Circo Hermanos Vazquez
By Greici Brito
The blue and purple tent was visible from the highway. A line of RVs were parked alongside the tent on Exterior Avenue in the Bronx. People streamed towards the ticket sales before joining the long line in front of the tent’s entrance.
The sweet smells of cotton candy, churros, and popcorn were in the air. Inside, the tent was dark, except for multi-colored lights flashing on the ceiling. Behind the stage, a sign that read “Circo Hermanos Vazquez” was gradually being obscured by a fog. Drums began to roll and the audience started to scream in excitement. The show was about to begin.
The first group to perform was Bingo, a group from Ukraine, that used a ladder, hula hoops and curtains hanging down from the ceiling, to create an innovative dance.
Next up was team Keryazov, with Angel and Titi, the youngest members of the circus at 11 and 15 years old, who perform in the circus with their father, Encho. The duo from Bulgaria gave their interpretation of break dancing, followed by the Nae Nae. In between performances, Mexican clowns such as Mr. Bells, impersonated Kim Kardashian.
La Familia Anastasini from Italy entered the stage in a choo choo train to a chorus of “ah’s” from the audience at the sight of its furry passengers. Helena Polach, from Czech Republic, juggled five soccer balls in her hands as if they were another part of her body.
After her performance, clown Pancho el Marciano walked into the audience. He selected a volunteer, tied him up on stage and practiced his archery, shooting two balloons, one on the volunteer’s head and another between his legs.
The performers came from Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Germany, and Mexico. Humor was a main ingredient in the show.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping performance came from Due Garcia, a male-female team, who soared above the audience in a silver rocket. The rocket started to spin fast. He held onto the rocket’s tail end. His partner spun in circles, hands at her sides, holding herself up with the belt in her month.
The final show was worth waiting for: Encho Keryazov’s balancing act. Keryazov stood on his hands on top of two thin metal poles that looked like big needles. The metal poles moved as he remained still.
The circus was founded in 1969 by Vazquez brothers Jose Guillermo and Rafael in Mexico. In the 90s, Circo Hermanos Vazquez was considered one of the best circuses of Mexico. Its popularity grew as it traveled to Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.
In 1993 the circus made its first appearance in the United States, staying in Texas for a couple of weeks. Then in 2005, it performed as the Big Apple Circus in Manhattan. Most recently, the circus came to Bronx and Queens for a month.