RINGLING MUSEUM’S MAGICAL TIME FOR FAMILIES: CENTER RING SATURDAYS
Sarasota, FL – November 10, 2011 – The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Circus Sarasota have partnered to introduce the Museum’s newest Youth and Family Program connecting visitors to circus celebrities. Center Ring Saturdays are included free with Museum admission and offers a behind-the-scenes look and backstage pass into the magical world of the circus.
“Center Ring Saturdays at the Ringling Museum is an affordable way for families to learn the art, skills, and science behind the magic of a circus performance,” explained Steven High, executive director of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. “We’ve recently reduced our daily Museum admission for children by 50 percent to make programs like Center Ring Saturdays more accessible to the community we serve.”
The program highlights the collections of the Ringling Circus Museum, one of the richest in the nation and Bay area with its vast array of memorabilia and artifacts, with the stars and circus professionals from Circus Sarasota. Children get the inside scoop from center ring stars about their performance art with time built in for autographs, photos with the celebrity, art making activities and storytelling.
Each participant receives their own V.I.P. card and book for collecting autographs and photos. Participants meet under the Big Top entrance to the Ringling Circus Museum’s Tibbals Learning Center. Center Ring Saturdays are held in the Tibbals Learning Center’s newest interactive exhibition space from noon to 2:00 p.m. every second Saturday of each month starting November 12.
The schedule for Center Ring Saturdays is as follows.
November 12, 2011: The Art of the Aerialist. Dolly Jacobs, known as The Queen of the Air and Co-Founder of Circus Sarasota, grew up in Sarasota and later joined her family travelling with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and many other circus internationally. She will share what it was like to live life in the circus and what it takes to be an outstanding aerialist.
December 10, 2011: Silly School. Karen Bell and Robin Eurich are professional clowns who have years of performance experience with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus and currently perform with Circus Sarasota. They will share the art of “clowning around” with children of all ages.
January 14, 2012: A Balancing Act. Imagine balancing a brother or sister on your feet while doing a handstand. Johnny Yong, one of the best hand-to-hand balancers to ever grace the stage, talks about behind-the-scenes at the circus and describes what it was like to travel around the world with the circus.
February 11, 2012: Growing Up Circus. Axel Perez, a circus celebrity at 12 years old, is a talented skateboarder whose skills translated into the Rola Bola, a teetering circus act. He will share the inside scoop about what it is like to be one of the youngest performers under the big top today.
March 10, 2012: On the Road Again. Circus clowns Chuck Sidlow and Billy-Bob Steinberg both professionals with Circus Sarasota will share their life on the “sawdust trail,” bringing mirth and merriment to thousands.