Going to the Circus is fun with kids. The best one we have been to is a real family affair, where the relatives pitch the tent, sell tickets, put you in your seats and do the acts. Not like these guys, who we saw on the Padang in Singapore many moons ago. My abiding memory is sitting next to the person who won a mobile phone. That was about as close as I have been to winning a raffle, although I did win a gardening book at a quiz night once.
Our kids go intermittently to the Circus School in town. It is great fun and they learn useful party tricks like spinning plates, juggling and stilt walking, along with helpful balance and coordination skills, but I sense that it is a tough life if you have to earn a living at it. The earlier article talks about the performer who had a hernia and the contortionist whose back fused at age 17. My personal experience is tough landings on stilts and a few close calls on the unicycle, which I learned to ride in my teens.
There is no doubt that Cirque du Soleil is a fantastic theatrical event with spectacular effects and high skills (along with a hefty price tag). Personally, however, I would prefer to go to the one with the family member selling the popcorn.
