About Us News Events Photos Features Links

Search Site Links CircuSpace AYCO Circus Historical Society Circus Model Builders   Feedback Send photos, news and comments

YU LONG, THE JADE DRAGON, 2009 Circus Juventas  Submitted by Gracie White on   9/9/2009 Last Modified   Many consider this year’s big summer production at Circus Juventas, “Yulong, The Jade Dragon”, one of their best shows yet. Based on the widely popular tale of Mulan, it featured a Chinese girl who defied tradition by pretending to be a boy, to save China from the fearsome Hun warriors. The show blended martial arts and multiple aspects of Chinese culture with the traditional circus arts, creating a unique experience for audience members.     This clown is ushering in the crowd for the 2009 production of Circus Juventas!  The set consisted of the Imperial palace (two stories tall complete with lanterns hanging in each window) on one end, and a rural village setting on the other side, including the Mulan family home and the  village Matchmaker’s hut. All of this was put together, painted, and assembled, by a team of dedicated parent volunteers. There was a wide variety of music, ranging from tracks by Apocalyptica all the way to traditional Mongolian throat singing to announce the arrival of the Huns. The costumes were custom made and sparkly, and the make-up designed and coordinated by talented CJ performer and Circus4Youth committee member, Maria Balogh. The elaborate "Imperial Palace" built by volunteer parents. Mulan struggles while trying to please the village "matchmaker". Maria Balogh designed the  show makeup for Yu Long. This photo is from a previous year.  Rehearsals were a bit of a challenge this year, as the show had the largest cast yet, with around 90 kids (many new to performing in the summer shows). And it was a very complex production overall, coordinating the fight scenes and theatrical dances with the acts, as well as making the theater scenes as clear and easy to read as possible. By the end of the week of rehearsals however, it had been tightened up and was ready to be performed.    Practice sessions at Circus Juventas    Practice photos courtesy of Lori Ulm  The pre-show entertainment was provided by CAAM Chinese dance theater, consisting of traditional Chinese dance, music, beautiful costumes, and many young girls who clearly love to dance and perform. CAAM also helped to train CJ’s advanced dancers in three traditional styles of Chinese dance, including a sleeve dance, a fan dance, and lily pad themed dance, that coordinated with contortionists on a giant lily pad table.   Dancers from the CAAM Chinese Dance Theater provided pre-show entertainment.  The show began with a voiceover giving background information about the storyline. After it explained that the Huns were invading China, a brilliant fight scene by Gabe and Dimitri Kamas from Dragons KungFu (also the organization that trained the CJ performers for their fight scenes), took place, setting the storyline for the rest of the show. Mulan's father is called to battle. The spectacular fight scenes were trained by Dragons Kung Fu.    One of the standout acts performed this year was hoop-diving. CJ had a very similar set-up to the hoop-diving act shown in Cirque Du Soliel’s Dralion, with a stack of brightly painted hoops that rotate in a circle. Throughout the act, the stacks are placed in different formations to provide new challenges and keep the audience completely captivated. Another act not seen in last year’s summer production, Ravensmanor, is the Chinese poles. The act symbolized the training camp the army had to go through before going into battle. There were three poles, set up in a triangular formation to allow the performers to literally flip from one pole to another.  This was a huge crowd-pleaser. Chinese Hoop Diving.    Inspired by an act seen on Cirque Du Soleil     The 9 person Chinese Pole act.  And returning from last year’s show was the wall trampoline, which always gets a great reaction from the audience. Some of our most advanced male performers acted out the Huns attacking the Imperial Palace, by jumping off the roof and in and out of windows, flipping and flying, on to trampolines. The energy radiated from these performers during this act, ending with all the boys howling like wolves from the top of palace, sending chills down everyone’s spines. Wall Trampoline as it appeared in last year's production "RavensManor" Waiting on photos of this year's act.  One of CJ’s most loved acts, the bungee trapeze, was transformed completely by the addition of martial arts. The bungee performers were the dragons, on the side of the Chinese army. And directly below them, armed with swords, sticks, and fists, was the Hun army. The creative team as well as highly skilled coaches choreographed a fight where the bungee “dragons” would drop down from their trapezes (and occasionally the rafters!) and perform partner work with a Hun warrior underneath. This was done by the girls hooking their feet on the sticks held out by the guys, sort of like a right-side-up toe hang, or the boys would grab the girl’s feet and launch her upwards where they flipped and kicked. The acts ended when two of the bungee “dragons” opposite each other swung down and grabbed the Hun leader, picking him off the ground where he was an easy target for the Chinese army. The complex choreography of this act made it great fun to watch, and it was definitely considered a highlight of the show.    The always favorite "Bungee Trapeze" combined both aerial and martial arts skills.  The finale act, pas de deux, was a beautiful spectacle to watch. The emperor and empress were reunited after the final battle, and performed this act along with another couple portraying visiting Russian royalty in celebration of the Hun defeat. Together, they flew around in the air, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, and even moving some audience members to tears.        The last act in the show was the beautiful "Pas De Deux" which included a mid air kiss.  Circus Juventas has yet again put on a great show. Congratulations, and a big thank-you to all volunteers, coaches, creative team members, and a bunch of local kids that love to perform circus! By:  Gracie White, age 16, Circus Juventas Performer, Circus4Youth Reporter YU LONG PHOTO ALBUM: The fast paced "Flag Tumbling".     Acrobatic skills display.     Left: The Chinese "Sleeves Dance"  Right: French Trapeze. Triple Trapeze. Contortion on the "Lilly Pad" The bumbling "Army Clowns" Spanish webs spinning soooo fast!     Aerial Straps.     Chinese Lantern and Aerial Hoop. Triangle Trapeze       Lower left: Our own Circus4Youth Reporter...Gracie White!     The very exciting Chinese Fan Dance on a bicycle! THE END   Email This Resource   Copyright © 1999-2010 Circus Fans Association of America and Authors. For more information view our  Copyright Policy & Privacy Policy .

Most Viewed CHRISTINA CAMPOLONGO, Aerialist With Cirque Du Soleil. Meet Ashley Felix 10 Year Old Star With Carson and Barnes Circus MICKEY KING, PART1, History of One of the Greastest Lady Aerialists. IANNA SPIRIT RIDERS, Youth Circus Acrobatics on Horseback. FREEDOM ON THE HIGH WIRE, A Firsthand Story of The Peru High Wire Act Last Viewed YU LONG, THE JADE DRAGON, 2009 Circus Juventas FLYING CAVARETTAS, As Told By Terry Cavaretta St. Jules A NIGHT at the OSCARS, 2010 Sailor Circus, 1st Half What Circus Has Done For Me ...UPDATED SMIRKUS EVER AFTER...2009 Circus Smirkus Tour, with YouTube Video