From the desk of Annie: July 2007

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Bellobration! - The Greatest Show on Earth

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

By Annie Rivera

ANAHEIM, CA - Expect a hair-raising fun-filled action-packed jaw-dropping experience as dare-devil Bello defies gravity and all odds in the spectacular production of Bellobration.

Ringmaster Tyron "Ty" McFarlan, musical-theater performer and former military captain, commands the show with his enticing infectious voice as he sings and narrates throughout the show.

Colorful clowns lead the way to a wonderful and exciting evening of high-energy fast-action skits.

Made popular by the television show Dancing with the Stars, toe-tapping tango-twisting hip-hopping clowns host their own dance contest and is sure to have circus-goers rolling with belly-busting laughter as they compete for the a chance to win best outstanding dance performance by a clown.

Contortionists are a must at every circus and the Zunyi Troupe certainly does not disappoint. The 18-member group twists and bends to their hearts delight displaying miraculous strength, poise and grace.

Courageous and fearless tiger tamer Tabayara "Taba" Maluenda will captivate the audience as he performs with his beloved White and Royal Bengal tigers. A native from Chile, Taba is a sixth-generation tiger tamer who comes from a family of renowned circus performers. Taba saves the last dance to perform with "Judy," a Royal Bengal named after his mother. Hear the tigers roar as the vibrant and larger-than-life Taba exclaims his infamous catchphrase "Azucar!"

Speaking of large, what's a circus without majestic pachyderms? That's right. Enchanting elephants take the spot light as they sit, stand, perform handstands and dance.

No small bones are the multi-talented canines. Led by Juan Quiroz Olates and the Zotova Family, the prancing pooches slide and dive through hoops and dance to the beat of the Bunny Hop in a dog-delight conga line.

If that's not enough don't miss daredevils Vikto Bako and Benedek Ezteri of the BMX Extreme Sports as they catapult over clowns with seemingly no effort.

See black and white and sometimes gray when galloping horses, ponies and zebras led by Sylvio and Stefi Schwichtenberg make their thunderous way to center stage.

The Aguilar Brothers take to the sky with their high-wire tight-rope-walking and cycling performance on razor-thin cable. Leaping and balancing high above the Aguilar Brothers master an age-old family tradition.

The sky's the limit when Bello and the beautiful Erendira scale a sixty-eight foot pole. Gasps of excitement will overcome all as Bello and Erendira play a game of "hard-to-get" while switching poles in mid-air.

"Flip-out" as the Flying Poemas perform their aerial acrobatic somersaults. Assembling from Argentina, Russia, Moldova and the United States, the Poemas are a multi-national ensemble of flying tandem trapeze artists.

The highlight of the show is Bello and Nikolas Wallenda of the Great Wallendas risking it all in a cat-and-mouse chase through the Wheel of Steel.

The Grand Finale is blast as husband-and-wife team Tina and Brian Miser double-launch themselves as Human Cannonballs 65-mph in the air out of a custom-made cannon.

Catch all the fun at the Honda Center through August 5. Arrive one hour before the show for an exclusive All Access Pre-show and learn circus skills, take photos with your favorite clown or Ringling Bros. performer and get an up-close and personal view of the animals.

For more information, visit www.ringling.com. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (714) 740-2000.

A circus clown goes nuts over Christopher

(Photo by Annie Rivera)

Colorful circus clowns perform skits and stunts like this balancing act of a baseball cap on a clown's nose

(Photo by Annie Rivera)

A clown jokes with Steve during the Pre-show

(Photo by Annie Rivera)