Maximus Circus at Raleigh Wide Open
Last Saturday marked the 5th annual Raleigh Wide Open downtown festival. While the event as a whole was surprisingly well orchestrated, heavily trafficked, and overall pretty awesome, the highlight of the event was the debut show of Maximus Circus, a collaboration of Gamil Design and AcroEntertainment.
While the show itself took place at the Fayetteville Street Mall area, the event itself began at the Capitol Building with a full blown parade through downtown.
The Gladiator leads the parade down Fayetteville Street
The Master of Ceremonies introduces the first act
The Circus started off with a beautiful display of Aerial Acrobatics performed by SamiTe’, an amazing performer from the Asheville area Unifire Theatre
The next performer was Jewels, a hoopdancer from Carrboro
SamiTe' and Zay watching the show from the ringside
Following Jewels’ performance was a stunning performance by Katie and Kaci of AcroEntertainment, one of the co-organizers of the event. Well known local street performers around Raleigh, AcroEntertainment has been the subject of Goodnight Raleigh posts and pictures, and are perennial favorites of downtown events.
Jewel and the fire-performers watch the acts
A second Aerialist, Zay, of the world famous Aerial Angels, put on an awesome act.
The Master of Ceremonies in between acts
The only male performer of the first act,Joe Critelli; while his faux-haphazard unicycle skills defied low-light photography, his act was humorous and wildly entertaining. Below are two of the only moments he was still enough to not come out as a blur.
Another performer who just couldn’t stop dancing long enough to hold for the camera was Caroleeena, of Circles of Joy. She performed a wild hoop dance, as well as dancing with the glowing ropes seen here – a preview of her dazzling fire routine in the Second act.
The performers come out at the end of the First Act
Dancing off the stage
During the second act I decided to sit back and enjoy the show. However, near the end of the show an emergency relocation put me in a great vantage point, and I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of the second Act.
The Master of Ceremonies provides assistance to an act
Zay performing a second set
SamiTe' performing a beautiful and surreal fire dance
All in all, it was a spectacular show; well organized and executed, with top-notch acts. It definitely has me looking forward to SparkCon for the next big show.
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08/05/2010
I love the photos and the great description of it all. I wish I could have saw it. Great artical to read.
08/05/2010
Why did you crop out the magician?
Magic Roman was a part of the show as well.
08/05/2010
I’m so glad that we were able to be there and experience all of the excitement first hand! We live in New Bern and we love going to Raleigh. What a beautiful city!!! Thanks for putting it on …. we’re looking forward to returning.
08/05/2010
Magic Roman was part of the second act. I was only there to photograph the first act, as Maximus Circus had another photographer lined up to do the second act. The photos I posted from the second act were ones that I’d snapped from the sidelines that happened to turn out well. From where I was sitting at the time, Magic Roman was almost entirely obscured by the framing on the side of the stage – the picture of the master of ceremonies helping him wasn’t cropped, I just shot a picture of him. I did find Magic Roman’s act to be thoroughly entertaining, though.
08/06/2010
Sid, Thanks for the follow up. All the photos are AMAZING! and the team of preformers were dynamic and exciting to watch. Thanks for capturing the moments. Perhaps Magic Roman had a slight disappearing. LOL. I loved the whole show and can’t wait to see another one. Thanks for the write up! :-)
08/23/2010
Hey! Great shots, they make me want to get out and see this next year.
I love the cover shot of the silk dancer, that’s fantastic.