The Netherlands State Circus comes to Sefton Park

Oct 27 2007 by Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post

Emma Pinch meets some of the daring acrobats and tries out some stunts for herself.

RONELLE is a qualified social worker. Anton has a law degree. Ross from Portsmouth is from a solid Navy tradition.

All three are part of a new generation of young people who have tasted the 9–5 then turned their back on it for a life in the transient, action- packed, stifling world of the travelling circus.

Running away to join the circus has been a dream of restless teenagers since the 19th century, but traditionally performers come from long lines of families in the trade, or more recently Eastern European gymnasts, and getting in has proved a tricky act.

But the circus performance courses have seen a wave of ordinary people swapping brief cases and study books for the big top.

Anton Von Ostendorf grew up learning ballet from his dance-teacher grandfather and was proficient on the diving springboard and at gymnastics.

He now runs American Circus Troupe which is currently performing at the Netherlands National Circus, this week at Sefton Park, leaving crowds gasping at their aerial stunts.

"I went to college to study law and afterwards I was pretty aimless, like you are at that age," he says.

"I had the opportunity to try trapeze on holiday at Club Med in Orlando and I found I could do it really easily.

"It was like a switch in my head. I started working for them and quickly reached a professional level, turning triple somersaults."

He says part of the appeal was the camaraderie and melt of nationalities – at the Netherlands National Circus he said were Mongolian, Italian, Mexican, Russian, to name just a few.

"Even if you’re not friends if push comes to shove you are in the circus and so are they. Every circus is the same."

He says more people like him were joining circuses.

"The circus is still very family orientated. There’s a lot of nepotism, and I don’t have the contacts. To get work we have to be a bit better, and a bit nicer."

He says his troupe were part of a growing first generation of circus performers.

"The difference is we really want to be here – we chose this life, whereas other people were born into it. We all had other opportunities.

"I could have joined my father’s law practice – so our drive is a little different than most. But there’s a lot of nepotism, and to get work we have to be a bit better, and a bit nicer."

He said barring injury, some "fliers" continued until 50.

"I don’t want to become a mockery of myself. I’m 32, and I reckon I’ve got five more years left," he says.

"Maybe I’ll look into owning a circus. Who knows, maybe I’ll go into entertainment law."