenas on Zealand and the islands Lolland, Falster, Møn and Bornholm.

Just like last year, Mickey Juel Prüssing and Matilde will present the performance as Nis and Nisseline. Circus owner René Baldoni himself will pull on the Santa Claus costume and as a Christmas elf, he will have the Christmas pig Anton Antonius (a ventriloquist doll) on his arm.

The summer season's ringmaster Mickey Juel Prüssing together with Matilde present the performance as Nis and Nisseline. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

In the performance you will also meet Vanessa Alvarez with foot juggling with blankets, the juggler Victor Krachinov and Duo Santus with roller skates and on a bicycle (à la Dennie Enoch). None of them have previously performed in Denmark.
 

Victor Krachinov is brother of the juggler Semen Krachinov, whom the Danes saw in Circus Benneweis in 2013.

You will also meet Gabor Mayer and his breakdancers, who under the name Artist of Dance were with Baldoni in 2024. This year they have spent the summer season with the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack.

One of the three Hungarian breakdancers. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

You will find the tour schedule and link to ticket booking in What’s on.

1 October 2025

Circus Trapez autumn performance. In cooperation with the supermarket Føtex Randers, Circus Trapez will present short circus performances in their tent from October 11 to 19 at 11 & 16:30 next to Føtex on Mariagervej in Randers.

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The performers are Duo Variety with club juggling, foot juggling and ball juggling. They have just received the Circus Roncalli award at the Salieri Circus Award festival in Verona. This means that they will be engaged in one of Roncalli's productions next year. For Christmas they will perform in the German Circus Flic Flac in Bielefeld.

Duo Variety

Furthermore, you will meet Andrei Bocancea and his dogs.

In the air you will meet Pusle Picasso.

Comedy and diabolo Lasse Hassager.

With horse and pony Bernhard Kaselowsky.

Both Duo Variety and Andrei Bocancea were part of Circus Trapez's summer performance.

30 September 2025

Circus Arena visits Greenland with a new spectacular show - now also South Greenland! True to tradition, Circus Arena visits Greenland during the autumn with a special performance. This year they will also visit South Greenland, where the sports halls in Narsaq, Qaqortoq and Nanortalik will be transformed into magical circus arenas. The show is presented by the Greenlandic singer Julie Bertelsen and the TV host Bubber, who will guide the audience through an evening filled with circus joy and great experiences.

A string of international artists awaits in the ring. Experience Duo Costache - award-winning acrobats with impressive strength and balance. The clown Bonbon takes over the ring with his badminton act. A surprising and comical circus act that will make the whole hall laugh. Bonbon and Mrs. Tiina's children Julia & Joakim are an elegant partner couple with energy, charm and close contact with the audience. The young Swedish aerial artist David Hammarberg takes the audience's breath away high under the ceilings of the sports halls. The comedian and contortionist Barto (Bart Van Dyck), who was last time with Circus Arena in 2009, creates smiles and joy for all ages with his warm humor and poetic comedy.

Bubber, who is known from Danish TV, and the singer Julie Berthelsen lead the audience through the performance in both Greenlandic and Danish.

Cirkus Arena visits:

Narsaq September 30 at 6:30 PM

Qaqortoq October 1 at 6:30 PM

Nanortalik October 2 at 6:30 PM

Nuuk October 5 at 2 and 5 PM

Ilulissat October 6 at 6:30 PM

Aasiaat October 7 at 6:30 PM

Sisimiut October 8 at 6:30 PM

26 September 2025

Wallmans Confetti – a international world-class dinnershow in the Copenhagen Circus Building

★★★★★★

"It is without a doubt the best experience I have had at Wallmans. Really good music and show", my eldest son wrote after he saw the show a few weeks ago with my daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, aged 17 and 20 respectively. I completely agree with my son!

Even before you enter the circus building, you can see that something new has happened this year: sculptor Frederik Hammeleff's beautiful stone frieze with racing motifs from ancient Rome and Greece has been cleaned, and a large LED screen has been installed above the entrance, tastefully integrated into the historic building.

   

The circus building with LED screen and the cleaned frieze

Inside the building you will encounter a world of colors and lights. The foyer and bar areas have been given new life in the form of Verner Panton's iconic color and light universe, recreated after his design from 1983. The Danish architect and designer Verner Panton (1926-1998) ranks among the most prominent and innovative designers active during the second half of the 20th century.

The ticket office has been completely redesigned, and the cloakroom and toilets have been updated with modern comfort and quality.

   

From the foyer with Verner Panton's iconic colors and chairs

Bar area and bar

In one of the bar areas there is a large LED screen, which shows photos of the circus building through the years. The older photos are colorized using AI

Inside the hall, there have been no major changes. However, there is new carpeting, and the sound system has been upgraded.

The hall before the show starts

This year's show is built on the same concept as the last many shows: There are six medleys with singers and dancers, three circus artist acts and a Celebration number. But this year, the concept, like the building, has got a huge facelift, which makes this year's show, as my son wrote, the best in many years.

New as hostess is Jasmin Gabay. She was already at Wallmans in 2014 as part of the ensemble. In 2018, she became a finalist in the popular TV-series The Great Danish Bake Off. In 2019, she competed in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix with the song 'Kiss Like This'. This summer, she had great success in Sønderborg Sommer Revy. Now she is back at Wallmans as a hostess. And not just as a hostess, but also as a singer, who quickly puts the hall down with a wonderful Anne Linnet medley. Jasmin is the star of the show!

Anne Linnet is a popular Danish singer, composer and song writer.

Jasmin Gabay is helping to get the atmosphere to the top. Press photo from Wallmans, photographer John Resborn

As in previous years, the show featured 3 circus artists.

The Canadian street artist DynaMike (Michael-Anthony Bonnici-Erichsen) has two entrées, where he gets help from volunteers from the audience and, among other things, juggles with knives and a chainsaw. I especially found his second entrée, where he used a tall unicycle, a bit long-winded. But my son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, who, as mentioned, saw the show a few weeks ago, found him exceptionally funny.

DynaMike. Press photo from Wallmans, photographer John Resborn

Daniel Rosenfeldt was also at Wallmans in the 2019/20 season. That time he showed close-up magic at the tables, and he also had a feature where he played guitar with “fingerstyle” with the guitar lying on his knees. This year he once again shows card tricks etc. at the tables – however, it is not possible for him to visit all the tables. Later in the show he first plays fingerstyle guitar from a platform a little up on the grandstand. Next comes an absolutely fantastic act which he calls orbit juggling or The Star Catcher, where luminous balls dance in the air at a calm pace in a kind of orbit. Hard to describe, but click here to see a 5-year-old promo video for the number. And as the photo below shows,we are talking about physical balls and not just a light effect.

Daniel Rosenfeldt with his orbit balls

Orbit juggling. Press photo from Wallmans, photographer John Resborn

The muscular Dmitriy Karpenko from Ukraine was also at Wallmans in the 2023/24 and 2024/2 seasons, where he performed in aerial straps. This year he showed a completely new entrée in hanging pole, also called hanging perch. An impressive act of a kind that we don't see very often. Maybe a candidate for one of next year's Danish circus awards?

Dmitriy Karpenko in the hanging pole. Press photo from Wallmans, photographer John Resborn

As has been the case in recent years, the singers, dancers and artists were accompanied by a well-playing 4-pieces band. Live music certainly helps to make the show something very special.

One of the medleys is based on some of Robbie Williams' most popular songs. Press photo from Wallmans, photographer John Resborn

During the nearly 4-hour long show, a delicious 4-course menu is served. For those who want to dance after the show, the hall is transformed into a nightclub with a dance floor where the circus ring was during the circus years.

If you plan to visit wonderful Copenhagen you should certainly consider to pay a visit to Wallmans. For more information see https://wallmans.dk/en/

16 September 2025

Motus Teeterboard to China. The Danish circus company Motus Teeterboard has been invited to perform at the Wuqiao International Circus Festival in China – one of the world's largest and most prestigious circus festivals and the Asian version of the circus festival in Monte Carlo. It takes place from September 20 to October 3.

The reason for the invitation is that they under the name X-Board Teeterboard won gold at Cirque du Demain in Paris in January this year. The troupe originally has 5 members. But will have to borrow artists from home and abroad to make it 6, as the act requires.

Motus Teeterboard was founded in 2014 and specializes in teeterboard, a spectacular acrobatics discipline on a seesaw-like construction. The group has previously performed in Denmark, Germany, Iceland, been in Cirque du Soleil – and as mentioned, they most recently won a gold medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris.

They are looking forward to representing Danish circus art on the international stage. It is a purely Danish group.

Another somewhat similar act Scandinavian Boards won a silver clown in Monte Carlo in January. The troupe had a Danish member: Daniel Bendtsen from the Danish contemporary circus company Volantes. Daniel is also going to China with Motus Teeterboard.

By using the teeterboard as a seesaw with a jumping artist at each end, it is possible to do very high jumps, including jumps with somersaults and twists, as well as jumps from one springboard to the other. See photos below of Motus Teeterboard's act.

From the award ceremony at Cirque du Demain. All photos by courtesy of Motus Teeterboard.

5 September 2025

Søren Østergaard annoyed about sale of Zirkus Nemo’s tent. In connection with Aarhus Festival, the Danish actor and comedian perform shortened versions of three of his in Denmark famous entrées:

The Man Who Can't Flute

The Smashman

Baker Jorgen

Despite his illness (Parkinson's disease), he is funny on stage. But in an interview with the Danish internet tabloid BT he says that there is not much to be amused about. Despite a state subsidy of DKK 800,000, his Zirkus Nemo went bankrupt earlier this year. Søren Østergaard had chosen a model where Zirkus Nemo was run as a limited liability company, which was both responsible for the operation and owned all the equipment. Other circuses have chosen a model where the equipment belongs to a holding company and the operation is in a subsidiary of the holding company.

The model that Søren Østergaard had chosen meant that the trustee in bankruptcy had to sell the equipment as good as possible and do so fairly quickly, so that the bankruptcy estate could be liquidated with the greatest possible dividend to the creditors. As mentioned earlier on this page, the best bid came from a company owned by the Berdino family from Circus Arena. They bought the equipment to keep what they could use themselves and resell the rest. Among the items already resold is Zirkus Nemo's tent, which has been sold to a buyer in England.

Søren Østergaard did not have the money to buy the tent himself, but believes that the trustee or buyer should have given him time to try to get something going in order to buy his circus tent back. Before the bankruptcy, he had planned to do a number of farewell performances in his circus this year. But this was stopped by the bankruptcy.

According to BT, Søren Østergaard has not put his circus dream on the shelf. He wants to launch a new Zirkus Nemo. He has an idea to do it in a different way, because he cannot sustain the same amount of work as before.

The reason for the bankruptcy was that Zirkus Nemo's expenses were far greater than the income, among other things because the number of spectators was declining. The trustee in a bankruptcy estate is the creditors' man. As mentioned, he must sell the assets as good as possible. If the company's previous owner wants to buy something, he must make a concrete offer, and Søren Østergaard did not do that. And there is nothing odious about a buyer reselling the purchased equipment.

But it is of course not easy to see your life's dream fall into ruins. Or to understand why it happens.

As it says in the song There's No Business Like Show Business: “The opening when your heart beats like a drum. The closing when the customers don't come”.

Zirkus Nemo in Køge July 19, 2024. The tent is a 4-mast Cannobio tent from 2016 and had room for 588 spectators in Zirkus Nemo's setup. The tent has now been sold to a buyer in England.

26 August 2025

 Public support to Danish circuses. In connection with the awarding of Danish circus awards on August 15, the Danish Minister of Culture Jacob Engel-Schmidt said that the government's proposal for a finance act included support for Danish circuses. MP Anders Kronborg has now revealed what can be expected. He tells Avisen Danmark that the circus industry will receive support for a minimum of a three-year period with a total of five million DKK per year. 5 million DKK is equivalent to approximately 670,000 Euro. The money will be given to Circus Arena, Circus Baldoni, Circus Arli, Circus Krone, Circus Mascot and Circus Trapez.

"We are very happy and grateful," says Martin Arli, chairman of the Danish Circus Directors' Association.

Circus Arena writes (my translation):

"For us, circus has always been one of the finest forms of culture: we bring generations together for a shared experience, we show what seems impossible, but becomes humanly possible through dedication, talent and hard work - and we bring it all to cities across the country. But circus is also a costly art form. The production of a major performance with the best artistry and the nationwide tour to 105 cities requires enormous resources. The fact that circus is now recognized in line with other major cultural institutions and receives solid support for the next three years is a huge step - both for us and for audiences throughout Denmark."

Circus Baldoni writes (my translation)

"The fact that circus is now recognized in line with other major cultural institutions gives us new energy - and we are more than ready to put up the tent for a season filled with celebration, enchantment and fantastic artists!"

The Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, writes (my translation):

"It is a recognition of the value of circus art and culture, and it is a good help in a time when running a circus certainly requires something different than just 20 years ago."

In 2024, the government gave the 6 circuses mentioned above and the now closed Zirkus Nemo support of five million kroner from the cultural distribution funds. Circus Krone received a basic subsidy, while the remaining six circuses received money in proportion to how many tickets they sold in 2023. This is probably the same distribution key that will continue. "But the important thing is that we can send a signal to the circuses that we are allocating money to them. That they know that the government is ready to support Danish circus as an art form and something that we recognize as an important cultural heritage and cultural institution in Denmark," Anders Kronborg tells Avison Danmark (my translation).

Anders Kronborg with the chairman of the Danish Circus Directors' Association, Martin Arli. Photo from 2022, where Anders Kronborg received the Effort Prize from the Danish Circus Award. Anders Kronborg, who in his youth helped starting a children's and youth circus in Esbjerg, has always spoken out for the circuses, both in connection with his work in the Danish Parliament and in the media. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

26 August 2025

Circus Trapez at Bellahøj Fair in Copenhagen. Just like in 2025, Michael Deutsch, who is the person arranging the Bellahoj Fair, has booked Cirkus Trapez to show short performances in a small tent when the autumn fair is held from September 5 to 7. The performers are:

Katja Enoch with Cirkus Trapez' ponies.

Her son Joseph with diabolo.

The calculating horse, which is presented by Pusle Lund Larsen

Aerial ring, also with Pusle

Nandor Varadi as juggler and with a plate spinning act

On Friday the clown Knud

Saturday and Sunday the clown Njetski

Cirkus Trapez ends the summer season on September 14 in Vejen.

During the autumn holidays from Saturday October 11 to Sunday October 19, Cirkus Trapez has a collaboration with Føtex Supermarket in Randers, where they every day present short performances in a tent.

The performers in Randers are

Duo Variety Juggling, foot juggling and ball juggling

Andrei with Dogs

Bernhard Frederik and the ponies

Bernhard Kaselowsky with fire.

Jasmin Nørgaard, tissue and trapeze

Joseph Enoch, diabolo

Isabella Enoch hopes that the clown Gabor can also be there before he goes back to the USA to perform. But they still have not got the dates when Gabor will begin rehearsals in USA.

Andrei Bocancea and his dogs have presented an elegant act in this year's summer performance, where he combined acrobatics with dog tricks. People from Randers can experience him in the autumn performance at Føtex.

26 August 2025

A good season for Circus Arena. They write (my translation):

The last circus performance is over; the last popcorn has been eaten – and we look back on an absolutely fantastic 70th anniversary season. More than 120,000 people has shared the magic with us in 2025.

We can't wait to welcome you back in 2026, when Circus Arena celebrates another milestone as the leading circus in Denmark.

In 2026, we will once again do out very best when we celebrate Hanne and Benny Berdino's 50th anniversary as a management couple. No circus director in the Nordic region has previously been in charge of a circus for half a century – and we are celebrating this with a new, spectacular performance.

Benny Berdino took over the management of Circus Arena when his father Arne Berdino Olsen died suddenly and unexpectedly

on Midsummer's Day 1976. That same evening, 29-year-old Benny Berdino was in the ring as circus director.

24 August 2025

Circus Olympia in Malmö, Sweden. Sweden's second-largest circus is visiting Malmö from September 1 to 4. They offer an international circus performance with more animals than you have experienced in a Danish circus this year. They are the only Swedish circus to have a live circus band. There are the following performances in the Malmö area:

Malmö at Ribbersborg September 1 at 6 pm

Malmö at Ribbersborg September 2 at 4 pm

Malmö at Bunkeflostrand September 4 at 6 pm

There is a bridge/tunnel from Copenhagen to Malmö for both cars and trains. Train service from Copenhagen Central Station at least twice an hour.

They write (my translation): Circus Olympia presents a brand new 2-hour international circus performance for the whole family. Skilled acrobats, funny clowns, beautiful horses and dogs and a circus band. Clown Tumpy from Chile, aerial acrobat Frida Evelina Persson from Sweden, BMX Stunts with JanShow from Ukraine, juggler Rafael Gil from Mexico, springboard acrobats Family Guerrero, breathtaking trapeze artist Ester Viljanen from Finland and singer and guitarist Paul Szabó from Hungary are some of this year's exciting artists.

A warm welcome to this year's circus adventure!

BMX Stunts with JanShow. Press photo. Photographer Emelie Kindblad

Director Niklas Bengstsson with pony. Press photo: Photographer Emelie Kindblad

If you book a ticket online and enter the discount code Olympia25 in the "To you with discount code" field, you will get a SEK 20 discount on each ticket by choosing Vuxen Rabatt or Barn Rabatt. And remember, that SEK is cheap! A seat on the 1st parkette (the location many circus fans prefer) costs 310 SEK after discount, equivalent to approx. 28 Euro.

Link to ticket booking: https://www.nortic.se/ticket/organizer/1316

22 August 2025

René Mønster Baldoni turns 60. On Saturday, August 23, CEO and circus owner René Mønster Baldoni of Circus Baldoni, turns 60. After finishing school, René got an apprenticeship in a municipality. However, he had a dream of making a living as a magician. For this reason, he took a job at Circus Arena after finishing his apprenticeship. He was with Arena from 1986 to 1994 and worked partly as a business manager and partly for a few seasons as a magician under the stage name Ron Marvin. However, he would rather have his own, and in 1995 he established a children's theater and in 1998 the touring business the Circus Theatre. The Circus Theatre was an innovation within circus and theater. The two forms were combined and spiced up with music, and the performance had a coherent plot. Originally, the performances were more children's theater than circus, even though they included several circus acts. Over time, however, the performances became broader and had more circus elements.

After the summer tour in 2001, René Baldoni changed the concept and the name now became Cirkus Baldoni. Since then, Circus Baldoni, which today can be called a medium-sized business, has toured Zealand. Since 2007, Cirkus Baldoni has ended the season with guest performances in a number of indoor arenas on the Faroe Islands. However, the visit has been abandoned this year.

Until 2021, René Baldoni presented the performances himself, assisted by the ventriloquist puppet the cheeky lion Leonardo.

From 2021 onwards, he chose to leave the task of ringmaster to others.

Baldoni’s Christmas Circus was established in 2006, where they had performances in a tent in Copenhagen from November 30 to December 30. The program was good, but far too few spectators came. In 2007, René Baldoni dropped the idea of a Christmas circus in a tent and instead created Christmas circuses in a number of Zealand sport centres etc. The same concept was used in 2008. In 2009, there were no public Christmas performances, as they just presented sold performances in shopping centres etc. In 2010, there were a few performances on Zealand, before visiting the Faroe Islands from December 16 to 19. From 2011 to 2014, apart from two performances at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, there were only sold performances for institutions and schools and Christmas tree events for companies and associations. In 2015 and 2016, there were a few public performances. Since 2017, Baldoni's Christmas Circus has been presented in a number of indoor arenas on Zealand and the islands. For many Danes a visit to Baldoni's Christmas Circus has become a regular Christmas tradition.

In 2022, René Baldoni published the book Tænk stort – mindre kan ikke gøre det (Think Big – Less Can't Do It) where he tells about his path to creating his own circus and shares his own life experiences about creating the life he wants.

The birthday with the round figure will be spent in Virum, Copenhagen, where Circus Baldoni will have a performance at 2 pm on the lot at the end of Furesø Parkvej.

15 August 2025               

The Danish Circus Award 2025.

The Danish Circus Award 2025 was on 15 August by the Danish Minister of culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt given to Bubber, ringmaster in Circus Arena. The talent prize was given to Gabriel Dell’acqua from Circus Arena. The prize for the best act of the year was given to Quincy Azzario from Circus Baldoni. The effort prize was given to theatre director Kasper Holten.

Today, the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt presented the Danish circus and artist world’s most prestigious award, the Danish Circus Award, to Bubber.

Bubber together with the Danish minister of culture. All photos press photos from  the Danish Circus Award.

Children know him as the well-mannered ringmaster in Circus Arena. Their parents remember him from the children’s TV programs Bubber’s Bathtub and Snorre Snups Sunday Club, as well as from documentary programs such as Denmark according to Bubber and Bubber and B.S.

Bubber got his circus debut in 1991, when Circus Arena in the 2nd part of the performance presented circus under water and Bubber came sailing into the water filled ring in his bathtub. He was ringmaster in Circus Arena until 1998. Then followed a break in terms of circus. In 2006, Bubber hosted TV2's series Sådan Cirkus, which gave a number of aspiring amateurs the opportunity to test their talent in a circus ring. The same year, he hosted the entertainment series Circus! Circus!, where TV2's viewers followed eight well-known Danes who were apprenticed as circus artists. The series was recorded at Circus Benneweis, but Bubber was not part of the regular performances at Benneweis.

In 2019, Bubber returned to Circus Arena. He was also supposed to have been with them in 2020 and 2021, but the corona meant that the performances were cancelled. But since 2022, it has once again been the always bubbly and cheerful Bubber. who has presented the performance. In 2022 and 2023 together with Julie Berthelsen and in 2024 and 2025 together with Malene Qvist.

Previous recipients of the Danish Circus Award:

1968 Albert Schumann

1969 Eli Benneweis

2016 Benny Berdino

2017 Søren Østergaard

2018 Martin Arli

2019 Benny Schumann

2022 Katja Schumann

2023 Marianne Deleuran

2024 Freddi Steckel

The talent prize of the year was given to Gabriel Dell’acqua from Circus Arena.

Gabriel Dell’acqua together with Hvidovre’s mayor Anders Wolf Andresen   

In Circus Arena's anniversary performance, you met the 15-year-old acrobat Gabriel Dell'acqua, who shows a very strong handstand act, which also features hand jumps up from platforms that form a kind of staircase. Night after night he receives well-deserved spontaneous standing ovation. In 2022, he won gold at the European Youth Circus festival in Wiesbaden. His parents are former circus artists. However, they have now dedicated themselves to being there for their son's ambitions to be one of the world's absolute best handstand artists.

The prize for the best act of the year went to Quincy Azzario from Circus Baldoni

Quincy together with Niels Chr. Hansen from the Rold Museum Circus association and Lotte Ramsing from Danish Circus Friends Association

Quincy Azzario is daughter of the clown José Michel and Mrs. Giulia. Years ago, Quincy and her sister Katie had a fantastic handstand act, the Azzario Sisters, which in 2012 brought them a silver clown at the Monte Carlo circus festival. The duo disbanded when Katie got married. Quincy continued with her solo act with handstands, but also took part in other acts. In 2023, Quincy, together with René Casselly Junior and his sister Merrylu, received a gold clown in Monte Carlo for their "pas de trois" on horseback. In this year's performance at Circus Baldoni, she shows her beautiful and fast-paced handstand act. Her final trick is one we have never seen a female artist perform before: the famous Encho trick, where she stands in a handstand on a stack of brick-shaped blocks and pushes them away to land on the handstand bars with her hands. Fantastic. And with no less than 8 bricks, which probably earned her a Guinness record.

Benny Berdino, Kasper Holten and Martin Arli, chairman of the Danish Circus Owner’s Assiciation

The effort prize was given to theatre director Kaspar Holten. Kasper Holten has been CEO at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen since 2018. He has previously been opera director at the Royal Danish Theatre (2000-2011) and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Opera in London (2011-2017).

The award ceremonies took place in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen.

From the Fencing Hall

Click here to see Jacob Boas Leitisstein’s photos

11 August 2025

Wallmans' new dinner show in the Copenhagen Circus Building. When Wallmans opens its doors to their new dinner show Konfetti on August 29, the evening's hostess is singer and artist Jasmin Gabay. She replaces Danish drag queen Megan Moore, who has held the position for the past few seasons. Jasmin Gabay was with Wallmans 10 years ago as a member of the ensemble. She became nationally known in Denmark when she reached the final of the DR tv’s hit The Great Bake Off in 2018. The following year she was part of the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. Earlier this year she was one of the actors in the Sønderborg Sommer Revy Show and received great applause night after night.

Jasmin Gabay. Foto fra Wallmans

About the new show, Wallmans writes:

Get ready for … Music that gets you on your feet

From goosebump-inducing ballads to wild beats — we reinterpret some of today’s biggest artists. Look forward to an exhilarating Robbie Williams medley featuring hits like Let Me Entertain You and Angels, a journey through Anne Linnet’s unique musical universe, a cool country medley with both classics and new favorites — and a blast of British pop hits from legends like Take That, Spice Girls, and Phil Collins.

Daring acrobatics, dance, and circus magic. Expect the unexpected as our incredible performers deliver high-flying acrobatics, stunning choreography, and spectacular artistry.

This year's artists are: Dmitriy Karpenko, Daniel Rosenfeldt and Michael-Anthony Bonnici-Erichsen

This will be the muscle-swelling Ukrainian artist Dmitriy Karpenko's third season at Wallmans. In the 2023/24 season he performed in tissue and aerial ring. In the 2024/25 season he performed in aerial straps. In the upcoming season he will present a completely new act.

Dmitriy in aerial straps. Press photo from Wallmans 2024. Photographer: John Resborn.

Daniel Rosenfeldt was at Wallmans in the 2019/20 season. A season that had to be interrupted prematurely due to the corona. He was born in South Africa, but has lived in Denmark for several years, where he has, among other things, participated in one of Rune Klan's shows, just as he has been in Denmark's Got Talent. In addition to close-up magic at the tables, he shows tricks on stage in the middle of the old circus ring, as well as performing “orbit juggling”, where luminous balls dance in the air.

Michael-Anthony Bonnici-Erichsen is new to Wallmans. He is also known as DynaMike and has, among other things, worked as a street performer and street clown and has performed at the international street theater festival. He was born in Canada, but lives in Denmark. Since 1996, he has delivered more than 5,000 live comedy stunt shows to all kinds of events; everything from festivals, art exhibitions, school and university parties and almost every conceivable private and public event in more than 30 countries around the world.

This year's guests to Wallmans will also experience a completely renovated building. Wallmans and the building's owner Balder Danmark A/S have recreated Verner Panton's iconic color and light universe in the foyer areas. They have modernized the foyer, cloakrooms, bars, toilets and ticket sales and restored the facade and the iconic Alexander frieze. At the same time, they have upgraded the technology, acoustics and ventilation.

The theatre hall has new carpet and dance floor as well as a new beautiful rig in the ceiling.

8 August 2025

The Scandinavian circus season 2025 is soon over. The Danish, Swedish and Norwegian circuses will soon be ending their seasons. So, hurry up if you want to see this year's performances.

Tiny Danish Circus Krone will end its season on August 16 in Herskind. Circus Arli will end its season on August 18 in Sengeløse. A week later, on August 25, Circus Arena will end its season in Sorø. Circus Baldoni will have the last tent performance of the year on September 3 in the winter quarters in Ulstrup. Circus Mascot, which plays in sport centres etc., will have teir last performance of the year on October 19 in its hometown of Roslev. Circus Trapez has not yet announced a date for the end of its 2025 season.

The Swedish Circus Olympia, which is the Nordic circus with the most animals in its performance, ends its season in Klippan on September 14. From September 1 to 3, you can see them in Malmö at Ribbersborg by Funkisbadet. Sweden's largest circus Brazil Jack ends its season in Malmö, where there are performances at the Mill Square from September 18 to 21.

In Norway, the stationary Circus Jesper ends its season on August 10. Circus Agora will probably end its season on August 21 in Kongsvinger and Cirkus Arnardo on September 7 in Oslo. Cirkus Merano has not yet announced a date for the end of the season, but they will at least be on tour until August 31.

8 August 2025

Circus in Denmark for 25 years. “Why don’t we make a website about circus?” asked my youngest son Lars in the summer of 2000. Lars, who works with IT, also offered to take care of the practicalities. During the summer, we had the website created with a long list of facts about Danish circuses, etc., as well as a few news items. The very first news items were posted online on August 13, 2000. It read:

For the fifth year in row The International Clown Festival was held 7 - 13 August at Dyrehavsbakken (Denmark's oldest amusement park, north of Copenhagen). 12 world-class clowns participated in the festival. Benny Schumann is the man behind the Clown Festival. The clown Francesco Caroli (born 1922 and this year celebrating his 60th year as a white face clown) was awarded the Charlie Rivel award. In 1998 the great Russian Clown Oleg Popov received this honorary price. In 1999 it went to Konrad Thur.

“You should be happy if you get 10 visitors before Christmas”, teased my eldest son Morten.

But before Christmas there had been almost 1,000 visits to the site, which, unlike the clown festival, has survived. In recent years with well over 20,000 visitors per year. Where the site's focus was originally facts about the individual circuses, the focus today is the news page, which is normally updated every Saturday. It is possible to find all the news that has been posted on the site over the years. See the bottom of the Circus News.

3 August 2015

The Danish Circus Award 2025 - nominations

The following are nominated for the talent award of the year:

ZANYA ABELGREN, Circus Mascot.

GABRIEL DELL’ACQUA, Circus Arena.

GLENN FOLCO, Circus Arli

The following are nominated for the best act of the year:

QUINCY AZZARIO, Circus Baldoni.

STEVEN FERRERI, Circus Arena

DUO SILVER POWER, Circusland

This year's award ceremony will take place on Friday, August 15 at 12:30 in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copenhagen, with the participation of the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt. Everyone is welcome.

About the nominees

ZANYA ABELGREN. Over the years, there have been many Danish female trapeze stars. La Norma, Gretha Frisk, Conny Hende and Isabella Enoch to name a few. There are still young Danish girls who perform with talent on the trapeze. One of them is Zanya Abelgren, who can be seen in this year's performance at Circus Mascot. She is a clear talent that we can expect a lot from in the future. The season at Circus Mascot is Zanya's first season with a touring circus. The 24-year-old Zanya does not get her talent from strangers: her mother is the actress Jenny Abelgren, and her father is René from Circus Baldoni.

GABRIEL DELL’ACQUA. In Circus Arena's anniversary performance, you will meet the 15-year-old acrobat Gabriel Dell'acqua, who shows a very strong handstand act, which also features hand jumps up from platforms that form a kind of staircase. Night after night he receives well-deserved spontaneous standing ovation. In 2022, he won gold at the European Youth Circus festival in Wiesbaden. His parents are former circus artists. However, they have now dedicated themselves to being there for their son's ambitions to be one of the world's absolute best handstand artists.

QUINCY AZZARIO is daughter of the clown José Michel and Mrs. Giulia. Years ago, Quincy and her sister Katie had a fantastic handstand act, the Azzario Sisters, which in 2012 brought them a silver clown at the Monte Carlo circus festival. The duo disbanded when Katie got married. Quincy continued with his solo act with handstands, but also took part in other acts. In 2023, Quincy, together with René Casselly Junior and his sister Merrylu, received a gold clown for their "pas de trois" on horseback. In this year's performance at Circus Baldoni, she shows her beautiful and fast-paced handstand act. Her final trick is one we have never seen a female artist perform before: the famous Encho trick, where she stands in a handstand on a stack of brick-shaped blocks and pushes them away to land on the handstand bars with her hands. Fantastic. And with no less than 8 bricks, which probably earned her a Guinness record.

STEVEN FERRERI is 23 years old and the son of Miguel Ferreri, who in his youth was one of the world's best tightrope walkers. Miguel died in 2023. He was only 58 years old, but had been training with Steven for many years. Steven has inherited his father's talent. And like his father, Steven, with his Spanish temperament, masters both skipping, jumping over obstacles and both the backward and the very difficult forward somersault. With his incomparable talent, he challenges gravity and impresses with phenomenal and nerve-wracking tightrope walking.

GLENN FOLCO. Bettina and Martin Arli fell for 29-year-old Glenn Folco when they saw him in the famous Cirque d'Hiver in Paris last year. They managed to persuade him to take a season with Circus Arli, even though he usually performs in much larger circuses. At Arli, he shows a number where he juggles tennis rackets. There are other jugglers who use tennis rackets, but it has been many years since we have seen someone who does it with the same talent and charisma as Glenn Folco. In addition to the tennis act, he shows a great act in Chinese pole.

DUO SILVER POWER comes from Hungary. In Circusland this year they show an impressive adagio act in a great interplay between masculine strength and feminine grace. The two acrobats Anita & Krisztian previously showed the act as a living statue act, where they were smeared all over their bodies with silver bronze mixed with "diamond dust". In Circusland they show their impressive act in silver-coloured costumes. For the act they received a gold medal at the Cirque Auvergne Rhone-Alpes Festival in 2024.

29 July 2025

Circus Solvej is a very small Danish cicus with a tent just seating 60 persons. Jørgen Lorenzen saw their performance on July 27 at 3 p.m. Not in their tent, but in the Riding House next to the Circus Museum in Rold. Jorgen writes (my translation):

Around 100 people had taken their seats in the traditional and atmospheric riding house. Circus Solvej was visiting. And the 2-hour long performance – with 5 artists and a number of animals, both real and artificial – became a long, festive parade with features that revealed deep respect for and love for the old circus culture.

The director is Victor Abrahamsen. Among other places he received his “circus education” during an internship at Circus Mascot and with Katja Schumann and Luffe Bøgh at the Circus Farm in Løkken. A perfect start for anyone who wants to be in the circus. He is not yet a full-time circus director, but has a job as leisure time teacher during the off-season.

At the beginning, philosophical words rang out from the loudspeakers: “Some dream of winning – some dream of living – and some dream of the circus”.

Both Victor Abrahamsen and the chairman of the museum association, Niels Chr. Hansen, welcomed the audience. The latter said that the performance had been made possible thanks to a donation from The Savings Bank Denmark.

Victor Høeg Abrahamsen calls himself Denmark’s youngest circus director. He currently works as assisting leisure time teacher at school in Hirtshals. But for 4 weeks during the summer holidays, he tours with his tiny circus Solvej. All photos are smartphone photos, taken by Jørgen Lorenzen

And then the performance began. The ventriloquist Preben Palsgaard had received a package with a carnivorous plant from Grenaa, or was it New Guinea? The plant could bite, scold and show its teeth. However, it was tamed and sent back to the pet shop.

Preben Palsgaard and the talking and carnivorous plant

The director entered the ring with the pony Mattias, It's always funny when animals act as if they had human intelligence (even if animal rights activists protest!) It could clean the table – and clean the table when rye bread was put to it. It could sit comfortably in an armchair and tease Victor.

Victor and his pony.

Then the juggler Jonas Alich came with a poetic number with rings – almost a dance number, where he pointed out that rings consist of a radius with a hole through it.

Bettina (Bettina Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) had a live dog that was transformed into a hot dog, but without suffering any harm. And then a number with pigeons, where the pigeons were not transformed into roast pigeons.

And again, a philosophical comment: “Circus sneaks into the body, in the movement, in the breath. This is not a farewell to the old circus – but a thank you”

Frida (Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) is a young talent in aerial acrobatics – with a great career ahead of her. Her first act was acrobatics in a large, rotating snail, while her grandfather stood outside the ring playing the guitar and singing a song with the lyrics: We believe in better times. Yes, thank you, also better times for the circus!

After the break came a version of the old clown show: Don’t play music here, where Victor blew the trumpet. And an old, shaky man wandered into the ring, but gradually he threw off his mask and behind the facade was Frida.

And again, an interaction between Victor and a pony, and again a pony that thought and behaved like a human being who – of course – is smarter than real people. Preben Palsgard showed his actwith the two talking, lovelorn shoes before Bettina put out a fire in her hair.

Jonas Alich juggled with diabolo props, Preben conjured up animals and sang along with them.

Jonas Alich with diabolo

The final act was Frida's main act: a beautiful act in the ring trapeze. The act was performed with strength, confidence and elegance - such that the professional artist would probably characterize the act as fully developed, and that means ready for the big arenas out in the big world.

Frida in the ring trapeze. Due to the low tent height in the circus Solvej's small tent, she does not show this act in the tent performance

Understandably, mother Bettina ended the performance with a tribute song to her daughter, who was sitting at her feet.

Circus history was written in the finale. Preben Palsgaard entered the ring, paid tribute to Victor Abrahamsen, who was visibly moved when he was handed the whistle that Bent Soelberg used for many years in Circus Arena when he whistled to start the performances.

In short: a rich, beautiful and festive performance with only 5 performers. Circus for everyone, both children and adults. Circus that had its hands in the old circus culture, but which still seemed modern - and reminds us that the circus is timeless. We are so lucky to be allowed to see that the tradition is carried on, and some are even luckier: they become carriers of the tradition.

Victor and his 4 artists

25 July 2025

The Danish Circus Award 2025. This year's award ceremony will take place on Friday, August 15 at 12:30 in the Fencing Hall at the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, Copehagen, with the participation of the Danish Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt.

4 awards will be awarded:

• THE HONORARY AWARD "THE DANISH CIRCUS AWARD"

• THE TALENT PRIZE

• THE PRIZE FOR THE BEST ACT OF THE YEAR

• THE EFFORT PRIZE

The jury nominates three artists/acts for the talent prize and three artists/acts for the prize for the best act of the year.

Nominations are not made for the honorary award and the effort prize.

The jury for the Circus Award consists of actor and stage director Jan Hertz, chairman of the Circus House Museum Association Niels Chr. Hansen, and Ole Simonsen, who has a past as artistic advisor to Circus Benneweis and is editor of cirkus-dk. Ole is also chairman of the jury.

This year, members of the jury have visited

Cirkus Arena

Cirkus Arli

Cirkus Baldoni

Cirkus Krone

Cirkus Mascot

Cirkus Solvej

Cirkus Trapez

Cirkusland

Cirkusgården in Løkken

Circus of Torment

Volantes

Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building

The visits have offered many wonderful experiences and many good artists who could deserve the pat on the back that a nomination for one of this year's circus prizes is. But the jury has to make a choice.

The names of the nominees will be announced on Monday, August 4.

The photo below is from the award ceremony in 2016, where the award ceremonies were resumed after a break of 47 years. This year is the 10th time that awards are given. The first two times – 1968 and 1969 – just an honorary award was given. When the award giving resumed in 2016, a talent prize and a prize for the best act of the year were also given. Since 2017, an effort award has also been given. Due to corona, there were no awards in 2020 and 2021.

Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

23 July 2025

X-Circus on tour in Sweden. In August, another circus will go on a tented tour in Sweden. It comes from Germany and calls itself X-Circus. It is run by a company registered in Sweden, MJ Entertainment AB, based in Älvsered. Sisters Michelle Dornseiff and Jasmin Dornseiff Köllner are the persons behind X-Circus. According to the German circus magazine Circus Zeitung, the equipment comes from Kalli Köllner, who has toured in Germany under the name Circus Corelli. Kalli Köllner junior is also participating in the Swedish venture. It will be a short tour starting in Gothenburg on August 8 and then continuing to Karlstad, Stockholm and Norrköping. The season ends in Malmö, where they will play at the lot at Jägersro Racecourse from October 3 to 12.

The approximately 2-hour long performance will feature, among other things, the wheel of death and the globe of death. Jasmin says:

We have a lot of South American artists who are performing the Globe of death (Team Nogueira) wheel of death (as well Team Nogueira), Danish David Sosman with juggling, Japanese Yuchan Iizuka with strap act and pole, myself Jasmin with foot juggling. 4 dancers. You can also mention perhaps that X circus was already 2009/2010 in Ruhr and in 2010 in Unna. My father Kalli Köllner did the show together with Hartmund Hofmeister from Circus Travados.

The sisters Michelle and Jasmin Dornseiff spent their young years with Swedish Circus Maximum, where their stepfather Anton Frank was the head animal trainer. After Circus Maximum closed at the end of 2017, Jasmin studied for three years at the artist school in Berlin. This was followed by an international tour with her husband and performances with globe of death and foot juggling. They have appeared in German productions such as Afrika Afrika and Classic Circus. Michelle stayed in Sweden and studied technology at Falkenbergs High School, followed by university studies in event management at Borås University. During her studies, she completed a training place as an event manager at World of Volvo in Gothenburg. Together with her mother Silke Dornseiff and stepfather Anton Frank, she has run Franks Äventyrspark, an amusement park located 10 minutes' drive from the well-known shopping centre Gekås in Ullared.

X-circus should not be confused with Circus X, which focuses on LGBTQ+ artists.

X-circus presents the show as follows (my translation):

Innovative Circus Entertainment.

X CIRCUS is a completely new type of live entertainment in Sweden.

An extreme and adrenaline-filled circus show that combines motocross stunts, dance elements, the Wheel of Death and the spectacular Globe of Death in a pulse-raising stage concept.

The show is created to give the entire audience – children, adults, families and companies – an unforgettable evening filled with excitement, laughter and community.

We tour Gothenburg, Karlstad, Stockholm, Norrköping and Malmö in a specially built circus tent equipped with modern technology for sound and visual effects.

With X CIRCUS we want to bring people together through spectacular entertainment that touches, engages and creates memories for life.

In a time when more and more entertainment is going digital – and where the cost of family activities is rising – we want to offer a new concept: a physical, live show full of energy, adrenaline and joy, at a price that everyone can afford. Now we are combining our unique experiences and passion for entertainment to realize our lifelong dream and create magical experiences for the Swedish audience.

18 July 2025

Bonbon turns 60.

On Sunday, July 20, Lasse Nørager, better known as the clown Bonbon, turns 60. Lasse grew up in Værløse. His father Arne was a music teacher at KDAS, Copenhagen Day and Evening Seminary in Skovlunde, and his mother Nina was a school teacher. Lasse was very interested in music and at the age of 9 joined the Tivoli Guard, where he became a janissary. In this connection, he met former artists who now had jobs as inspectors, etc. in Tivoli. When he was in 10th grade, he came home and told his parents that he could sign a contract with a small Swedish circus, Circus Regal. Lasse had sent Circus Regal a video with his acts, and they included juggling, magic, fakir and clown acts. His parents knew what Lasse was passionate about and gave him the green light. In this way, Lasse started his artistic career at only 16 years old.

Later, Lasse joined Cirkus Finlandia in Finland. It was during this tour that he met his wife Tiina in 1986. The first time we saw Lasse in a Danish circus was in Circus Benneweis in 1992, where he was a run-in clown and together with Tiina showed the now famous badminton entrée. In 1993, Lasse “Bonbon” was back in Circus Benneweis. In 1999, he performed for the first time in Circus Arena, and from 2001 to 2009, he and Tiina toured every summer season with Arena, where Bonbon not only clowned, but also took care of sound and lighting, etc. Since then, the couple has been in the large Finnish Cirkus Finlandia for several seasons. In the winter seasons, Bonbon and Tiina have performed in other circuses in Europe. Among other places they have performed in Europe's largest circus, Circus Krone, which gives performances in the circus building in Munich in the winter season. In January 2007, Bonbon performed at the Circus Festival in Monte Carlo, where he received one of the special prizes.

In recent years, Lasse Nørager has been the artistic director of Circus Jesper in Kristiansand Zoo in Norway. In addition, Lasse Nørager has helped both Circus Arena and other circuses with a number of tasks in connection with the start of the season.

When the family is not on tour, they live in Slangerup north of Copenhagen. But the birthday is spent in Kristiansand.

Lasse Nørgager in civilian clothes

5 x Bonbon

From Bonbon's mimic entrance with the suitcase

Whoa, there's fire in the thumb...

18 July 2025

Circus Arena to the Faroe Islands. As mentioned on this website 19 June Circus Baldoni has dropped this year's visit to the Faroe Islands, which they have visited every year since 2007. But the Faroe Island will be visited by a larger circus: Cirkus Arena has decided to have performance in an arena in Torshavn on September 6th and 7th. Among the performers is the top act from this year's performance in Circus Landino in Circusland: Duo Silver Power. Furthermore, the audience will meet, among others, the clowns Bonbon and Don Christian, Los Ortiz with their wheel of death and the diabolo master Pierre Marchand. The latter will be remembered by the Danish audience from Circus Arena 2017, where he was among the nominees for the award for the best act of the year from the Danish Circus Award.

Duo Silver Power

Don Christian in Cirkusland in 2017

Los Ortiz with wild jumps on the wheel of death wheel. Photo from this year's Arena performance

Pierre Marchand in Cirkus Arena 2017. Photo: Rud Kofoed / Ajour Press

The venue is the brand-new multi-arena Við Tjarnir, which is the Faroe Islands' new gathering place for sporting and cultural events. The new arena is financed by Tórshavn Municipality, the Lagtinget, the Danish Parliament and the Betri Foundation, among others. The A.P. Møller Foundation has supported the construction with 25 DKK. The capacity for performances as Circus Arena is 2,500 spectators.

The Faroe Islands are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

In early October, Circus Arena will as usually visit Greenland.

16 July 2025

Small program changes in Danish Circus Krone. At the premiere in Hovedgaard on May 17, the performers consisted of Frank Thierry, his mother Irene Thierry, the clown Allando and the artist couple Aurelie Brua and Sacha Yenivatov, who were also wit Circus Krone in 2024. All with different entrées than last year. You also met the juggler Kasparas Bujanauskis, who juggled cigar boxes, clubs The first five mentioned are still part of the child-friendly performance. But Kasparas Bujanauskis has been replaced by two young students from the artist school in Budapest. They will now for the first time try their luck in a circus ring learn a little about how to present their acts. On of them, Daniel, juggles balls and rings. The other young man, Zsolt, does ladder balance and also juggled a little while standing on top of the ladder. Daniel in particular had good audience contact.

Daniel and Zsolt

"A real family performance, and it was all in all a wonderful experience at Circus Krone - which is known for doing circus with heart," wrote Joan Dansberg on Facebook.

Incidentally, Irene Thierry can celebrate her 75th artist anniversary this year. Joan Dansberg's well-written book about Irene's life, Jeg er født optimist with a lot of photos can be purchased at the bookstore. If you visit Circus Krone, you can also buy the book when Irene sells small posters for Circus Krone after the performance. And you can even get the book signed.

11 July 2025

Circusland summer 2025. The theme park Circusland in the winter quarter of Circus Arena in Aarslev opened for the season on June 28. Until August 10, it is open every day from 10 am to 4 pm. The park has a wide range of rides such as carousels and radio cars.

For circus enthusiasts, the most important thing is probably the three daily shows: a magic show, a children's show and the approximately 45-minute-long performance in Circus Landino.

In the magic show, just like last year, you will experience the Hungarian illusionist Christofer Eötvös (Christofer Eötvös Dobritch), who, assisted by 3 young female artists, conjures them in and out of boxes, etc. Several that this year's illusions are new and not the same as last year or those that Christofer or his replacement Vanessa Berousek show in this year's performance in Circus Arena.

The magic show begins with Suzanne Berdino talking to the children in the audience about what magic and illusions are. Suzanne has a busy day in Circus Land: she is the one who presents the magic show, is in the children's show, is the head of the Circus School and performs in Circus Landino.

In the children's show, you can see Suzanne Berdino together with the clown Michael (Michael Alves) in a performance where Michael, among other things, acts as an elephant trainer and Suzanne makes balloon animals and plays An der schönen blauen Donau on bells. She also wants to throw balloons at the audience, but Michael keeps getting them punctured.

The approximately 45-minute-long performance in Circus Landino is the best they have shown in many years. The circus hall has also been given a huge facelift with a new floor, better sound and professional stage lighting with moving lamps.

The performance starts with the performers entering the ring in the dark and standing like statues until the clown Michael brings it to life by touching them.

The first act is one I have seen on variety shows, but never in a circus: Kelly Folco with a great act with Sand Art. Not the fish, but an act where Kelly draws with sand and the image is projected onto a screen. See photos.

The next act is Anita with an act in the aerial ring (aerial hoop). She is followed by the clown Michael in the well-known entrée with the shark in the bathtub.

Michael does the entrée in his own way and better than most others.

Suzanne Berdino, who also presents the show, then present her 3 dogs in a charming and child-friendly way. She also says that residents of the nursing homes, etc., that she visits with her Circus Berdino, also like to see an act at a leisurely pace and with dogs that are happy and more or less doing what they want.

Now Michael comes back to the ring, this time in an entrée as a ballerina.

The next act is the show's top act: Duo Silver Power – the Hungarian acrobats Anita & Krisztian in a great adagio act. Previously, they did the act as living statues, where they were smeared all over their bodies with silver bronze mixed with “diamond dust”. In Circus Landino, they perform their impressive act in silver-coloured costumes.

Then Suzanne comes back into the ring, this time with a Californian mini pig that can score goals, among other things.

The last act of the show is the veteran of trampoline comedians, the now 61-year-old Max Veldy, in the entrée where the trampoline is disguised as a swimming pool with a three-meter diving board at the end. He is still a formidable knock-about acrobat.

As mentioned earlier on this page, Jackie Berdino has purchased the equipment from the bankrupt Zirkus Nemo. Most of the equipment, including the tent, is stored at the parking lot at Cirkusland. However, there is still plenty of room for visitors' cars. Some of the Nemo equipment has already been resold.

3 July 2025

Circus Flik-Flak in Iceland. Tommy Hardam from the Funen children and youth circus writes (my translation):

Over the past many years, Cirkus Flik-Flak has been on several circus tours in Iceland.

We have had all our circus equipment packed and shipped so that it is ready when we arrive in Iceland on Saturday, June 28th with our small circus troupe of 24 people.

We are looking forward to showing our new show at the following places in Iceland:

Fjölskyldu- og húsdýragarðinn: Sunday, June 29th at 2:00 PM

Mosfellsbær: Monday, June 30th at 4:00 PM

Keflavík: Tuesday, July 1st at 4:00 PM

Vallaskóli Selfoss: July 3rd at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM

Vestmannaöerne: Sunday, July 6th at 2:00 PM

Hvolsvöllur: Tuesday, July 8th at 4:00 PM

Vatnaskógur (YMCA camp): Wednesday, July 9th

Click here to see a video clip from Icelandic TV about Circus Flik-Flak's Iceland tour.

2 July 2025

Circus Landino has got a wild makeover! The theme park Cirkusland in Cirus Arena’s winter quarter in Aarslev by Slagelse writes (my translation):

Our beloved circus hall has been completely renovated – and we dare say: it has never looked better!

A brand-new concrete floor has been poured.

A new grandstand provides better visibility and comfort.

The sound system has been significantly improved.

And then we have a lot of ​​professional stage lights with moving lamps and effects, which make the performance shine like never before!

Look forward to see Circus Landino's new performance in the beautiful new setting that matches the magic that takes place in the ring.

Until August 10, there is a performance in Circus Landino every day at 3:15 PM. The performers are Suzanne Berdino and her animals, the clown Michael, the veteran among trampoline comedians Max Veldy, Kelly Folco on a unicycle, the acrobats Anita & Krisztian (Duo Silver Power). Anita also presents an aerial act.

1 July 2025

The Genesis. Dress rehearsal at the Circus Factory – June 26 at 5 p.m. Jørgen Lorenzen saw the performance and writes) my translation):

There were about 100 spectators in the old circus Charlie tent. The large ensemble – there were 17 artists in the performance – had been in training camp at the Circus Factory for several weeks before the troupe are going on a world tour. The premiere will be in Montreal on July 3. The performance featured a single Dane, Alfred Kriegbaum.

The performance took place on a large square field. There were no props, and the lighting was unchanged throughout the performance. The artists all performed in black dress – black and bare skin.

The performance was called the Genesis – that is, creation. People searched in vain for the creation myths of the great religions. Instead, they got something else – a new creation!

The 17 artists moved in a large, pulsating and sliding rhythm, which in several sequences approached dance. Movement, stillness, the collective versus the individual. All the time life, innovation, the search for new forms of expression and new possibilities.

Photos: Anny Schaldemose

Theme: for me to see the theme very clearly: the individual versus the many. There was exclusion and union. Hatred and reconciliation. Rejection and acceptance. All the time a movement – ​​a game between the individual and the collective. Which ended in a tribute to the community, cooperation and the collective. A journey towards what we share with each other and deep down live from.

The artists were excellent par terre acrobats, who knew jumping technique at a high level. Combined with beautiful handstand work and pyramid formations, often in synchronous formations.

An artist could do a handstand on the under-man’s head. And further: handstand on 2 people high. And jump up to 4 people high – from the floor.

Photos respectively. Jørgen Lorenzen and Anny Schaldemose

Clearly, they wanted something – more and different than what you see in the “old” circus. An attempt to break out – think further. But using the good, old artistic skills.

The spectator could enjoy a spectacular spectacle. And certainly not avoid considering what the participants wanted to express with their expressiveness. Several interpretations are certainly possible and useful. In what is written here, one interpretation is highlighted.

And a piece of advice when they are going out into the world: learn from the professional circus artist. The performance was very introverted. The good artist knows how to express emotions that reach beyond the ring/stage. I guess that is called marketability, and consists of the artist constantly looking out at the audience: did you see me? Wasn’t it great? What do you say? Pride without being boastful or blasé.

It was only when the troupe took applause at the end that the joy and pride of the participants became clearly expressed.

29 June 2025

New tent for Flying Superkids. They write (my translation): Our brand-new tent is not only beautiful to look at, it also makes the experience even better for you and the whole family! It is the only tent in all of Northern Europe where the poles are on the outside, so there are no poles inside to block the view. No matter where you sit!

Flying Superkids’ show is a high tempo mix of acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, singing, comedy, tumbling and of course twists, double and triple somersaults on trampolines and other crazy equipment. The true center of the show, however, is the joy of life within each of the young performers. They simply love to be on stage, making the show a “high-flying” party every time.

25 June 2025

Circusland 2025. The theme part Circusland in the winter quarters of Circus Arena in Aarslev near Slagelse is open for the summer season from June 28 to August 10, every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to a number of fairground rides, a play area, a museum and a bistro, Circusland offers several shows. Every day at 12 p.m. there is a magic show with magician Christofer Eötvös. He was also in Circusland in 2024. He is part of Circus Arena's 2025 performance. But not even a magician can be in two places at once. While he is in Circusland, Vanessa Berousek will replace him as magician in Circus Arena.

At 1:15 p.m. there is a children's show with Suzanne Berdino and the clown Michael (Michael Alves). They were also in Cirkusland in 2024.

Suzanne and Michael

At 2:45 p.m. there is a performance in Circus Landino. In addition to Suzanne Berdino and her animals, the performance features the clown Michael, Kelly Folco on unicycle, the acrobats Anita & Krisztian (Duo Silver Power) and trampoline acrobatics.

24 June 2025

Zirkus Nemo's tent and other equipment sold. In March this year, Zirkus Nemo was declared bankrupt. The trustee in the bankruptcy estate, lawyer Morten Bøgenskjold, Roskilde, has now sold the tent, grandstand, wagons and other equipment. The buyer is a company owned by the Berdino family. But Benny Berdino and his son Jackie have no plans to send Zirkus Nemo on tour. Benny says that some of the equipment will be used in Circusland, while the rest will be sold.

Tents, wagons, etc. has initially been taken to Cirkus Arena's winter quarters in Aarslev.

Zirkus Nemo in Køge 19 July 2024. The tent is a 4-pole Cannobio tent from 2016 and had room for 588 spectators in Zirkus Nemo's setup.

23 June 2025

Volantes with the performance Slabam.

★★★★★☆ Strong and cheerful contemporary circus performance.

On Saturday, June 21, the Danish contemporary circus troupe Volantes performed at the playground in Kildevældsparken in Copenhagen. Volantes present itself as an innovative performing arts concept with a particular focus on circus skills, movement, musicality and humour. They are a team consisting of three multi-disciplined circus artists.

The two brothers, Daniel and Jonathan Bendtsen, created the Volantes Company in 2019 with a vision to spread knowledge of modern circus. They then teamed up with Mads Panik, who grew up in the family's Circus Panik - he is the son of Tatiana and Poul Panik Steen. The trio has performed on national and international stages. Daniel was part of the troupe Scandinavian Board, which received a silver clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo in January this year.

Their performance Slabam consists of individual artist acts, tied together with a little story about a circus performance where three performers struggle hard to put on their show but are constantly faced with accidents, technical problems and internal disputes. You will meet the three artists as acrobats, with hat juggling, with formation juggling, with a horse act (see photo), with diabolo, as ballet dancers – one on a unicycle – to Dmitri Shostakovich’s Waltz No. 2, with a clown entrée with ladder balance, with cyr wheel, as knock-about acrobats and finally with a springboard act, where they use the board as a seesaw and not as in the classic springboard acts to send one artist onto the back of another.

Everything is served with charm, humor and talent and without the self-importance that we sometimes encounter in contemporary circus performances. And all acts are performed with their own ideas and not just as copies of other artists’ entrées. For example, it is great to see a 3-person diabolo act instead of the usual solo act with that prop. And with acrobatic touches and diabolos that reach very high. A diabolo, using what magicians call misdirection, reaches Mars before Elon Musk!

And the knock-about act is more than just the traditional table act.

The final springboard act is absolutely fantastic. By using the springboard as a seesaw with a jumping artist at each end, very high jumps are possible, including jumps with somersaults and twists. The act is undoubtedly also physically demanding.

Below a number of photos from the performance.

Click here to see a trailer from a previous version of Slabam.

20 June 2025

The Genesis – international circus show. On Thursday, June 26 at 5 p.m. you can see the performance The Genesis at Cirkusfabrikken (The Circus Factory) in Lindum near Roslev in the northern part of Jutland. They write:

”20 world class artists from Ireland, Portugal, Canada, Denmark, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, England, Scotland, France and Peru perform a spectacular show in the circus tent at Cirkusfabrikken”.

Einar Trie from Cirkusfabrikken tells that the artists from The Genesis are going on a world tour. Right now they are training for a new show which will be presented at a major festival in Montreal/Canada MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE on July 3-6. They are training at the Cirkusfabrikken Factory for two weeks, and before leaving Denmark they will present their new show in the circus tent on June 26.

About the performance MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE writes:

The Genesis is a breathtaking one-hour contemporary circus experience that dives deep into human connection, resilience, and the power of unity. Through jaw-dropping acrobatics and heartfelt storytelling, The Genesis reflects our modern world where individuality shines, but true strength emerges when we come together. Seventeen world-class acrobats bring the stage to life, creating stunning visuals and intricate group formations that push the limits of movement and emotion. With powerful female bases and gravity-defying male flyers, we challenge expectations and celebrate diversity in body, background, and artistry. Bold, breathtaking, and deeply moving. Audiences of all ages have laughed, cried, and leaped to their feet in appreciation.

The lighting design evokes a blend of a mystical cathedral and the vibrant energy of nightlife, enveloping and celebrating the performers in its warm embrace. The Genesis features an original soundscape that combines classical violin, piano, and various acoustic instruments with voices in song and recitation. Elements of jazz and rhythm and blues are woven in, along with moments inspired by club music, creating an engaging atmosphere for the audience.

The show premiered on July 4th 2024 at Baltoppen LIVE in Copenhagen and has since toured around Europe.

18 June 2025                      

Circus Baldoni skip this year's visit to the Faroe Islands. In 2003, Cirkus Baldoni visited the Faroe Islands for the first time. Since 2007, they have visited the Faroe Islands every year when the Danish tented season is over. In the Faroe Islands, they have played in sports centers etc. But this year they skip the visit to the Faroe Islands.

The Faroe Islands are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. The islands have a population of 54,900 as of June 2025.

On Circus Baldoni’s Facebook page, they write, among other things (my translation):

It is with great regret that we must announce that Cirkus Baldoni will not visit the Faroe Islands in 2025.

This decision has not been easy as we have had the great pleasure of visiting the Faroe Islands every year since 2007. It has been a very special tradition, where we have shared laughter, magic and circus adventures with thousands of children and families across the archipelago.

But unfortunately, some political and municipal decisions have made it impossible for us to carry out the tour in 2025.

From 2025, the sports halls in Tórshavn may no longer be used for anything other than sports, which means that we will not have access to the facilities we usually use.

In Runavík and Skála, the rent for the halls has unfortunately more than doubled, which makes it financially unrealistic for us to hold performances there.

We fully understand that the municipalities have their own priorities - but at the same time we are sincerely sorry that this means we have to cancel a long-standing tradition and will not have the opportunity to meet our faithful audience in 2025.

We sincerely hope that this is not a goodbye, but simply a see you later. We will do what we can to find new solutions in the future, so that we can return to the Faroe Islands with our entire colorful circus universe.

Archive photo from a performance in Torshavn in 2013. This year the Faroese will have to do without the circus

12 June 2025

Aarhus Festival’s International Night Cabaret 2025. ‘International Night Cabaret - A Show for the Ages' can be seen from August 29 to September 6 in Hermanns in Tivoli Friheden in Aarhus

Aarhus Festival writes (my translation):

In 1997, for the first time, you could see International Night Cabaret during Aarhus Festival with magic and artistry from all over the world. Since the beginning, one name in particular has been high on the wish list of artists on stage: Søren Østergaard.

A special wish that has been waiting to come true. Until now.

Due to the festivals 60th anniversary, it is a great honour to present the Danish actor and entertainer Søren Østergaard.

In addition to Søren Østergaard, you can look forward to meet the following world-class artists:

The Finnish magician Marko Karve has won some of the most prestigious awards in magic and is celebrated in magician circles on a par with David Copperfield.

Duo YingLing from China, known for their award-winning acrobatics.

Krisztina Vellai from Hungary has performed with her breakneck acrobatics in the legendary Cirque du Soleil, among others.

Domitil Aillot from France defies gravity with her superhuman performance on a so-called Chinese Pole.

The Canadian vaulting artists Maxim Laurin and Guillaume Larouche – the latter holding the world record for backward somersaults.

During the Night Cabaret, Marc Thierry's trio will play, which in addition to Marc Thierry himself consists of Jesper Daus and Jesper Gruschy.

Until 2024, Søren Østergaard ran his own Zirkus Nemo, where one of his parts was as Bager Jorgen. Zirkus Nemo was a combination of a cicus and a comedy show. After a few seasons with poor attendance, Zirkus Nemo went bankrupt earlier this year. But now you can see Søren at the night cabaret.

Markko Karvo and his elegant magic with pigeons and parrots have been experienced by the Danish audience several times in Zirkus Nemo, most recently in 2019. The photo is from 2019 and shot by Rud Kofoed/Ajour Press

Duo YingLin was with Cirkus Dannebrog in 2004, in Zirkus Nemo in 2013 and at Aarhus Festival in 2017. The photo is from 2004.

10 June 2025

Cirkus Solvej 2025. The very small Circus Solvej has its national premiere in Løkken on July 10. The tour ends in Ebeltoft on August 5. Their small tent has room for about 60 spectators. This means that the tent does not have to be certified like larger circus tents, which is a costly affair. The small circus is owned by Victor Høeg Abrahamsen, who works in a daycare centre in Hjørring when his circus is not on tour. In previous years, Circus Solvej has primarily played at campsites, but this year they are also playing in a number of Jutland towns. Primarily in North Jutland.

Victor presents this year's performance as follows (my translation):

This year's performance at Circus Solvej is titled: "The New Generation - a tribute to the classic circus"

That's exactly what it is: A loving and energetic celebration of circus tradition, told by a new generation of artists and with their hearts deeply rooted in circus history.

In 2025, we present our biggest program ever! No less than five people are active in the ring, and as always, our beautiful animals are an important part of the experience. It all takes place in our small tent, where the audience gets close to the performers and where the special Solvej atmosphere fills every corner of the tent.

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This year's performance is a lively mix of new talents and dear reunions. The audience can look forward to the crazy and lovable ventriloquist Preben Palsgaard, who with his many characters creates fits of laughter and warm smiles from both children and adults.

The young circus princess Frida (Frida Lindskov Dyrholm Nørskov) shows completely new sides of her talent – ​​including in the elegant and modern "Lolly Pop" act. She brings grace, strength and renewal to the ring – and is a strong symbol of the new generation in classic circus.

From Germany we have brought the impressive juggler Jonas Alich, who captivates the audience with a lightning-fast diabolo show and a choreographically strong and technically innovative ring juggling act.

Then of course there is our crazy and indispensable props Bettina. She has everything under control behind the scenes – but can also steal the spotlight every now and then, especially when she teases the director in the middle of the performance!

At Circus Solvej, the animals are not just part of the show – they are part of the family. Our ponies and other four-legged friends create excitement and help tell the story of the classic circus, where animals have always had a special place. Even though the tent is small and the ring is close, this is where the magic happens. The performance feels like being present in a living room, with the artists performing just a few meters away – genuine, honest and irresistible.

9 June 2025

Circus Jesper 2025. The Norwegian Circus Jesper's performances are themed performances, built around the character gallery from the Norwegian children's book When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town, where the robber Jesper ends up becoming a circus director. It is a stationary circus located in Kristiansand Zoo. This year there are performances from June 14 to August 10. The performers are professional artists and actors.

The performances usually change in even years, and this year's performance is rather similar to the 2024 performance. Lasse "Bonbon" Nørager, who is the artistic director of Circus Jesper, says: "The program is the same, but there are a few new actors, and we are adjusting / fine-tuning part of the performance."

The ensemble in Circus Jesper 2024. Press photo/Kristiansand Zoo

8 June 2025

Obituary: Nora Chabri. Odette Dedesus le Moutier, better known as Nora Chabri, has passed away. She was 87 years old. She was married to the clown Toto Chabri and was part of many of his entrées, including his entrée as a ballerina and his musical entrées. Nora came from an old French circus family, whose origins are Belgian, and had many talents and has performed as an acrobat, foot juggler, rider and musician.

Toto Chabri and his wife performed many times in Denmark as Toto Chabri & company. They got probably their Danish debut at Circus Schumann in the Copenhagen Circus Building in 1966. They were part of Circus Benneweis' tent show in 1969. In the period 1970 to 1990, when Benneweis ran the Copenhagen Circus Building, they were part of the performances for 7 seasons. In 1980 and 1998 they were in Benneweis' tent show. In 1986, 1987 and 2012 they performed in Circus Arena. In the spring of 2006, they toured with Circus Dannebrog for a period as a replacement for another clown act, which didn’t turn up. They also performed several times at Benny Schumann's clown festivals at Bakken and in 2010 in the winter performance in Benny Schumann's mini circus.

"Nora was the pivot of the family... A lovely and beautiful person!" writes Diana Benneweis.

Nora Chabri is survived by her husband Toto and her children Line Caroll, Martyn Chabria and Alain Gombert Chabri.

Click here to watch a video clip of Toto and Nora's ballerina entrée

6 June 2025.

Exciting special exhibition at the Circus Museum in Rold. On the Danish Constitution Day, June 5, the Circus Museum in Rold opened a new artistic circus exhibition On Tour with Circus Benneweis, where the circus is described through the eyes of two artists. Helle Abildgaard and Viggo Salting travelled with Circus Benneweis from 1985 until Eli Benneweis' death in 1993. In drawings and paintings, they documented the circus behind the ring. The exhibition shows a selection of their works give insight into the insight that the artists gained into life on the circus lots.

Museum curator Lykke Olsen welcomed

In connection with the opening, Viggo Salting told how their contact with Circus Benneweis started with an accidental visit to the Circus Building in Copenhagen in 1984. They were fascinated by the circus and contacted Eli Benneweis, who after some persuasion allowed them to join the tour in 1985, but initially only for a three-week trial period. TV2 Nord ran a feature about the exhibition and wrote (my translation): “It was a special experience, because in principle we had nothing to do there, but we were still allowed to join, and our ‘task’ was to draw and paint what we saw, says Viggo Salting and tells that for a long time the people in the circus troupe looked a little strange at the two artists who were suddenly joining.” Click here to see TV2 Nord’s coverage.

The pictures in the exhibition are accompanied by explanatory texts, both in Danish and English

Helle and Viggo talking with the circus queen Katja Schumann

Viggo Salting in conversation with the chairman of the Danish circus award, Ole Simonsen. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

Francisco Carli was an Italian white clown in Circus Benneweis in 1985. Helle was fascinated by Francisco in his beautiful costume. Helle tells:” His musical entrée fills the ring with a magical atmosphere that captivated the audience. His curiosity in art and ours in the clown brought us together.”

Helle Abildgaard and Viggo Salting are both internationally renowned artists who have exhibited in several places in Europe and New

York for a number of years. Their artistic careers have taken their starting point in the circus environment – ​​and the clown in particular has over time become a central figure in Viggo Salting’s paintings. He is also the painter behind the picture of a clown that the recipients of the honorary award The Danish Circus Prize have received since 2016.

In 2019, Helle Abildgaard and Viggo Salting published the book Kom Klovn – en cirkskrønike. A humorous circus chronicle about their travels with Circus Benneweis through nine seasons. The book is illustrated with a number of their pictures.

The artist couple lived in Kerteminde for many years. But a few years ago they moved to Rødhus in North Jutland, where they run the gallery Skovklovnen on Rødhusvej in Pandrup. You can read more about the gallery and the possibilities of visiting it at www.viggosalting.dk

The exhibition at the Circus Museum in Rold can be seen until September 30, 2025. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The address is Østerled 1, Rold, 9510 Arden. The museum is definitely worth visiting, both because of the special exhibition and because of their permanent exhibition as well as Circus Miehe's old riding hall.

30 May 2025

Circus Trapez 2025, seen in Køge May 29, 2025.

The main character in the performance is the Hungarian clown Gabor, who was also with Cirkus Trapez in 2023 and 2024. He is reprise clown and has many excellent run-ins between the other acts of the performance and is also a quite versatile acrobat.

He opened the performance before all the participating artists came to the ring for a charivari, where they showed short samples of their skills, and where circus princess Stine-Marie Greisen finished Gabor's makeup and gave him the red clown nose before Isabella Enoch Sosman welcomed.

The first artist act was Duo Variety, which consists of Bini and Hiwi. They come from Ethiopia and presented formation juggling with clubs.

Gabor then had a short run-in where he balanced a club on his forehead.

Next came Bernhard Kaselowsky in the ring. First with a beautiful black Friesian horse, then with a pony together with the horse and finally with 3 ponies.

After a short oriental performance with Gabor, Stine-Marie and Bini, Bernhard was back, this time as a fakir and fire-eater.

With the help of a spectator, Gabor did some acrobatics, see photo.

Duo Medini comes from Italy. They presented a nice, traditional act with parrots. Something we probably haven't seen in a Danish circus ring since 2015, when there were parrots in the ring at Circus Benneweis.

With the help of a few spectators, Gabor did some acrobatics again.

Artists as dancers were the introduction to Bini's foot juggling entrée, where she first juggled with scarves and then with a barrel and a table.

With the help of a drum, Gabor had a short clap entrée before Hiwi came into the ring with cube juggling.

The next number was the top act in the show, Andrei Bocancea with dogs, a couple of which he had taken over from his late girlfriend Rosi Hochegger. An elegant act, where he combined acrobatics with dog tricks. After the dogs had jumped through a ring, Gabor thought that André should do the same. And he did!

Save my love, my darling is a well-known clown entrée, where the clown mimes to Renée and Renato's old hit. Gabor had a fine version of the entrée, where he did something else and more than just copy other clowns.

The performance's aerial act was a nice trapeze act with Stine-Marie Greisen, who has replaced Lilje Bekholt, who was with Circus Trapez in the first part of the season.
 

With the help of Stine-Marie and later a girl from the audience, Gabor had a reprise, where he, among other things, stood on his hands on a rola bola board.

The last act of the show was bouncing juggling, presented by Duo Variety.

Finale

After Køge, Circus Trapez will visit Haslev, Næstved, Sorø, Holbæk and Skævinge, before they give short performances at Græsted Veterantræf during Whitsun. Then a performance in Nykøbing Sjælland, before they return to Jutland on June 17. From July 5 to August 3, you can see them with slightly shortened performances in Madsbyparken in Fredericia. Previous years, it has been a separate unit that had performances in Madsbyparken, while the tent tour continued. But this year there is no tent tour while they are in Madsbyparken.

26 May 2025

When my review of this year's Baldoni performance was published on 11 April 2025, there was one act that was not mentioned: Rubel Medini's act with rola bola. Due to other commitments, he could not start with Baldoni until April 15. But now he is part of the performance with his impressive act, which Circus Baldoni has chosen to be the last act in the approximately 2-hour long performance. Incidentally, 2025 is a rola bola year in Danish circuses: you can see rola bola acts at Circus Arena, Circus Arli and Circus Baldoni. At Circus Trapez, the clown Gabor has a reprise with rola bola.

23 May 2025

Danish Circus Krone 2025. Jørgen Lorenzen writes (my translation):

Season opening at Hovedgaard, May 17 at 2 p.m. Seen again May 21 at 5 p.m. in Horsens.

Circus Krone's motto is: circus with a heart. And the warmth is felt when you are invited into the tent, where the tent cloth is a symphony of colours of yellow, blue - and red, which is the colour of the heart.

Frank Thierry welcomes you with Krone's traditional welcome entrée, where the audience greets the sidemen and bows to the director. And he introduces his mother Irene, who this year has her 75th anniversary - according to his statement in the costume she wore when she debuted as a 3-year-old! It's probably not entirely true, but she was wearing something between a space suit and a boiler suit. The children next to me told me that it was Mineon figure.

The first act was Aurelie Brua, in a double pole act. She brought to mind an insect, an otherworldly creature or an exotic bird, which easily and effortlessly crawled, hung, floated and balanced on and around the two poles. Among other things, she stood in splits up of one pole and the next moment stood with outstretched arms horizontally out from the same pole.

Aurelie Brua. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

Next came a fearsome giraffe, which strode dignifiedly through the tent and greeted the children it passed. The soundscape was fine: smacking and gnawing sounds, farting and burping, just like a giraffe can. The clown Allando tried to drive it out of the tent, but it responded with such violent farting sounds that Allando fainted in the ring and had to be helped out.

The giraffe. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

The juggler Kasparas Bujanauskis juggled cigar boxes – dressed in black, which is the gentleman juggler's usual costume. It is always a good act with balance, movement, rhythm and excitement – ​​especially when he picks up 15 boxes from the ring floor as the final trick – and holds them together in a row.

Kasparas. Photo: Anny Schaldemose

And the tempo changed. Frank Thierry opened his artist school, and children were invited in and equipped with suitable prince and princess costumes before they had to learn the difficult art of balance. One stood on hands – Frank's hands! Another person stood on his shoulders, and Frank accompanied the performances with cheerful and encouraging subtle comments. The act works well if the children enjoy the joke. It becomes more difficult if they feel uncomfortable and get scared. Frank tries with all his energy to de-dramatize and smooth things out, so that it works.

Frank with a student at the artist school. Photo: Henrik Andersen

And there was more Ninja. Sacha Yenivatov was dressed in the same outfit as Irene – a banana in pyjamas. He danced, tap danced, and did splits – and ended up as a banana split - as Frank Thierry called it.

Frank and Sacha. Photo: Henrik Andersen

Allando's main entrée was the one where he goes hunting. There is a nice and cuddly polar bear, who is his target, but the children like the polar bear, and one of the children shouted: you can shoot yourself! And of course it ended well, and both the polar bear and Allando survived.

Allando and the polar bear. Photo: Henrik Andersen

The final act was a great juggling act with clubs and rings. It was Kaspar(as), who showed classic, stylish juggling. All the routines and variations seem to be included. But one trick amazed me: a club was balanced on his forehead. He throws it backwards, and it falls down his back – whereupon he puts it back play with a throw of his heel. He could manage juggling with 8 rings, but he said that if the tent had been a little higher, he would have managed 9 rings.

Kasparas. Photo: Henrik Andersen

And then it was time for the finale. The extra act was the well-known Krone pyramid, in which all artists participate.

The sound system was fine, tuned to the individual numbers, so that the music highlighted and emphasized the atmosphere and the artists' performances. Kate Thierry operated the sound system.

The performance lasted an hour, and one hour is enough for smaller children. They have absorbed and are getting tired of the many impressions. The concept of only one – long – section is probably a good choice for a circus that wants to be child-friendly. The children had a great time, and the big kids were delighted. And one of the joys of going to the circus is seeing the children's reactions. They live in the fairy tale – at once completely absorbed, and yet understanding, because the realm of imagination is theirs in a way that we adults forget or have outgrown. At least we think so!

22 May 2025

DYNAMO Circus Festival ’25. Dynamo, Venue and workspace for circus in Odense, writes:

Join our spectacular circus festival on the 18th – 21st of June 2025. An international lineup of artists, magnificent, engaging and enticing performing arts experiences, one big community!

Join us as Byens Ø is once again transformed into a circus galore of performing arts, music and parties! More than five stages – both indoors and outdoors – and two beautiful big tops form the setting for four days filled with wild experiences.

DYNAMO Circus Festival is the place where we meet – artists from all over the world, families with children with a craving for fun and mischief, curious audiences with a taste for the quirky, performing arts aficionados, party-loving Funen residents, tourists who are blown away by excitement, and the harbour’s many users and happy neighbours.

Four days where community is at the centre, and where we celebrate together everything that circus can be – wild, moving, boundary-pushing and playful!

See you at DYNAMO Circus Festival 18th – 21st June!

Click here to see the full program and read about the performances.

16 May 2025

Benny Schumann turns 80 on May 23, 2020

Benny Schumann was born on May 23, 1945 in Gothenburg, Sweden. At his baptism, he was given the name Carmelo José Bienvenido Schumann. The Spanish-sounding name is because his mother Paulina was Spanish, the daughter of the world-famous clown Charlie Rivel. On a daily basis, he has never been called anything but than Benny or Benni.

Benny Schumann was trained as a horse trainer, rider and multi-artist in Circus Schumann in the Circus Building in Copenhagen. His teachers were his parents Paulina and Albert Schumann. He made his debut in 1950. From 1951 he participated in the matinee performances in Cirkus Schumann with various numbers, including as a 9-year-old cowboy standing on two full-gallop ponies and as a clown in handstand on his grandfather's arm. From Benny was 12 years old he became a regular part of Circus Schumann's program.

As Paulina and Albert Schumann's eldest son, it was in the cards that he eventually joined the management of Circus Schumann. But after the 1967 season, he left the family circus. It stopped two years later when the Schumann family could not agree with the circus building's owner at that time, the department store Anva, about the size of the rent, and Anva leased the building to Circus Benneweis.

From 1967 and 10 years on, Benny Schumann toured under the artist name Ric Benny with a plate juggling act in Europe, USA, Canada and Africa. In Denmark, you saw him in the touring circus M. Schumann, which was run by his uncle Max Schumann. Benny's father Albert Schumann was not involved in Max's circus, which closed at the end of the 1982 season.

In 1980 Benny Schumann and his wife Marianne started performing in Denmark with the artist and clown show Circus Clown. In 1984, Benny premiered on his one-man show "Hey Clown!", Appearing as a juggler, ventriloquist, tight wire dancer, magician and clown with gags and music he himself created. In 1993, Benny Schumann expanded the program to include guest artists.

Benny Schumann with plate balance and knife balance at his home in Hørsholm. In the background painting by Adi Holzer

In addition to performing with his one-man show, Benny Schumann became artistic director of the International Clown Festival in 1996, which was held in the years 1996 to 2006 every year in August at the amusement par Dyrehavsbakken north of Copenhagen. In 2005 he received the honour award « Bakken's Oscar ». From 2008 to 2012, Bakken offered instead a festival with international clowns, presented by Benny Schumann. In 2010, he was named honorary member of the Danish Artists' Association in recognition of his great career as an artist and creator and for his professional involvement for a number of years on the association's board of directors.

Although Benny Schumann in Denmark is best known for his kid-friendly performances since sometime in the 1980s, in the 2017/2018 season he made a huge comeback as an "adult entertainer" at Wallmans in the Copenhagen Circus Building with the plate juggling act he first time presented in the same building 50 years earlier. In one of the reviews of the Wallmans show, it said: “As the only one of the premiere night's performances, Benny was rewarded with standing applause. My side lady refused to believe me when I told her that Benny was 72 years old and thus could be a father or grandfather to a large part of the other performers "

In August 2019 Benny Schumann received the Danish circus world most prestigiuos award, the Danish Circus Award, which was presented to him by Minister of Culture Joy Mogensen. His father Albert Schumann was the very first to receive the award back in 1968. Later that year Benny Schumann also received Truxa's Memorial Prize. In 2022, he received the DFF Foundation's Honorary Grant.

The Schumann family's artistic genes are inherited by Benny's and Mrs. Marianne's youngest daughter, the award-winning actress Patricia Schumann. Her elder sister Julia took as child part in some of Benny's performances, but as an adult, she chose to become a nurse as her mother.

Benny Schumann is still active as an artist with engagements all over Denmark. From Thursday 24 July to Sunday 10 August you can see him every day with solo performances at the Open Air Museum in Lyngby north of Copenhagen.

Benny Schumann at Trommen in Hørsholm in September 2024

In addition to performing, Benny Schumann has spent a lot of time digitizing and editing a long series of narrow-gauge film recordings, etc. from Schumann's performances and training in the Circus Building. Based on these recordings, he has also given lectures about his life and about Circus Schumann.

16 May 2025

Circus Mascot 2025. Can you present circus in an indoor arena? The answer must be a clear yes. From 1920 to 1966, English Bertram Mills Circus had Christmas performances in the Olympia Hall in London. The large American circus Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey switched to performing in halls in 1958. For a number of years, Circus Schumann had performances in halls in Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg, after they had finished the season in the Circus Building in Copenhagen. And Baldoni's Christmas circus has been presented in sports halls etc. since 2007.

So I definitely do not agree with those who claim that you can only presnt a real circus in a tent or a circus building.

Circus Mascot was a tent circus for many years. After the corona lockdown, they tried their luck with a tour in sports halls, etc. in the fall of 2021. It went so well that since 2022 they have chosen to leave the tent at home in the winter quarters in Roslev and instead have performances in sports halls etc in Jutland and Funen.

One problem in the sports halls has been that you could not show aerial acts. But Circus Mascot has now found a solution to this: they have purchased an Aerial Tripod, see photo, which enables performances in both trapeze and tissue, and which does not require anchoring to the floor.

Thus, it is with good reason that Circus Mascot calls this year's performance Air under the wings.

The first act is Oleksi Trunov with a juggling entrée which ends with cube juggling. Even with a final laser show.

Daniel Deleuran then welcomes you before handing over the ring to his good friend Gulio, who has been Circus Mascot's much-loved clown since 2003. In Gulio's first entrée he is an oriental magician with comic magic, including both sword swallowing and balloon swallowing.

The next act is an indispensable element in every Mascot performance: Marianne Deleuran and her playful dogs. An excellent act that impresses the audience. And the dogs have fun.

Dogs can drive a car

Dogs on a seesaw

After the dog act, Oleksi comes back into the ring, this time with a rag doll. Impressive as the doll  can bend herself. The act ends with a short quick change, revealing that it is Oleksi's partner Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold who has been inside the slush puppet.

Now Gulio comes into the ring with a popcorn-hungry stork, while the props set up the tripod for the aerial acts.

The first act in the tripod is a trapeze act with the young Danish artist Zanya Abelgren. She is a clear talent, from whom we can expect a lot in the future. The season at Circus Mascot is Zanya's first season with a touring circus. Zanya doesn't get her talent from strangers: her mother is the actress Jenny Abelgren, and her father is René from Circus Baldoni.

Next, Gulio is back in the ring, where with the help of a couple of volunteers from the audience, he will make a painting of them, while the man with a rose in his hand proposes to the girl. I won't reveal what the drawing is about.

After a short entrée with Marianne and a goose comes another aerial act: Gereltuya "Gegee" Ganbold in tissue, i.e. hanging fabric strips.

Marianne and her goose

Gegee

After a break with the opportunity to ride a donkey, Gulio comes into the ring, this time as a cowboy with a mimic entrée, where he gets help from the male volunteer from his previous entrée.

Then it's time for another animal act: Marianne with a pony. In previous years, the pony has proven to be a mathematical artist. This year, it performs in liberty.

After the pony, Gulio's daughter Juliya comes into the ring with a hula-hoop act.

She is followed by Gulio, who juggles scarves. First alone, then with a little girl from the audience. She later turns out to be able to juggle three balls. You have to see the show to find out how it works.

Next, we meet Marianne with the pig Sille. This year in a new act, where Sille plays the drum, among other things, and where Marianne later cuddles Sille and reads him a bedtime story. Of course, the one about the Big Ugly Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. A fun twist to the pig act.

Now Gulio comes into the ring once again, this time in coperaton with Daniel in the well-known "you must not play here" act. But in Gulio and Daniel's very own version!

The last act is Oleksis and Gegee with a nice roller skating act, which they have been training since last year, when they were also at Mascot, but with completely different acts than this year.

There is no doubt that the well-composed performance will delight the audience that goes to a hall circus in one of the often smaller towns which Circus Mascot visits. And please those who believe that animals should be included in a real circus performance. And as mentioned above: there is no reason to claim that circus not can take place in an indoor arena.

Finale

10 May 2025

New special exhibition at the Circus Museum in Rold. On the Danisg Constitution Day, June 5, the Circus Museum in Rold will open a new artistic circus exhibition On Tour with Circus Benneweis, where the circus is described through the eyes of two artists. Helle Abildgaard and Viggo Salting traveled with Circus Benneweis from 1985 until Eli Benneweis' death in 1993. In drawings and paintings, they documented the circus behind the ring. The exhibition shows a selection of the works and provides insight into the insight that the artists gained from life on the circus grounds.

Helle Abildgaard and Viggo Salting are both internationally recognized artists who have exhibited in several places in Europe and in New York for a number of years. Their artistic careers have taken their starting point in the circus environment – ​​and the clown in particular has over time become a central figure in Viggo Salting's paintings.

The exhibition can be seen until September 30, 2025.

8 May 2025

In my review of the Swedish Circus Brazil Jack's performance on May 29, I wrote, among other things: "Next came a knock-abut table act with three artists which unfortunately I haven't got the name of “ and “Then the three knock-about table artists came back into the ring, this time with a break dance entrée”. The troupe's leader Gabor Mayer has told me that it was the Hungarian troupe Artists of Dance which the Danes saw last year in Circus Baldoni. At Baldoni, the troupe consisted of Gabor, Daniel and Ronald. At Brazil Jack, Ronald has been replaced by a new guy Gergo.

4 May 2025

A PLACE IN THE RING - Film and theater performance with live circus horses on stage.

Vendsyssel Teater in Hjørring writes (my translation):

Take a seat in the ring for this double world premiere and a sensory bombardment of a performance. While a film about the world-famous circus princess Katja Schumann can be seen on the big screen, the smell of sawdust, the hiss of snorting circus horses and Katja's physical presence will keep a centuries-old circus tradition alive - right before your eyes.

Katja Schumann has lived in Løkken since 2016. Her love and unique connection to horses dates back to her childhood - and growing up in the Circus Schumann dynasty has taken her around the world. For Katja, the circus is more than glitter and ostrich feathers - it is a deeply rooted cultural heritage and a unique way of working with horses. But how do you continue a life's work when there is no natural heir? The audience is taken into a story about heritage and the encounter between the craftsmanship of the past and the possibilities of the future — between everything that was and everything that is to come.

Experience a performance where the presence of the theater, the visual power of the film and the surprising character of circus art are woven together on stage.

The performance is a co-production with the film company Dune Productions in Løkken, where film director Anne Svejgård Lund has followed Katja Schumann for 6 years and created the documentary film 'A Place in the Ring'. The world premiere of the performance will therefore also be the world premiere of the film itself – a completely unique one.

As the 5th generation of the world-famous Schumann family, Katja Schumann was born to a life in the ring. Circus Schumann was founded in 1893 and was a true family dynasty with threads all over the world — an era in Danish cultural and circus history. Until 1969, Circus Schumann had a permanent base in the Circus Building in Copenhagen, and for the next 25 years, Katja toured the United States, performed regularly on Broadway, became a world champion and later received — as the first woman — the Danish Circus Award. Katja is a direct line to a bygone era and represents a now rare circus tradition.

Because Katja has a special connection to horses — her work with them both in and out of the ring has made her world famous. To this day, she is considered a living legend among the world's largest and most prestigious circuses. At the age of 76, she now runs The Circus Farm in Løkken, where you can experience circus performances and a circus museum with costumes and pictures from a lifetime in the circus.

The film and theater performance will premiere on September 12. It will run until October 4. The Circus Farm in Løkken will have its season opening on June 28. From this day until August 10, there will be performances Tuesday to Sunday at 16. No performances on Mondays.

3 May 2025

Winter circus in Malmö. In December 2024, Albin Ganovic presented winter circus at the Children’s stage in Folkets Park in Malmö, Sweden. There were 5 performances plus a couple of sold performances. It was a success which Albin will repeat in December this year, where there will be 10 open and 2 sold performances in the days 12 to 21 December.

30 April 2025

Small program change in Circus Arli. There has been a small change in Circus Arli’s program as the Gallingani sisters' fine hand-to-hand act is replaced by a plate juggler act with the girls' father Davide Robert. The explanation for the change is that one of the sister Shelby is pregnant. And then it is not reasonable to perform in such an act as the two sisters act.

Photos from 2015, where Davide Robert also toured with Circus Arli.

29 April 2025

Circus Brazil Jack 2025 – circus with human cannonball and globe of death. Circus Brazil Jack is Sweden's largest. And the director, Trolle Rhodin III, who is Brazil Jack's great-grandson, is the youngest of the Scandinavian circus directors. You can feel that it in the performances, which are presented in a young style: fast tempo, no ringmaster and advanced lighting and sound settings, and with pre-recorded music, there is something different from what the classical circus band usually plays.

Circus Brazil Jack at the Mill Square in Malmø. In the background, the arms of the windmill can be seen. The tent, which first came into use in 2022, has a diameter of 36 meters.

As in previous years, Trolle Rhodin has opted out of having animals in the show.

One of the numbers that the young part of the audience today prefers is the globe of death. The act has for several years been the last in Brazil Jack's performance and normally every year there has been one more rider in the globe than the year before. This year they were up to 5 riders in the splitting globe. An act that again this year excited not least the younger part of the audience. In addition to being rider in the globe of death, a member of the motorcycle troupe had his own act as the human cannonball, which was shot from a cannon placed at the artist entrance into a net at the audience entrance. Not a long flight, but quite spectacular and quickly completed.

The human cannonball

This year's performance was opened by Mr. Fantastic with the civil name Robert Muraine. He is an internationally known dancer in the popping style, comedian and mime artist and had several fine entrées during the performance. The 37-year-old American has performed in shows, on variety shows and in circuses all over the world.

Robert "Mr. Fantastic" Muraine

After Trolle Rhodin's welcome, the juggler Juan Pablo Martinez entered the ring. First with clubs and then with ping-pong balls, which he used his mouth to juggle. The act ended with juggling with hats, which he tossed in the air, while running around between the seats on the grandstand. The Danish circus audience met him in Circus Arena in 2005 and 2018. In 2012 he toured with the now closed Swedish Cirkus Maximum.

Trolle Rhodin byder velkommen

The tempo juggler Juan Pablo Martinez

Next came a knock-abut table act with three artists which unfortunately I haven't got the name of. Circus Brazil Jack does not have a printed program.

The next artist in the ring was the young Sophie Alton with a nice handstand act. The act ended with her standing in a handstand using her feet to shot an arrow from a bow with her back to the target.

With the help of Trolle Rhodin and a female assistant, Robert Muraine presented the well-known restaurant sketch where the waiter should serve a delicious meal to a female guest. Seen before, but Robert Muraine's version of the sketch turned out elegantly and was not as long-drawn-out as you can experience elsewhere.

The last number before the interval was the above-mentioned cannon king.

The first act after the interval was Isabela and Ernesto Alves in what is called the Russian cradle. Ernesto threw Isabela around from his cradle chair and let go and caught her as she did one somersault after another. Impressive. And without a safety net – but with an inflatable rubber mattress in the ring in case she missed catching her. Impressive! The Danish audience saw the couple in Zirkus Nemo last year.

The next act was also in the air: A reunion with Sophie Alton, this time together with Susan Jasters. They showed a fine and poetic act in aerial straps.

The film sketch is a classic clown act. At Brazil Jack, it was performed by Robert Muraine together with 4 volunteers who seemed to be enjoying themselves. The entrée can sometimes be a bit long-drawn-out, but in Robert Muraine's elegant version it was no longer than it should be.

Then the three knock-about table artists came back into the ring, this time with a break dance entrée.

Robert Muraine then came back into the ring, now solo with an elegant mime dancing entrée.

As mentioned above, the last act of the show was the globe of death. Performed by members of the Diorios troupe, which the Danes have seen several times in Circus Arena.

5 riders in the splitting globe

A regular feature in the finale of Circus Brazil Jack is that Trolle Rhodin takes a sip of aviation fuel and put it on fire while spitting the fuel out.

The performance lasted 1 hour 45 minutes including intermission. But rather a performance where you say "is it over already" than a slowly running performance where the audience with children starts to leave the tent before the performance is over.

Circus Brazil Jack has now left Scania in the southern part of Sweden. But they usually come back to Malmö in September, where they have their winter quarters.

28 April 2025

World Circus Day 2025. True to tradition, the Circus Museum in Hvidovre, in cooperation with Danish Circus Friends Association celebrated the World Circus Day. Normally, the day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday in April. Since it was Easter Saturday this year, the museum and the circus friends chose to postpone the celebration by a week to Saturday, April 26.

The day included an entertaining lecture, where actress Jenny Abelgren talked about her exciting life, where she has done many different things in the entertainment industry. Later in the day, there was a magic show with Sunny Cagara. The museum was also open with a guided tour, circus play and free admission.

Children and adults enjoyed the magic show with Sunny Cagara

17 April 2025

Circus Olympia 2025 towards new heights! Martin Lasson Berglund attended the season opening performance at the Swedish Cirkus Olympia and writes (my translation from Swedish):

This year's performance had its premiere in Oskarström outside Halmstad, just like previous years.

Circus Olympia on the lot in Oskarström. All photos: Martin Lasson Berglund

There are not many circuses left in Scandinavia and therefore it is extra nice with a circus that still maintains a high quality but still are open for new ideas.

Circus Olympia 2025 is a circus you should not miss! It is a performance that offers everything possible and with a wonderful innovative thinking.

Instead of always having a reprise clown, this year they have guitarist Paul Szabo who both sings and plays guitar in the performance.

On the bandstand there is a digital screen that shows the name of the artist and the name of the circus. It is probably the only circus in Scandinavia that has this new cool system. For a couple of seasons, they have had three musicians playing to recorded music via computer, this year they have increased the band to four musicians.

Director Niklas Bengtsson presented a new act with eight new ponies he has trained during the winter. At the premiere it was like a dance in the ring.

His wife Natasha showed how to train goats, which was also an appreciated feature of the performance at the premiere.

The Swede Frida is back with a new act where she works with a pole and the Finnish Ester is also making a comeback after a few years of absence. Also worth mentioning are the bicycle acrobats on BMX and springboard act with the Guerrero family! In addition, what would Olympia be without Henrika's charming dogs.

In summary, one can say that this year's production is very strong! It sounds very good when you get to the music and sound and the feeling of the circus, i.e. the atmosphere is great!

So don't miss this year's performance! It's worth a visit if you want to see modern circus with classic elements such as animals and live music.

14 April 2025

Cirkus Rhodin 2025 – nice performance without major surprises.

Members of the Swedish Rhodin family run two circuses: Brazil Jack, which is Sweden's largest, and Circus Rhodin, which is the smallest of the Swedish-owned circuses. Brazil Jack is run by Trolle Rhodin III and Circus Rhodin by his aunt Diana Rhodin.

Circus Rhodin has a two-pole tent of roughly the same size as Danish Circus Arli. For many years they actually used old tents which they bought from Circus Arli. However, their current tent, which is probably from 2022, was bought new. Inside the tent there are two rows of ringside chairs and 3 rows of benches. The lighting system is rather old. Circus Rhodin primarily tours the smaller towns in Sweden. However, during Easter they are located next to the Mobilia shopping centre in Malmö, which is Sweden’s 3rd largest city.

Circus Rhodin at the premiere on April 12, 2025 at the Circus lot in Aakarp

Years ago, Diana Rhodin performed in a number of circuses with her two elephants, high school riding and liberty horses. For example, she toured Denmark with Circus Dannebrog in 2000 and with Circus Benneweis in 2002. In 2007, she tried her luck with a touring horse show, Hästpalatset (the horse palace), which was not a great success. In recent years, the now 67-year-old Diana Rhodin has toured Sweden with her own small circus, which present nice performances without any big surprises. This is also the case this year, when they premiered in the Malmö suburb of Aakarp on April 12. The circus’ animal team is now limited to three dogs.

Diana Rhodin

The central figure of the show is Circus Rhodin's house clown, the Bulgarian clown Dimo. He begins the show by looking for a place among the audience before all the performers enter the ring and Diana Rhodin welcomes. Later, he has run-ins between the other acts. Nice, without being innovative.

Dimo the clown

New to Circus Rhodin is Duo Baer. They begin the show with the prop that many people today probably call a Lollipop, because the shape is similar to an old-fashioned lollipop. Most artists who perform with that prop do it solo. It's refreshing that it can also be used by a duo. Totti and Rhea are educated at the artist school in Lahti, Finland, where they completed the 3-year education in January 2024.

Duo Baer. The lighting conditions in the small circus make it difficult to take good photos without a professional camera.

The next artist act was the young Danish Nynne Hulsig Samuelsen. Nynne started training with Einar Trie at the Circus Factory in Salling, Denmark, at the age of 6 and participated in all their training camps. When Bangsbostrand School had its 100th anniversary, Katja Tomasevic Olsen and Einar Trie were teachers on a large circus project at the school which had Nynne as one of the pupils. At that time, she did a fantastic aerial act and became the school's big star, and after that it took off - more training at the Circus Factory. And then she left school to tour with Danish Circus Trapez, where she was for three seasons. In 2022 she was in Circus Rhodin for the first time. Nynne's main act is an aerial act. But in a small circus you have to have several entrées, so in this year's performance in Circus Rhodin you also met her with hula-hoop.

Nynne Hulsig Samuelsen with what the Swedes call rock rings

After a run-in with Dimo, the 4 members of the Wolf family entered the ring with their pirate act, which also featured synchronous ladder balance. They were also at Circus Rhodin in 2022. In Denmark we have seen them in Circus Dannebrog, Circus Krone and at Circusland.

Wolf family ended the ladder balance act with juggling with torches

The first part of the performance ended with a short dog act, presented by Diana Rhodin with assistants. Among other things, a dog jumped from the top of a stepladder into a vaulting sheet.

The first act after the break was Nynne Hulsig Samuelsen's aerial act in a chandelier-like prop. A great act in which Nynne fully exploited the possibilities that the prop offered. Last winter she was in Geneva, and it was here that she developed her act in the "chandelier".

A Danish star in a chandelier

After another run-in with Dimo, the two young Finns from Duo Baer came back into the ring, this time with an adagio/hand-to-hand act.

Duo Baer

Now it was time for Diana Rhodin and her three dogs. The act ended with the dogs running around in a dog-sized hamster wheel, one by one. The “gasoline” was dog biscuits which Diana held in front of their noses. A trick I don’t remember seeing before.

Dog in a hamster wheel

After another clown reprise, the last act of the show came: the Wolf family with impressive formation juggling. The act ended with three of the troupe members throwing plates to the troupe leader in a hurry which he had to catch. It failed at first, but went flawlessly on the next attempt. I guess the first “fail” was planned and is repeated at all performances …

Audiences in the smaller towns that Circus Rhodin visits during the season will probably be delighted with the performance in what Diana Rhodin calls Circus as on Grandpa's Time.

From the finale
 

11 April 2025

Baldoni in top form - Circus Baldoni has never been better.

Baldoni's 2025 performance is the third Danish circus performance I have seen this year. As with the other two, Arena and Arli, the quality this year is sky-high. All three could deserve 5 out og 6 review stars if I used that system. They all three have their own style.

Baldoni's performance is a strong and well-staged performance. Just like last year, it is staged by Peter Nørgaard and presented by the young singing ringmaster Mickey Juel Prüssing.

At the entrance to the tent, circus director René Baldoni, clown José Michel and ringmaster Mickey Juel Prüssing welcome

After the opening song, all the artists entered the ring, before the stage was handed over to Lénárd and Daniella Metos with their fine and fast-paced bicycle act, where Lénárd jumped around on his unicycle. They were also with Baldoni in 2022 and in Baldoni's Christmas circus in 2023. But the act is so good that it could easily withstand a reunion.

Entering the ring which at Baldoni is a stage

This is how Lénárd goes up a staircase

The next act was also a repeat act: Nandor Varadi with juggling. First with clubs. Then with balls. Then with rings to finish with juggling with torches. It was probably due to premiere nervousness that a few tricks went wrong. Nandor and his partner Diana Boiachin were also with Baldoni in 2023 and 2024.

Nandor Varadi with rings

After a short run-in with the clown José Michel came a beautiful and classic act: Ballerina on a tightwire, stylishly performed by Marine Durand Rech from France. The number offered both chair balance and splits and ended with her walking across the tightrope on tiptoe! However, with special shoes, where there is a groove in the toes of the shoes.

Ballerina on tight wire

After a short intermezzo with Mickey Juel Prüssing and the show's drummer, it was time for the show's top act: Quincy Azzario's handstand act. In a class of its own and the best handstand act I ever has seen a female artist perform. Years ago, Quincy, together with his sister Katie, had an absolutely fantastic handstand act, Azzario Sisters, which in 2012 brought them a silver clown at the circus festival in Monte Carlo. The duo disbanded when Katie married big cat trainer Alexander Lacey. Quincy continued with her solo handstand act, but also appeared in other acts. In 2023, Quincy, together with René Casselly Junior and his sister Merrylu, received a gold clown for their “pas de trois” on horseback. At Baldoni, she presented her beautiful and fast-paced handstand act, which also contained elements of contortion. Her final trick is one I have never seen a female artist perform before: the famous Encho trick, where she stands in a handstand on a stack of brick-shaped blocks and pushes them away to land on the handstand bars with her hands. Fantastic. And with no less than 8 blocks, which has probably earned her a Guinness record. Fantastic!

A world class star in Baldoni’s ring

Quincy is daughter of the show’s clown José Michel and Mrs. Giulia, who are undoubtedly enjoying a season with their daughter.

The first act after the break was of a type we haven't seen in Danish circuses in many years: an act with a ladder that rotates in the same way as a wheel of death, performed by Lénárd and Daniella Metos. Fine act performed at a high tempo!

Acrobatics on a rotating ladder is not something we see every day

Now came a short reprise with the Indian José Michel as a knife thrower and with an audience member in front of the target. Seen before, but José does it far better than most others.

José Michel as knife thrower

At the premiere, José was followed by Nandor Varadi with a somewhat drawn-out plate juggling act, which in terms of level was not quite up to par with the other acts in the show. However, this is a temporary solution, as one of this year's artist Rubel Medini not could join Baldoni until 15 April due to other commitments. According to Camilla and René Baldoni, he performs an absolutely fantastic rola bola act. Thus, from April 15th, the plate act will be replaced by the rola bola act.

Now José and Giulia Michel entered the ring with their main entrée: the funnel routine, which both started and ended with them playing the tenor sax and soprano sax respectively. I have seen the funnel routine performed by others, but never as well as José and Giulia do it. They were absolutely amazing! They also showed the act at Baldoni in 2024, but the act could easily bear to be seen again.

A wet game!

Nice to see musical clowns

After the clown act, Diana Boichin had a short entrée in tissue. Such acts can sometimes be a bit long-winded, but Peter Nørgaard had not let the act drag on longer than it could bear.

Diana in the air

The last act of the performance was a world class act. The Spanish juggler Alfio Macaggi with “bouncing balls”, which were thrown both into the air and down to the floor. The act ended with a few rounds in the ring, where Alfio simultaneously juggled hats that were grabbed with both the hands and the head. A strong and fast-paced number that was the perfect way to end the show.

He can rightly call himself a tempo juggler.

From the final

As usual, the talented young photographer Jacob Boas Leitisstein took a series of photos from the performance. Certainly much better than my photos shown above. Jacob's photos are not yeat ready but can be seen shortly on Jacob's website Cirkusportalen under Cirkusgalleriet.

The three Danish circus performances I have seen so far are all great shows that deserve to have people flock to the tent. But it is expensive to produce and tour such shows. We must hope for political understanding that public support will be possible in some form or another. Otherwise, we risk that the circus will end up as something we can only see in a museum. Denmark’s municipalities also have the opportunity to show that they appreciate that the circus brings good entertainment to their citizens by either waiving lot rent or making lots available on reasonable terms. Unfortunately, some municipalities, such as Aarhus, act as if they do not care a whit whether a circus comes to town. There was a time when Aarhus called itself the city of smiles...

8 April 2025

Irene Thierry has just published her memoirs with the assistance of author Joan Dansberg. In connection with a reception where the book was presented Irene Thierry's eldest son Frank told us that the small Danish Circus Krone will be on tour with a premiere on May 17 in Hovedgaard and season ending on August 13 in Randers. The concept is, as in 2024, child-friendly performances of approximately 1 hour duration and without intermission. In addition to members of the Thierry family, you will meet Oleksandr Yenivatov and Aurelie Brua again this year, but with different acts than in 2024.

8 April 2025

Circus Trapez 2025. We have previously written that one of the acts that Isabella Enoch Sosman was looking forward to presenting to her audience was Rafaela Honden's act with large, white Swiss shepherd dogs. An act that received the award as the best of the year when it toured with Circus Mascot in 2017. Rafaela was also supposed to have shown an act with parrots. But due to illness in the family, Rafaela Honden has canceled. Isabella has therefore found other artists.

Her audience can look forward to seeing a parrot act, presented by Duo Medini from Italy. From Romania comes Andrei Bocancea, the late Rosi Hockecker's boyfriend, who has taken over Rosi's dogs. In the air, the audience will meet a young Danish artist, Lilje Bekholt, who last year performed with Katja Schumann at har Circus Farm in Løkken.

Lilje Bekholt with Katja Schumann in 2024

Season opening will be on April 16 in Tønder. The tour will then continue to a number of towns in Jutland and Funen. During Pentecost, they will perform at Græsted Veterantræf, and on the way to and from Græsted they will visit a few towns on Zealand.

2 April 2024

Circus fun at Circus Arli.

Great circus performance with talented artists and funny clowns. 

45 minutes before the season opening performance next to the Mill Hill in Fløng it was pouring rain. But at the same time that they turned on their street organ, the sun broke out, so that the audience could come dry into the tent. Photo: Ole Simonsen

"Where do you always find a good mood - here at Circus Arli". This is how Martin Arli's welcome song begins. And this year's performance fully lives up to the circus director's promise: an excellent and well-composed performance, featuring talented artists. Including several that we have not previously seen in a Danish circus.

The singing Martin Arli welcomes you. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

New this year is that the traditional clown entrée has been replaced by several good run-ins with Alexander Arli, in one run-in assisted by Sergey Polupan. And Martin Arli's cozy magic has been replaced by an illusion act with Jelena and Sergey Polupan.

Just like last year, the director couple has divided the tasks of presenting the acts between them: Bettina presents the first part of the performance and Martin take over after the interval.

The explanation is called Jamie and Noah, who are 3 and 4 years old respectively, and are Martin and Bettina's grandchildren, whom they often look after when their father Alexander is in the ring and his wife Tara Toya is at the theater. Tara is an actress and is currently performing in the musical Sound of Music. When it's over, she will be in the Lion Musical's production of Beauty and the Beast at the Royal Theater. Thus, Martin often looks after Jamie and Noah during the first part of the performance and grandma Bettina during the second part.

Only a few times during the performance do we meet Bettina and Martin Arli together in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

After Martin's welcome, Duo Polupan presents a nice illusion act. We know that Jelena is inside the box, but it's hard to understand how it can be done. After the "box number", the pair shows the well-known substitution trunk number, which always works well. Finally, a short juggling entrée, where Jelena swings around with luminous balls. Spectacular!

Where is Jelena Polupan hiding? Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next comes a short run-in with the trumpet player Alexander Arli.

Mr. Trumpet. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Glenn Folco is new in a Danish circus ring. He has previously performed in major circuses such as Cirque d ’Hiver Bouglione in Paris, Blackpool Tower Circus in England, Gt. Yarmouth Hippodrome in England and Flic-Flac in Germany. It is great that the Arli family is now presenting him to the Danish audience.

Glenn Folco’s first entrée is a fine act in pole.

Can you walk in the air? Photo: Ole Simonsen

Next came the two young Gallingani Sisters, who are also new to a Danish circus ring. Nathalie and Shelby are 20 and 23 years old respectively. They come from Italy and are the daughters of Davide Gallingani and his wife Tatiana Caveagna. Under the stage name Davide Robert, Davide was with Arli in 2015. The daughters also were there, but they were not part of the performance in 2015. But they are in 2025, presenting an impressive hand-to-hand act that also features elements of contortion. It's great to see young talents in a Danish ring.

Two young rising stars. Photo: respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

Now Alexander Arli entered the ring again and wanted to tap dance on a plate he had brought. But every time he started, the spotlight moved, so he had to move around in the ring. Finally, the spotlight hit one of the poles!

Alexander can actually tap dance! Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next act was a similar act to the one Bettina Arli made her ring debut with years ago: a knife throwing act. This time, however, not with Bettina and Martin, but with Duo Montico, where the male partner, in addition to throwing knives, also shot with a crossbow. A little unconventionally, during several tricks, it was the female partner who moved to the right and left. Normally, the girl at the shooting target stands still. Their last trick was that the male partner, blindfolded, stood on a rotating plate and threw knives close to his partner. Duo Montico is also new in a Danish ring.

Throwing blindfolded from a rotating plate. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The first act after the interval was Davide Robert with a fine and daring rola bola performed on top of a 2-meter-high pedestal. 2025 is apparently a rola bola summer for the Danish circuses, as both Arena, Arli and Baldoni have such an act in the show. Since Baldoni has not yet premiered, I will leave it unsaid whose act is the best.

I wouldn’t dare! Photo: Ole Simonsen

David Robert was followed by a hula hoop act with Miss Teylor, the female partner in Duo Montico.

Hula hoop with Miss Teylor. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

"Do you want to see clowns?" Martin Arli asked. The answer was of course a resounding yes. And then Alexander Arli came into the ring together with Sergey Polupan in a moody and well-choreographed entrée as mini-clowns. An entrée where they used hands as feet. Similar acts have been seen before in other circuses, but as I remember never as a duo, which gave the act an extra twist.

Two small clowns. Photo: Ole Simonsen

This year's aerial act was a tissue act with the versatile Jelena Vasiljeva Polupan.

Queen of the air. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, Alexander had a short comical juggling entrée where he wanted to show that he could have 9 balls in the air at once. When you see the performance, you will discover how he solves that task.

Alexander can juggle 3 balls. Can he also do it with 9 balls? Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act of the performance was a top act of international format: Glenn Folco with an excellent entrée as a tennis juggler. He started with a kind of devilstick juggling and ended up having 5 rackets in the air. By far the best tennis juggling act I have seen since Serge Percelly more than 20 years ago. Serge, who is son of the white-faced clown Bruno Stutz from Chicky & Co, retired due to shoulder problems several years ago. Today, Glenn Folco may be the world's best tennis juggler. Look forward to see him in Circus Arli!

Can he win a tennis championship? Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance                                            

You can look forward to this year's performance, which offers both talented artists and fun clowning. And proves that you can easily meet international star artists in a small circus like Arli.

Many circus directors visit each other when there is a premiere. Circus Arli was visited by, among others, Benny Berdino of Circus Arena and Carmen Rhodin of Swedish Circus Brazil Jack. Both have had the honourable job of being a member of the award jury at the circus festival in Monte Carlo twice. Photo: Ole Simonsen.

31 March 2025

New lighting in Circus Arena. Those who have already seen this year's performance may have noticed that Circus Arena has invested in a completely new digitally controlled lighting system. Gone are the 4 guys from Poland who climbed up each pole and controlled spotlights. Now it's all done digitally and with spotlights which follows a piece in the artists' costumes. This allows for much better beautiful lighting than in the old days. It has been rather costly say both Benny Berdino and his son Jackie. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

27 March 2025

Circus Arena's 70-year anniversary performance.

This year’s Arena performance is a great performance that deserves people to flock to the tent.

There are not many circuses that manage to survive for 70 years. And certainly not with a director who has been with them from the very beginning. But the Berdino family's Circus Arena has managed to survive and is today both the largest and oldest circus in the Nordic countries. And a circus that for many years has offered great performances with world-class international artists.

This year's performance will not disappoint those who love circus. And neither those who are not regular circus goers but want to see what you can experience in a circus tent. They will be wildly impressed!

Last year, the Danish circuses received support from the Ministry of Culture for the first time ever. As Benny Berdino writes in the printed program, it was a milestone for the circus' continued place in Danish cultural life and a recognition of the art they perform every day and the unique experience the circus gives its audience.

The 2024 grant was a one-off amount. We must hope that the circus in the future will get support that ensures that this part of Danish cultural heritage lives on. Just like the support which the Danish Parliament has given to ballet, opera and theatre. Without this support, we would have neither ballet nor opera in Denmark and only very few theatre performances. Cultural life in Denmark will be poorer if the circus becomes something that can only be experienced in a museum.

This year's Arena performance is presented, just like the 2024 performance, by Bubber and Malene Qvist. They do an excellent job. Malene is probably the best of the partners that Bubber has had as co-hosts in the ring over the years. Children today know and love Bubber as Arena's iconic ringmaster, just as previous generations remember Nelly Jane from Circus Benneweis and Werner Knipschildt from Schumann in the Copenhagen Circus Building. And by the way, remember something about Bubber and a bathtub …

35 years ago, Bubber was known from the children's TV program Sytten-nul-dut, which was popularly called Bubber's Bathtub. In 1991, he was first time featured in Circus Arena, which that year presented Circus under Water, and where Bubber came sailing into the waterfilled ring in his bathtub. For the rest of the 1990s, he was ringmaster at Arena. A task he returned to in 2019. Apart from the corona years 2020 and 2021, he has since been an indispensable part of the performances in Circus Arena. Photo: Ole Simonsen

The performance began with an illusion act, which according to the printed program was to be presented by Christoffer Eötvös. However, he was not present at the premiere performance at Bellahøj. The explanation is that he is part of the German Circus Krone’s winter performance in the circus building in Munich, where the season does not end until April 5. Christoffer performed on a stage in Circusland last year. It can be difficult to make a stage act work in a ring. The act that was shown at the premiere at Arena probably used some of Christoffer's props and offered great illusions, which unfortunately could be a bit difficult to see for the spectators who were not sitting in the middle of the parquet seats.

Magic in the ring – at least for those who were sitting in the parquet seats. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Next, Malene and Bubber welcomed. The singing Malene came down a staircase from the orchestra stand wearing a beautiful red dress. And before I forget it: great praise to the well-playing 6-piece circus band!

Malene on the stairs. Photo: Ole Simonsen

The first acrobat act was the young Steven Ferreri with a great and extremely well-executed act on a tightwire. The act featured both backward and forward somersaults. Steven was also with Arena in 2023.

A master on a tightrope. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Next followed a short run-in with Circus Arena's long-time house clown Jimmy Folco, who wanted to be applauded when Bubber welcomed him into the ring. Bubber therefore had to send him back several times and encourage the audience to give more applause when Jimmy came back in. Including a standing ovation at the end at Bubber's request.

The versatile artists Leonardo and Vita Costache were with Arena for the first time in 2017. Their specialty is perch acts and aerial acts using mouth bites. This year is their 6th season at Arena, and they show an impressive perch act that first involves Leonardo climbing ladders while balancing a perch with Vita on the top on his forehead. Their entrée ended with Leonardo carrying a perch on his shoulders. A perch that has a 'wheel of death' on top in which Vita rides. Very spectacular when the act ends with lights in the wheel and Vita's costume!

Duo Costache. Photos by Ole Simonsen and Jacob Boas Leitisstein, respectively.

Circus Arena no longer has its own animals, but instead rents them from other circuses. Last year, some were disappointed by the fact that there were no horses in the performance. That's why this year they have rented 6 beautiful Friesian horses from the Swedish Circus Olympia. They were presented by Karsten Berdino, who has been on a short training stay in Olympia's winter quarters to get to know the horses.

This year there were horses in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next act in the ring was with an artist we have never met in Denmark before. And with an act we have never seen before. It was French William Tournoud, who performed rola bola on a swinging platform. However, he showed the last tricks while the platform wasn’t moving.

Rola bola on a swinging platform has never before been seen Denmark. Photos respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

Then followed a short wild west run-in with the feathered Jimmy Folco and his whip-wielding wife Claudia. The gag where Jimmy ends up losing all his feathers. By the way: Jimmy and Claudia had a silver wedding anniversary last year.

Jimmy Folco before he loses his feathers. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act before the break was two members of the Ortiz troupe in wheel of death which achieved great speed. In the last half of the act, one ran on the outside of the wheel, while the other functioned as an 'engine' inside his wheel. The outside man mastered both skipping, blindfolded running and some deadly jumps, although not with somersaults. 

Wild jumps on the wheel. Photo: Ole Simonsen

Just before the break, a nice box of candy was raffled off. This happened when Malene, with her back to him, directed Bubber around the rows in the grandstand. Bubber was carrying his 2-year-old daughter Rosa on his arm at the same time. Photo: Ole Simonsen

After an about 20-minute break, the young Swedish artist David Hammarberg came into the ring, riding a camel. Using a rope, he climbed up to a rope which ends were attached to the circus dome, so that the rope hung down in a V-shape. He then showed a number in what is called cloud swing, where the artist swings on the rope and repeatedly lets himself fall, catching the rope with his feet or doing a somersault. Today, a relatively rare discipline. The last time we saw it at Arena was probably in 1986. In previous seasons at Arena, the versatile David Hammarberg has performed in tissue and bungee trapeze. It's great that this year he's showing us something we rarely see. To end the act, Karsten Berdino came into the ring with 3 camels, which like the horses, are rented from the Swedish Circus Olympia.

It has been almost 40 years since we last saw cloud swing in Arena's ring. Photos respectively Jacob Boas Leitisstein and Ole Simonsen

During the break, Malene Qvist had changed into a blue dress. Bubber teased her that she could then be called Madam Blue, which as the older members of the audience know is the name of an old-fashioned coffee pot. Malene rather wanted to be little Miss Himmelblå. Together with Bubber she sang Gitte Hænning's and Dirch Passer's old hit about Miss Himmelblå.

Little Miss Himmelblå, put on your crooked hat … Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Now the young juggler Michael Ferreri came into the ring and juggled with balls, the number of which increased and increased every time a ball fell from a box under the circus dome. Like his brother Steven Ferreri, he was with Arena in 2023. He mastered having 9 balls in the air at once. An attempt to manage 10 balls failed at the premiere, but will undoubtedly succeed many times during the season.

Not easy to keep all the balls in the air … Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

Jimmy Folco has been known and sometimes criticized for dragging spectators into the ring. This year he managed without any helpers other than Mrs. Claudia. The couple's last entrée in the performance was the well-known restaurant gag, where Jimmy was supposed to serve his guest Claudia. I'm hardly giving anything away by revealing that Jimmy ended up getting a custard pie in his head. After throwing spaghetti pieces on the heads of spectators in ringside chairs!

   


At the restaurant in the ring. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The next artist in the ring was the only 15-year-old Gabriel Della'Acqua, who presented a very strong handstand act which also featured hand jumps up platforms that formed a staircase. After the number, he received a well-deserved spontaneous standing ovation. He must be an obvious candidate for nomination for this year's talent award from the Danish Circus Award. In 2022, he won gold at the European Youth Circus festival in Wiesbaden.

Gabriel Della’Acqua – a rising star! Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

The last act of the show was the 7-man high wire troupe Los Ortiz. They were also at Arena in 2023, where the Danish Circus Award gave them the prize for the best act of the year. As in 2023, they ended the entrée with the famous 7-man pyramid, where artists in 3 levels cross the wire. Impressive! In 2023, as I remember, the poles for the wire act were put up next to the king poles to the right and left of the artist entrance. This year they set up so that the wire spans across the ring, which is an advantage compared to the 2023 set-up.

Los Ortiz got the prize for best act of the year 2 years ago. Photos: Jacob Boas Leitisstein

In the finale of the premiere performance, Bubber mentioned that the man behind it all, Benny Berdino, has been with Circus Arena for all 70 years. A deeply moved Benny Berdino thanked and also expressed a warm thank you to his children Suzanne and Jackie Berdino.

Benny Berdino has been with Circus Arena ever since his father started it in 1955. Benny was 8 years old at the time. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. Click here to see more of Jacob's photos from the performance

This year's Arena performance is a great performance that deserves to have people flock to the tent. But such a performance is expensive to produce and tour with. We must hope for political understanding for the need of support in some form. Otherwise, we risk that it will be the last time we in Denmark can experience a performance like Arena's.

24 March 2025

Circus Merano finally back. Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo writes (my translation from Norwegian):

The last season for the Norwegian National Circus Merano was 2014.

Now back in a completely new form and a completely new format. Adapted for 2025. In a new tent with an elevated ring for the first time in Norway. A concept that has been well tested in other countries such as Denmark with Arli, Baldoni and Nemo.

Merano in a new 28-meter tent, only chairs in the box and grandstand with 650 seats. A completely new Merano adapted to today's times. Light crew cars, few transports cut expenses and the use of many drivers. Technicians.

Circus Merano's new tent. All photos: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

Merano for the first time without a live band but technically very good sound and good music arrangements directed by Lasse Nørager. His daughter Julia Myllykangas was responsible for the lighting design.

A well-composed and varied performance with several good artists put on stage by Christian Hofer. Duration 1 hour and 55 minutes with a 20 minute break. The feeling of genuineness from Merano's glory days is still there. Fewer four-legged artists but high quality of those who are involved.

Christian Hofer, also known as the clown Don Christian, together with this year's clown Tonito, who is the son of the clown Toni Alexis and brother of Totti Alexis

Merano's red nose this year is the clown Tonito, who introduces while the audience is on their way in. Finally puts on his make-up in the ring in front of the audience. Good reception from the audience throughout the performance, a clear favourite. Particularly good on both trumpet and saxophone. And playful dog act with Elvis.

Tonita with the dog Elvis

Merano has always opened with a fantastic light show at most of its performances.

This year with luminous drones performed by the artist Lugo who has worked with Zirkus Flic Flac and Circus Charles Knie in Germany.

Darwin Pellergini tempo juggler with real tempo, a very good artistic start at Merano 2025.

Kimberly Zavatta in aerial straps, some of the best I have seen in many years in this discipline in Norway. Somewhat dark lighting otherwise very well done. Noticed that the audience liked what they saw.

As part of the act, Kimberly Zavatta also hangs in her teeth using a mouth bite

Stefania Jarz with a classic foot juggler act with balls and scarfs. Up to 5 balls at once, impressive.

Nicol Nicols on a tight line with forward and backward somersault as highlights, also here some weak lighting. Something I expect will be improved.

20 minute break, the audience can use the circus's 2 well-stocked kiosks.

The clown Tonito in cooperation Stefania, quick change act at a very high tempo. Very good direction with dance steps and a high humour factor. Here the lighting and music were absolutely perfect to the great enthusiasm of the audience.

I would say that Sanger's dog act is a living legend in the circus. Has worked at all the major European circuses. One of the very best dog acts to be found. Lots of laughter and joy among the audience. Clearly one of many favourites in this year's Merano program.

Lugo with a laser show, best suited for the youth in the audience. Flames, laser lights, smoke and loud music. Something that has not been shown in Norway before.

Nicol and Kimberly with crossbow act at a high tempo. Great costumes and good lighting. Kimberly worked in a hanging pole and hanging by teeth. Both roses and balloons were hit as they should.

The clown Tonito ends it all with his Elvis parody, good one. Grand finale with dancing artists and presentation of a the performers.

Unusually in Norwegian circus, Dir. Knut Dahl did not present the performance. His voice is recorded and played back in the introduction of the show and in the finale.

Merano 2025 is a circus show of the time, nice variation artistically. The lighting at the premiere was probably something that has been worked on for the better in the future.

Just coming out with a brand-new circus in such a relatively short time deserves great respect.

Hereby recommended to see the Norwegian National Circus Merano 2025.

Grand Finale

Among the audience at the premiere were Swedes Bengt Kallquist, Anton Frank, Helena Schicht, Ingo Stiebner. From Finland Kalle Jernstrøm of Circus Finlandia with wife. Guests from English circus. Roy Bjerke, former Merano artist and secretary. And many more in a packed tent with standing ovation in the finale.

Circus owner Knut Dahl 

21 March 2025

Cirkus Trapez 2025. The small Jutland circus writes (my translation):

Come into the world of magic and adventure when Cirkus Trapez invites you inside the tent for this year's performance 2025 "What a Circus"

This year's performance is about our sweet clown Gabor's journey into the magical world of the circus and offers impressive acrobatics, fast-paced juggling of a special class, beautiful aerial acts, beautiful Swiss shepherd dogs (which in 2017 won the prize for the best circus act of the year in Denmark), parrots, horses, ponies and much more. Of course, our popular and lovable clown Gabor will also come into the ring with brand new clown run-ins which will make both young and old smile and laugh.

You can start looking forward to a magical and adventurous circus experience for the whole family. Our Denmark tour starts on April 16 in Tønder, after which we again this year will tour both Jutland, Funen, Lolland-Falster and Zealand until September 14.

The prize-winning dog act mentioned is Rafaela Honden's act with large, white Swiss shepherd dogs, who clearly love being in the ring. In 2017, Rafaella toured with Circus Mascot, where she also performed with parrots and with a comic horse act.

18 March 2025

Circus Brazil Jack 2025. The large Swedish circus, which calls itself the world's oldest touring circus, opens the season April 18 at the Mill Square next to the castle in Malmö. They will stay in Malmö until April 27. The Mill Square is located about a 20-minute walk from Malmö Central Station.

Circus director Trolle Rhodin III presents this year's performance as follows (my translation):

Circus Brazil Jack, the world's oldest touring circus, is back with a new, spectacular show filled with nerve-wracking acts and magical moments. An animal-free show with amazing artists who defy the impossible!

Hold your breath as Trolle Rhodin presents the human cannonball shot through the air! Be fascinated by incredible acrobatics, where bodies swirl in a symphony of strength and agility both on the ground and in the air. Watch the juggler play with gravity in a captivating dance of speed and precision. Hear the roar of the engines as the driver of the death globe challenges fate in a daring explosion of skill!

In our star-studded tent, a show filled with laughter, excitement and pure circus magic awaits - an evening you will never forget!

The show run for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes including a 20-minute intermission.

The Globe of Death is always an audience favorite. In 2024, the Diorios troupe was the last act in Circus Brazil Jack with 4 riders in the globe. Also in 2025, you can experience the Globe of Death at Circus Brazil Jack.

The names of the performers will be announced in the beginning of April.

Brazil Jack, whose civil name was Carl Max Alexander Rhodin, started his circus in 1899. However, it has not toured every year. The current Circus Brazil Jack has, apart from the corona years, toured every year since 1982. It is currently run by Brazil Jack's great-grandson Trolle Rhodin III and is Sweden's largest circus.

There are two other Swedish circuses: the medium-sized Circus Olympia, which is run by the Bengtsson family, and the small Circus Rhodin, which is run by Trolle III's aunt Diana Rhodin. In addition, there are 2 small German-owned family circuses that usually tour Sweden: Circus Popcorn and Circus Bambino.

16 March 2025

Horses and camels in Circus Arena. Previously, Circus Arena had many animals, which were partly used in the performance and partly hired out to other circuses. However, it became more and more difficult to hire out the animals, and they have to be fed and cared for, even if they end up staying at home in the stables in the winter quarters in Aarslev. That is why Circus Arena sold their animals a few years ago, and instead rented animals for their performances. This year, the animals – 6 horses and 4 camels – come from the Swedish Circus Olympia, which is known for having beautiful and well-groomed animals. Both for their own use and for rental. The horses and camels are presented in Circus Arena by Karsten Berdino, who has presented Arena's own horses several times before. Incidentally, this is not the first time a Danish circus has rented animals from Circus Olympia. Circus Benneweis rented camels from Olympia in 2014 and Tinkerhorses in 2015.

In 2023, Karsten Berdino presented Circus Arena's Arabian horses. Photo: Jacob Boas Leitisstein. This year, the horses come from the Swedish Circus Olympia.

16 March 2025

Zirkus Nemo. It appears from the Danish Gazette Statstidende from March 13 that the Maritime and Commercial Court's bankruptcy court by decree of March 10, 2025 has taken ZIRKUS NEMO ApS under bankruptcy proceedings based on a petition received on February 13, 2025. Attorney Morten Bøgenskjold, Algade 55, 3., 4000 Roskilde, has been appointed as trustee. Morten Bøgenskjold is a partner in the law firm Njord. Anyone who has a claim against the debtor is invited to notify the estate's trustee of their claim, calculated as of the date of bankruptcy, within 4 weeks of the announcement in the Official Gazette. The notification should be accompanied by documentation for the claim.

Zirkus Nemo announced on February 18 that they had been declared bankrupt, even though the formal bankruptcy decree was not issued until March 10.

14 March 2025

★★★★★☆

Circus of Torment. The first circus premiere in Denmark in 2025 was March 13, when the Dutch-owned Circus of Torment opened the season at Trianglen in Copenhagen. With a performance that certainly does not resemble the family-friendly performances we know from Danish circuses. Circus of Torment describes their performance as follows:

“In this horror circus, the tormented soul of the late circus director Alexander Ferluci returns from the dead. But he is not alone! Together with his former artists, they haunt the darkness within their cursed Big Top! Travel back to a dark time and experience the spectacular freak show where eerie fortune tellers, insane acrobats and terrifying clowns get you on the edge of your seat…”

Circus of Torment on the lot at Trianglen in Copenhagen

If you love a classic circus performance and actually think that the performances you saw 20 years ago were better than today, the performance at Circus of Torment is hardly for you. The same applies if you think that a circus performance is something you should see with a child or grandchild in your hand.

But if you like the Halloween atmosphere and want to see what a circus also can be, a visit to Circus of Torment is an experience. They themselves write that the performance is not suitable for children under 12 years old. I would set the age limit a little higher and think that the primary target group is young people from their twenties to mid-thirties. An age group that would otherwise not visit a circus. That is why Circus of Torment is not a competitor to the Danish circuses.

Before the actual performance, there is a kind of pre-show CarnEvil outside the tent.

In the small 2-pole tent there are two ticket categories: RIP tickets, where the audience sits on chairs around the small circular stage, and regular tickets, where the audience is placed on five rows of benches, where only the back one has a backrest. At einlass the VIP audience is let in first for a short pre-show, before the other visitors are let into the dimly lit tent in groups. This makes the einlass procedure a bit time-consuming, but contributes to creating a very special atmosphere right from the start. There is room for 250 spectators in the tent.

In the dark tent you are surrounded by scary freaks, psychopathic artists and murderous clowns, who are certainly not afraid to get very close to the audience.

As is usual in contemporary circus performances, the performance should be seen as a whole and not a show that focuses on the individual artists, who are not presented by name either. There is no ringmaster.

However, this does not change the fact that the performance offers good artist acts. With several artists who have also performed in traditional circuses.

The recurring character is a skilled mime artist with several good entrées as a comic magician. Including an entrée where he takes an audience member up on stage, without it seeming embarrassing.

A girl with a hair hanging combines her act with contortion. An exciting combination that I have not seen before.

From the world of fairs we meet fire-eaters, one of whom returns as a fakir and a sword swallower and ends up pulling a girl up a trapeze using a hook through his nose.

A juggler, who is presented as insane, bounces his balls down onto his podium.

A diabolo juggler, who manages to get 3 diabolos into the air at once.

A duo presents a great and very fast-paced roller-skating act.

One of the last acts in show is the well-known knife-throwing entrée, where a clown put a blindfolded spectator in front of the shooting target, and where it is the clown's partner who punctures the balloons. If the show were to be tightened up a bit, in my opinion that entrée could be omitted without major damage.

All the performers has an impressively good make-up, see photos. Apart from the photo from the finale, all artist photos are press photos from Circus of Torment, as photography is not allowed during the show.

From the finale just after the circus director Alexander Ferluci has hanged himself. Maybe a slightly macabre way to end the show.

As mentioned, the artists are not introduced by name. However, David Sosman has given me the names of the lead performers: forces:

Hair Hanging - Alénee Aisha, who is also the fakir's partner in the fire-eating act.

Juggling - David Sosman. The Danes have previously seen him in Circus Dannebrog and in Circus Trapez, which is owned by his mother Isabella Enoch Sosman.

Contortion – Juma

Mime artist - Kevinski Gorczyński

Diaboli - Michaël Betrian, who is also the owner of Circus of Torment. The Danes have previously seen him in Circus Dannebrog and in Circus Trapez.

Fakir - Zeno Sputafuoco

Roller skates - Skating Nistorov. At Circus of Torment they are a duo. In 2017, the Swedes experienced them as a trio in Circus Olympia. They have also performed in the famous Cirque d’Hiver in Paris

Circus director and other roles - Nigel Vos

The lighting is impressive, and there is a smooth and elegant transition between the individual acts. A number of monsters running around in the audience also act as props. Impressive that they can do it in the dim lighting.

I usually don’t give review stars to circus performances in Denmark. But there is so much innovation and exciting elements in the performance in Circus of Torment that for once I deviate from my principle. So, five well-deserved stars!

After Copenhagen, Circus of Torment visits Odense, Vejle and Aarhus. See more in What’s on.

11 March 2025                  

More artists for Circus Arnardo. The Norwegian circus has announced some more names of performers in this year's performance. Several of the artists are the same as those that the Danes have just experienced in Cirkus Trapez's winter performance.

The clown of the year is Rudi Brukson, who, as at Cirkus Trapez, is assisted in his entrées by his wife Irina Skuratova. As at Trapez, the couple's two children are also part of the Arnardo performance: their son, the juggler Rico Brukson and their daughter Elena Brukson, who performs in tissue.

There are several recurring “performers” characters from Trapez, namely 6 cats and 6 ferrets. At Trapez, they were presented by Swetlana Roslyakova. At Arnardo, they are presented by her daughter Anelya Roslyakova, as Swetlana will be the nanny for Anelya's oldest daughter, who is 4 years old and going to school in France. In 2014, the Danes experienced Anelya and her ferrets at Circus Benneweis.

In addition to the Brukson family and Anelya's entrées with cats and ferrets, the show features a completely newly developed magic and illusion act with the director couple Are and Paola Anardo. Are's grandfather, the Circus King Arne Arnardo, was Norway's most famous magician.

The director couple's son Arne Otto Luigi Folco Arnardo is 25 years old and named after his great-grandfather Arne Arnardo. Last year he performed with a diabolo. For 2025 he has developed a completely new act.

As in 2024, the show features Kevin Probst and his parrots. Last year he also presented a dog act. This year his girlfriend Isabelle Hostettler is presenting the dog act.

Kevin Probst with parrots. Photo: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo

In addition to the artists mentioned, the performance features Alina Malko in flying pole. That is, a pole that is free from the surface and hangs in the air.

In the upcoming season, Circus Arnardo will use their iconic 4-pole blue tent, which was last used in 2019. It has a diameter of 30 or 32 meters. It is larger than Circus Merano's tent, which has a diameter of 28 meters. From 2021 to 2024, Circus Arnardo used Kevin Probst's white tent, which has a diameter of 26 meters. The third Norwegian circus, Circus Agora, uses a tent with a diameter of 24 meters. The last Norwegian circus, Sirkus Jesper, which is located stationary in Kristiansand Zoo, has a tent with a diameter of 21.6 meters. The photo above shows Arnardo's tent at the 2018 premiere, where there was snow on the lot in Arendal. Photographer: Thorbjørn Klæbo Flo.

10 March 2025

Jimmy and Jeremy Enoch in Britain's Got Talent. In the Danish talent program Danmark har Talent, which was broadcast from 2014 to 2019, the participants were Danish. The broadcasts were built on the concept of the English Got Talent, which is still used in England as well as in a number of other countries. In several countries with participants who do not come from the country in question. Recently, Jimmy Enoch and his son Jeremy have been part of this year's edition of Britain's Got Talent with Jimmy's glass balance act on a unicycle.

Jimmy Enoch with glass balance. Photo from performance in Enoch' Circus Show week 7 at Rosengaardcentret in Odense.

9 March 2025                     

Circus Rhodin 2025. Diana Rhodin's small Swedish Circus Rhodin will open the season in the Malmö suburb of Aakarp on April 12 at 4 p.m. During the Easter holidays, they will have performances in Malmö at the lot next to the shopping centre Mobilia.

The main character of the show is, just like in 2022, 2023 and 2024, the clown Dimo. He comes from Bulgaria.

Dimo the Clown

Circus director Diana Rhodin presents her dog act – little stars with great charm. From Finland comes Duo Baer, ​​who has two acts: one with hand-to-hand/adagio acrobatics and one with acrobatics in a prop with rotating rings. Sometimes called a lollipop, as the shape can be reminiscent of a giant lollipop. Totti and Rhea are educated at Lahti Circus Education Finland, where they completed the 3-year education in January 2024.

Click here to watch a 1-minute video teaser from their acts.

The Wolf family, who also was with Circus Rhodin in 2022, also has two acts: formation juggling and ladder balance combined with juggling with torches. The young Danish aerial acrobat Nynne Hulsig Samuelsen shows a newly developed act with aerial acrobatics under a sparkling crystal chandelier. In addition to the above, the performance features a hula-hoop entrée.

Wolf family as jugglers

7 March 2025

Circus of Torment 2025. Circus of Torment presented horror circus performances in Vejle and Aalborg in February 2023. In the fall of 2023, they were back with performances in Esbjerg, Aarhus and Odense. This year, they are back in Denmark with performances in Copenhagen, Odense, Vejle and Aarhus with a premiere in Copenhagen on March 13. They write:

The Circus of Torment is a unique, spectacular and international live horror show experience created by Dark Thrills Entertainment.

Prepare to travel back to a dark time of mysterious fortunetellers, terrifying freaks, psychopathic acrobats and murderous clowns. This show is not for the faint of heart and is a guaranteed hair-raising experience! Take your place around the specially designed centre stage that gives a unique 360 degree view of the terrifying action. Feel the thrills and chills come alive all around you as the entities of this cursed domain take the stage.

Be a part of the show, and witness international artists from all over Europe perform their incredible and dangerous circus acts in this immersive horror show. Witness the pain and experience the torment!

Circus of Torment invites you in for a show you will never forget…

About the performance in Aalborg 2023, the digital media migogaalborg wrote “Perfect combination of thrills, laughter, horror and screams” and gave the performance 5 stars.

On this website, Jorgen Lorenzen wrote, among other things: "There was so much that at the end you wanted to see it all again. And as in a good theater performance, the performance posed questions to the audience: what did we see here? How should we interpret it? There was not just, as in a good circus performance, a bombardment of the senses, a joyful demonstration of the many facets of circus art and its beauty".
 

 


In the Circus of Torment's 2-pole tent there is a small circular stage surrounded by 2 rows of chairs and a grandstand with 6 rows of benches. Photo from Odense October 2023

First 2025 performance in Denmark is in Copenhagen at Trianglen on Thursday, March 13. As some circus friends may remember, Circus Dannebrog used the lot at Trianglen for many years when they visited Copenhagen. But from 2011 the lot at Trianglen could not be used due to the metro construction. When Circus of Torment put up their tent at Trianglen, it is 15 years since a circus last time used the lot. But there is a world of difference between Circus Dannebrog's classic family-friendly performances and the performances in Circus of Torment, whose primary target group is young people. They write that the experience is not suitable for

younger audiences, and that the recommended minimum age is 12 years.

In England, Germany and the Netherlands, you have been able to see horror circuses for a number of years. With Circus of Torment's visit to Denmark in 2023, it was the first time we experienced a real horror circus in Denmark. A horror circus mixes horror with black humor, rock music or horror film-inspired electronic music and artistry.

Circus of Torment is produced by Dark Thrills Entertainment with Dutchman Michaël Betrian as CEO. Danes were able to see his diabolo act in Circus Dannebrog in 2014 and in Circus Trapez in 2021. David Sosman has the task as Gustavo, the insane juggler.

David Sosman as Gustavo, the insane juggler. He is son of Isabelle Enoch Sosman and grandson of the late Haddy Enoch

5 March 2025

Circus Olympia. Circus Olympia is Sweden's second largest circus and present a classic circus performance with many animals: horses, goats and dogs.

The 2025 season will open 5 April in Oskarström.

Cirkus Olympia's tent has a diameter of 28 meters and room for 600 spectators. Press photo from Circus Olympia. Photographer Linda Himsel

Cirkus Olympia presents this year's performance as follows (my translation):

A circus performance is always a collective achievement, but it is important for Circus Olympia always to offer some exciting new acts which never before has been seen in Sweden. This year it is Team JanShow from Ukraine who will perform two unique bicycle acts... One in a romantic style and the other a troupe act at a high tempo. No circus without a clown and this year Clown Tumpy from Chile is back to make children of all ages laugh.

Frida Evelina Persson is an international aerial acrobat from Sweden, trained in Spain where she has also worked as an artist in major international productions, including those produced by Cirque Soleil. This year she will perform pole acrobatics. From South America comes the tempo juggler Rafael Gil. Guerreros will perform with an exciting and beautiful springboard act. Circus Olympia's own horses and dogs of course have their obvious place in this year's performance. This year Niklas Bengtsson will present his beautiful ponies and Henrika Bengtsson will present the Circus Patrol, i.e. her mischievous and playful dogs. Natascha Jarz has trained a brand-new act with goats from the 4H farm in Malmö.

Circus Olympia is characterized by traditional circus entertainment for the whole family, framed by beautiful music and modern show technology.

Team JanShow. Press photo from Circus Olympia

The 2025 program looks like this:

Musical overture

Team JanShow, Bicycle acrobats

The clown Tumpy

The circus patrol - Henrika Bengtsson with dogs

Ester in trapeze

Paul, guitar solo

Rafael Gil, tempo juggler

The clown Tumpy

INTERVAL

Overture

Niklas Bengtsson - with ponies

The clown Tumpy

The Guerrero family, springboard acrobats

Natascha Jarz - with playful goats

Frida Evelina Persson - Pole acrobatics

The clown Tumpy

Team JanShow, BMX stunt bikes

Grand Finale