A month-long, global celebration of circus will draw to a close on World Circus Day this weekend.
This year marks the fifth instalment of the event, which is organised by the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque.
Following an open call-out earlier this year, participants from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Belarus, China and India have all registered to hold World Circus Day events.
The Mobile Mini Circus for Children is set to tour several Afghan provinces on 19 and 20 April, and will open new circus arts education centres in Herat and Nangarhar.
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In India, The Great Oriental Circus will perform free shows for orphaned children in Mumbai; whilst in China, Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe will celebrate with performances throughout World Circus Day.
Australian company Circus Oz has announced the new additions to its troupe to coincide with the celebrations. Ania Reynolds, April Dawson, Ben Hendry, Candy Bowers, Dale Woodbridge-Brown, Derek Llewellin, Kyle Raftery, Lilikoi Kaos, Matt Wilson, Nathan Kell, Olivia Porter and Spenser Inwood will all perform in Circus Oz’s new production But Wait…There’s More, premiering in Melbourne on 18 June.
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The Fédération is also holding a photography contest as part of the event, inviting event organisers to send in photos of human pyramids. As well as being entered into the contest, uploaded photos will put together to create a giant composite image.
Photo: Circus Oz’s Matt Wilson and Ania Reynolds in But Wait…There’s More © Rob Blackburn
