Circus sets up at Mall of America with trapeze, high wire, motorcycle acts — and international flair

I found myself at the Royal Canadian International Circus (RCIC) last Thursday, which is currently running in the parking lot north of the Mall of America. Located in a giant red and yellow tent, the circus boasts an international cast of performers defying gravity and other laws of physics.

The Royal Canadian Circus has been in Canada for 15 years … and added “International” to its name five years ago to reflect performers featured from all over the world — including Switzerland, Italy, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, and Guinea.

That international aesthetic can be seen not just in the diversity of the performers, but in the acts as well. In one piece, a troupe of ballet folklórico dancers — wearing ribbon-trimmed skirts that spin with festive colors and ornate floral head pieces — brought the Mexican dance tradition to the event. The dancers later ditched their long skirts as they embarked on an aerial act, featuring a lead performer who was spun from the heights by her jaw.

The final act of the show also featured the performers marching on stage carrying flags from the countries they represent.

The experience brought me back to elementary school, when my class went to see the Shrine Circus. At the time, I was fairly unimpressed with the trapeze and high wire acts. At that age, the clearly visible nets took away from the feats they were performing.

These days, my anxiety got the better of me a few times, when I felt fearful for the performers. In the opening act, ringmaster and cast and show director Joseph Dominic Bauer — a ninth generation circus performer from Switzerland — stumbled when he was jumping rope atop the 50-foot Wheel of Destiny. He caught himself, thankfully, but I was pretty on edge for the rest of the show worried I was going to witness someone get hurt or worse.

I also got scared watching the Fernandez Globe of Death, a family of motorcyclists driving inside the metal globe at high speeds. At one point, a member of the family stood in the center of the globe while the other family members drove around her. I had to hide my eyes at a certain point, I was so worried about them.

Third grade me may have been ho-hum about the height-defying acts, but I loved watching the elephants and other animals in the circus. Times have changed! Like Barnum & Bailey and other circuses, the Royal Canadian International Circus ended its animal component six years ago, though it has close ties to a different circus that does use animals.

Tarzan Zerbini is the hired producer for the show, and has been working with the RCIC for close to 30 years, my contact with RCIC tells me. He does some of his own spot dates in the U.S., like in Joplin, Missouri in March and early April before the MOA presentation. Tarzan Zerbini’s circus in Joplin included some of the same acts as the RCIC, such as ringmaster Bauer. That circus featured elephants and horses, according to its social media posts.

While the Royal Canadian International Circus itself didn’t have animals, there were a few spots that seemed to be a bit behind the times in other ways. The two clown acts featured humor that heavily relied on the hilarity of cross dressing, and not in a queer-friendly, joyous way, but more of a cringe, ‘um, you guys know it’s 2023?’ way. There was also some icky, ‘oh isn’t it funny to ogle women’ moments that I could do without. In another part, I didn’t love watching a young woman trapped in a box while a man pierced it with swords.

Still, I quite enjoyed myself watching Maria Emilia Chemeno’s elegant swinging on the high trapeze, Nilson Escobar’s speed juggling and the extreme bendiness of the African Bone-Breakers, famous from their appearance on “America’s Got Talent.” I also quite liked The Guerrero High Wire Troupe, which for me was the right amount of impressive without causing me worry the performers would die.

Remaining shows take place Tuesday, April 18, Wednesday, April 19, and Thursday April 20 at 7 p.m. Friday, April 21 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., Saturday, April 22 at noon, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Mall of America ($35 to $60). More information here.