A CIRCUS FOR ALL One of my earliest memories from a career in the circus was experiencing a group of Deaf teens whose joyful faces lit up the entire arena when a clown performing for them used ASL. I knew at that moment that the circus can reach the heart of all people. This became my lifelong personal quest.
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Before the current pandemic, I was the Director of Community Programs and sales for the Big Apple Circus. For many years, I had the honor to witness the joy of families who were able to share a rare positive bonding experience together and not have to leave any member home. The smiles from kids who rarely smiled and the unified laughter peeling from thousands of different souls, as beautiful as this was, it was never enough. Joy should be accessible all the time to all people, not only on certain days. Children of all ages deserve to be inspired by someone in whom they can see themselves reflected. As the pandemic hit and larger companies folded their tent flaps, there arose an opportunity to create. Omnium is a team of incredibly dedicated professionals whose mission is to take that first step on our journey to make the world a better place through the universal icon of the circus. T h r o u g h e x t r a o r d i n a r y, comprehensively diverse, and inclusive entertainment, we create a space where people from different walks of life can experience wonder, laughter, and joy together and celebrate that which unites us in humanity. Laughter is for everyone. Hand balancing artists, Alan Pagnota and Rafael Ferreira. ©Ana Paula Marchini
RAISE THE TENT We are so excited to offer Omnium’s Virtual Showcase: A Bold New Circus on December 12, 2020, at 5 pm. Tickets are available through our website OmniumCircus.org. If you are able and so moved, please join us in our “raise the tent” campaign. With your support, we hope to transition from virtual to post-pandemic and welcome you all live into our state of the art, climate-controlled tent. Join us in unlocking a visionary world of opportunity for all audiences, artists, staff, vendors, and mostly— children of all ages! See you all on December 12th for some well-deserved holiday joy! •
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 75
