From Moscow With Aplomb -- The Great Moscow Circus Comes Back - That In Itself Is A Death-Defying Story

In the middle of the Westlake Center plaza last week, Mikhail Kalinin meticulously assembled a small metal table as a ragged circle of expectant passers-by and curious onlookers formed around him.

Slowly, he attached the legs, tightened screws and checked the platform for stability. Then, after a final set of warm-up stretches, the equilibrist launched into a series of increasingly complicated maneuvers while standing on his hands. The performance culminated in a see-it-to-believe-it moment when he supported his entire body on one hand while holding a trumpet in the other and playing the national anthem.

It's an amazing feat, cleanly executed like a gymnastic routine, and just one of the numerous moments that leave audiences of The Great Moscow Circus in amazed silence.

Tomorrow, Kalinin and the rest of the awe-inspiring acts of the circus, considered by many as one of the best in the world, begin a five-day stint at the Tacoma Dome. Their Northwest appearance is their third stop in a 40-city tour of the U.S. - their first after a three-year absence.

The show, which includes acts culled from circuses throughout the former Soviet republics, feature crowd pleasers like the Kaseev Russian brown bears, the Doveiko Acrobats, who use a specially designed swing to propel its members to dramatic heights, and the Nugzarov Djigits, the acrobatic horsemen. The stars of the show are the Flying Cranes, who have re-invented the trapeze act into an aerial ballet that tells the symbolic story of cranes coming to the aid of a fallen friend.

But while these acts have their share of death-defying moments, perhaps the most amazing feat of survival is performed by the circus itself.

When The Great Moscow Circus last came to the Northwest, the winds of change sweeping through the former Soviet Union hadn't yet become the hurricane that would blow apart the world's largest nation.

But despite the rapid changes and political instability of the intervening years, the circus has maintained its popularity, continuing to draw as many as 70 million people a year.

"The circus is definitely still flourishing in Russia," said Steven E. Leber, the co-producer of the show. "It's one of the few things still flourishing, because they're so interested in the art form of the circus."

Born in 1793

The circus has a long history in Russia, tracing its roots to the court of Catherine the Great where it was introduced in 1793. In 1877, the first permanent circus building was opened in St. Petersburg. Others soon followed in the larger cities like Kiev, Odessa and Moscow, and there are now more than 70 permanent buildings throughout Russia and the surrounding republics.

In 1919, the circus was nationalized and in the late 1920s the first professional circus school was founded. Students train for four years in everything from clowning to acrobatics and are later invited to create their own acts and audition before the circus board. The most successful circus acts achieve the same celebrity status that movie stars and athletes enjoy in the U.S.

Until 1992, the circus was a state-run and state-funded organization. It remains a state-run Russian institution, but now it has more independence and is a self-sustaining business enterprise, Leber said. In some of the cities, the circuses have suffered from the loss of government funding and the circus buildings have had to diversify their offerings. Russia has also been more lenient about letting its artists perform abroad, with many finding jobs with circuses like the Ringling Brothers and Cirque du Soleil.

No political fights

Although political relationships among Russia and some of the other republics are strained, the circus members, who come from all corners of the former Soviet Union, remain friendly.

"After the breakup of the Soviet Union, there were major political fights," Leber said. "Yet the artists get along well. They don't look at politics and let politics interfere with their personal relationships. It's one of the few forums where different nationalities come together in Russia."

And although the circus has weathered political instability for now, other challenges lie ahead.

As Russia and its neighbors become more Westernized and exposed to the variety of entertainment options available, the circus will face even more competition for the public's limited resources.

"There are a lot of things that weren't available before, so probably in the long run that might threaten the circus," Leber said. "But you solve that problem by becoming great."