Zoppe Family Circus, Part One: John Dances the Tarantella

Have you ever wondered what a clown does on his day off? This week, Ubi the Clown went to the Circus!

John and Karen went to see the Zoppe Family Circus during their recent visit to Raleigh.

Acrobat at the Zoppe Family Circus, sticking the landing

Papino, a Classic European Whiteface Clown

Juggler (also part of the Springboard Team)

Acrobats performing during the pre-show.

Giovanni Zoppe told a story about when Venice was overrun with spiders. When the spiders finally left, the Venetians invented a dance called the Tarantella.

Giovanni Zoppe, introducing his circus family during the pre-show.

To no-one’s surprise, John was invited to participate in the dance.

John meets his Dance Partner, just before the Tarantella. Her acrobatic partner is in the rear right. The bearded man ran the music board.

John’s on the far right of the video, if you didn’t already know that. The leader of the dance is Giovanni Zoppe, who performs as Nino the Clown once the show begins.