the complete circus article

The abridged version of this article came out in the Lifestyle section of The Manila Bulletin, Sunday, July 17. A friend suggested that I post the original piece, so here it is in its entirety (still working on the pics, though):

Life in a traveling circus
Text by Malou E. Rosal
Photos by Pinggot Zulueta and Rudy Liwanag

This is a true story. When he was 16 years old, this young Pinoy lad would frequent a local circus near his family's house in the heart of Manila. As days passed, he got to know the circus guys and thought they were great. Then, finally, when the time came for the circus to leave, he just went and joined them, lingering as far as their Central Luzon tour. He was not a performer; just manned the ticket booth and helped with the equipment. But that experience was awesome and he had the time of his life. Till his father tracked him down and brought him back home to his urban reality.

So, okay, hands up those of you who've thought about running away with the circus. Perhaps circus life holds its own mystique. And in one moment of awe, some have considered this move, thinking that it is filled with non-stop excitement and thrills.

Which it actually is. Think about it for a moment and imagine. Ever since the days when Circus Maximus enthralled the Roman crowds with their exotic animals and death defying stunts as a prelude to gory gladiator bouts, the circus has been a veritable merchant of happiness. The clowns tickle the funny bones; the jugglers impress with their ability to throw as many items up in the air without them crashing down; the firebreathers swoop like dragons on the warpath; the acrobats tumble and twist on nimble hands and feet; the contortionists cram themselves into a box in a tight squeeze. Through the centuries, the circus has evolved into more astounding and technologically enhanced acts; yet wherever the venue, spectacular performances are met with thunderous applause. And on top of all that, there's travel, travel, travel, moving from one city to the next, flying to different countries and even around the world! It's like dreaming while awake!



Hang on, angel!

Mark Halasi plays Icarus

Hungarian acrobat/aerialist Mark Halasi knows this life all too well. Playing the mythical "fallen angel" Icarus in Cirque du Soleil's "Varekai" for the past five years, Mark had also honed his craft by working in other circuses all across Europe before that. He confesses to getting hooked when at two years old, his grandparents brought him to his first circus.

"I just like the vibe," Mark recalls. "I just enjoy circus shows more than any other shows, more than dance and more than theater. So I wanted to be involved in it."

So the young boy started practicing. His home was his stage, where he would create a pillar of chairs and climb on top of them, then reach down to the bottom. He was agile, he was flexible. He was serious. Recognizing his resolute stance, his family relented regarding "this circus craziness". They encouraged him to enroll in the circus school, albeit with a simple caveat. "Apply in it and if you're talented enough, then that's going to be your life." He thought about it. "Yes, I knew that if they take me then this is what my life is going to be."

In Hungary, as in other parts of Europe, Canada, the U.S. and South America, the circus is taken seriously. There are even schools that specialize in this profession. Having chosen his path in life, Mark entered circus school at the tender age of 10.

Mark explains: "The first four years in the circus school, you learn the basics, like classical ballet, acrobatics, juggling, balancing, aerial stuff. And during those four years the teachers, and also you, kind of have an idea about what you can specialize in for the next four years. At the beginning, they put me in a group number doing the roller skates, and another group with a juggling number. But towards the very end, the group sort of split up and I started to do an aerial number, a solo number on silks."

Mark Halasi

Fortunately for Mark, a teacher took note of his flexibility and upper body strength and coached him into a more impressive aerial act. By the time he graduated from circus school in 2004, Mark had two numbers tucked under his belt. These routines did him well as he began his independent circus career and also opened the door for a casting call with Cirque du Soleil. And in 2006, he joined "Varekai" to play the role of Icarus, mesmerizing audiences as he glides on the net.

While the number was originally created for another performer, Mark adapted and took to it like duck to water. He shares: "(The net) is different than any other equipment I had trained on, but I just had to get used to it. But because of my aerialist background, there were certain things that were pretty easy to learn, although there were elements that I specifically had to learn from this show like making a handstand in the net."

Ulf Hampus Jansson

Flyboy living his dream

Not too far from Hungary, another young man was discovering the circus world. Swedish aerial acrobat Ulf Hampus Jansson, the other half of the Aerial Straps duo that is also featured in "Varekai", saw the Cirque du Soleil show "Quidam" in Denmark. Beneath his blue makeup, Hampus smiles at the thought of that experience. "They were all my heroes and idols; they were really amazing at what they do."

And so began a singular detour that defined his future. Hampus continues: "When I was young, I wanted to be an actor like my father. I actually did a lot of theater and some movies then. But when I grew up, my sisters started to do cirque in a circus program. And it looked like so much fun and I wanted to try too. So I started to train and I liked it more and more. I wanted to give it a hundred percent so I moved to Montreal. They have a circus school there and I went there for three years."

In search of his act, Hampus found himself naturally gravitating to the aerial straps. From long years of playing tennis, he had developed strong arms. Then in circus school, he discovered that he was a natural on the gymnastics rings, so good that he didn't really need much practice. At that point, he decided to embrace aerial straps, which is very similar to gymnastics rings.

"I actually went to a circus school next to Cirque du Soleil. It’s called International Circus School of Canada in Montreal. Cirque sponsored the school a lot, but it’s not really Cirque," Hampus remarks. "When I was in the school I didn’t think that I was worth getting into Cirque du Soleil. It was like a dream, I can’t, maybe it's impossible. But now I’m here." (Previous to "Varekai", Hampus also performed the tissu or aerial silk act in "Dralion".)

Ground control

Not all members of a circus perform breathtaking acts. Some of them work steadily and silently behind the scenes, banking on their administrative and organizational skills to avert logistical disasters or imaging crises. After all, moving over 45 humungous container vans filled with equipment, costumes, offices, personal effects and even toilets around countries and continents is no walk in the park. And in every city that they visit, "Varekai" is deluged with requests for interviews and publicity opportunities that would make any PR professional's head spin.

Jason Carothers (left) and Robert Morgan

For Jason Carothers, Front of House Manager for "Varekai", adjusting to circus life was a slow burn. He says, "When I first arrived and I was in my security role, I had no idea what to expect. I just learned it through the day to day. After I had that exposure when I actually applied to become a permanent employee of Cirque, then I knew exactly what to expect and I knew how everything operated and worked."

"Varekai"'s Public Service Director Robert Morgan had an altogether different career before he joined Cirque. He was an Executive Chef, slaving away in the claustrophobic confines of a hot kitchen, yet longing for something more, heretofore elusive amongst the pots and pans. For Robert, it was simple and logical: "I just decided that the last job I had was not fulfilling my every dream and wish so I quit. This came up and it worked out."

Travails of a traveling troupe

Shifting careers in mid-stream, especially if that entails joining the circus, can present its own set of challenges. But, as pragmatic souls would say, one simply has to adapt.

Jason muses: "When you think about touring and things like that, a rock show, you know, or arena shows, for example, you move every day, every two days, every three days. With us, it's six to eight weeks, it could be 12 weeks. So I guess in general, I expected to be shocked by that. And you have this certain anxiety, you're apprehensive about what that's going to affect, like everything from laundry and groceries and things like that all the way to you get off the plane one day and the language you spoke for the last three months is now different. So you say "thank you" in the wrong language a hundred times before you finally catch up."

The Grand Chapiteau is transported to cities all over the world.

 
Jason says that he had been used to normal office hours in his previous job. But with Cirque's schedule, he had to teach his body to go with the flow and adjust to the time zones. "For example, my second city was Spain. The late show in Spain starts at 10PM, so I would leave work at 2AM. So that’s a total 180. You go to another continent where you have to get used to the time change and then your job requires you to basically flip what you’ve known predominantly for the rest of your life. Then all of a sudden you’re a night owl, or your body thinks so. That was a big one for me."

Robert had two major things that he had to adjust to. "Communication and laundry," he declares. "Communication, because it’s very difficult to go from city to city and just try to get a phone card and try to figure out the best deals so that you can talk a lot if you want. You don’t realize that but those couple of things are just huge deals for you because you do want to communicate with your family and your friends and be able to do it on a fairly regular basis. But sometimes because of internet connections, or you’re not able to get a SIM card right away or all of those kind of things, it cuts down on communications. So they’re always wondering, 'what happened to you?', 'where have you been?', especially when we’re going down on tear down and set up because a lot of times we won’t have internet connection for a while. And that’s a little frustrating but that’s the biggest (challenge). Other than that it’s been a blast."

So what's with the laundry?

Funny how such an ordinary domestic chore that many take for granted can become such a big concern for a troupe in a traveling circus. But yes, come to think of it, when you're constantly on the move, how do you get your washing done?

"High on everyone’s list," Jason concurs.

Robert explains: "We have laundry here but at the first part of the setup it’s not a priority. So you can go a week or so without doing laundry, or more and it gets just a little crazy. It becomes a hassle, so you’ve got to find out where a laundramat is or once again, all of a sudden you’re in communication in a different city and a different country. You don’t know how to read the language, you know what I mean? Those little things become a big deal to you."

Apparently, laundry has become such an issue that sometimes, when he's up there playing Icarus, Mark is still thinking about his tons of washing. Perhaps the net reminds him of clothes in the hamper. Good thing he's not one to get easily distracted.

Hampus is a study of concentration.

Quite the opposite for Hampus. He is in his own space, totally focused when he's hanging by his wrists on the straps. He says, "You know, you get into this kind of concentration. So when I return backstage after the act, I don’t remember really what I was thinking and what I was doing. And I think that’s good, like you’re into it. And that’s what I really like in performing, like you can be someone else onstage and really express yourself."

Face value

Each character has a custom-fitted mask.

Apart from the colorfully creative and outlandish costumes, another trademark of a Cirque show is the characters' makeup. Truly delightful for the audience but may not necessarily be that great for some of the cast members. Every day from Tuesday to Sunday, for months on end, they stay in makeup. It takes Mark 40 minutes to apply the professional products; Hampus finishes in 50 minutes, much faster now than his previous time of two hours. Both can't get to remove all the goo after each show fast enough.



 "I keep my skin healthy by trying to use different products," Mark shares the information about his skin care regimen. "I'm not really crazy about beauty products but as an average guy, I put a little cream, or I wash it and I clean it with products that are meant to clean stage makeup, not the regular ones but a bit stronger. Different climates can also affect your skin. Here, it's more humid ."


Hampus dissects his own makeup routine. First, he puts on foundation. Then liquid makeup for the eyebrows. Then cream and colored powder for the blue sections on his forehead. Then he outlines his lips. Add the feathery headpiece and voila! Aerial straps ready for flight. After the performance, he takes the warpaint off with oil in just about seven minutes. A more thorough washing awaits when he gets home.




Love life, or the lack of it

Indeed, it is difficult to pin a moving target down. Tell that to Cupid, who with his little bow and arrow, is hard pressed to hit a needful heart, especially if it's a circus performer swinging up in the air, jumping from one platform to the next, caught up in a twirling net, or dangling on a trapeze while shuttling from one country to another.

Against all odds, and despite long separations, Mark has been in a relationship for the past two years. His partner lives in Canada and holds a normal steady job outside of the circus environment. For them, Mark says that "everything is going super well". In the near future, they are planning to move together during the tour, then see what can happen after that.

Hampus, on the other hand, is single. And looking. "I have never experienced a relationship on a tour," he laments. "I had a relationship but she was living in Canada and I was in Australia so in the end it really didn’t work out. Long distance is not great."

Both artists have their own ways of coping with the emotional ups and downs that come with the job. Mark has developed close ties and friendships within the troupe; his best friends are Mercedes, the female lead clown, and Igor, the other half of the Aerial Straps act. On particularly lonely times, technology is Hampus' closest ally. With Skype and mobile phones, he is able to call his mother and sister and get some much needed encouragement. Or, when the time difference prevents him from doing so, he takes his dark moods out on heavier weights at the gym.

The Cirque family

But circus life is not for everyone. It may look fun and exciting, but what happens after the last round of applause has faded, after the lights have dimmed and the big top has collapsed into a decisive heap? What does it take to succeed in this environment?

Jason is quick to answer. "Right off the bat, I would say resilience. I mean if you’re not ready to go through the thick and thin..."

"Forget it!" Robert interjects. "And that’s the thing, it’s so diverse, it’s diverse weather, it’s diverse languages, it’s diverse, you name it… We change a lot in Cirque as it is, so it’s constant change. And it isn’t for everybody. What they tell you to do in the beginning is not to give up your "past’, like your apartment or whatever, and give yourself three months to kind of like settle in. Give yourself that time because I think it’s important. But some people don’t make it. Other people do, they find it fascinating and exciting and you grow with this family. It becomes your family. You share everything together, so it’s a wonderful experience."






Beyond the big top
The circus may be for life, but would there be life after the circus? The performers are human too and one day, they will have to fold up the net and leave the straps for the next generation. But Mark and Hampus look at this distant future with optimism.

Hampus (right) practices Aerial Straps with Igor Arefiev, Jr.

Hampus says: "I think I have a few more years in my body. And that’s also another very good thing with Cirque. We have two doctors with us all the time and we have massage. So the body feels good, they take good care of us. The conditions are perfect. And as to the future, you know what? I actually did my solo act in "Dralion" in my last show. It was like my big goal to do that, my solo act and I want to do that again, to be there alone on stage, to try to feel the whole stage. It's tough but I’m looking forward to that day when I can do that again... But after Cirque, I would like to go back to being an actor, perhaps in theater in Sweden."

Beyond Cirque, Mark sees "a beautiful house, a huge dog, living happily with my partner and having a nice steady job like a second career doing what I really like. Now I have different options. I want to go back to university. Of course you can't do this until you have wrinkles and also you want to finish it when you're on top."

But that's a long way from now. In the meantime, Mark will still be playing Icarus in "Varekai"'s South American tour while Hampus will still be soaring from stage right and all over the set with his Russian Aerial Straps partner Igor Arefiev Jr.

And Filipino audiences can still catch them and all the other Cirque performers in "Varekai" at the Grand Chapiteau, Luneta Park, Manila until July 24, 2011. For details and ticket sales, call (+632) 669-222 (within Metro Manila and international), 1800-1-888-6692 (toll free within the Philippines), (632) 881-0947, (632) 775-0939 or visit www.hoopla.ph.