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Posts Tagged ‘Coney Island’

The Sirens of Coney Island Outlast Siren Festival

Posted in Events, tagged burlesque, Cha-Cha's, Coney Island, Girlie Freakshow, Jen Gapay, Siren Festival, Thirsty Girl Productions, Village Voice on July 16, 2011| 6 Comments »

July 16: Last Burlesque Show at Cha Cha's on the Boardwalk

This weekend would have been the 11th annual Siren Festival if the Village Voice hadn’t deserted Coney Island and Brooklyn for a Manhattan venue. As one of the commenters on the Voice’s “Embrace change!” announcement in April said: “Booooooo. No rides, no beach, a giant mall and a bunch of tourists? No like.” Or as another said, “Embrace my middle finger.”

Are we bitter? Hell, yeah. It’s like being dumped by your one true love for an unattractive gal who happens to have a trust fund. But if the Voice comes running back to Coney Island next season, we’ll overlook the bad choices they’ve made. In the meantime, Coney’s beer, hot dog and ride operators are going to miss the business on Siren Day. The good news is that the sirens of Coney Island have outlasted the Siren Festival and are putting on their own show.

On Saturday at Cha Cha’s of Coney Island, the music begins at 8pm with Coney Island rock and rollers Neptune Jam, followed at 10 pm by the Girls! Girls! Girls! of the Hubba Hubba Hooplah Burlesque Revue. The presser says the July 16 show is “the last Burlesque Show at Cha Cha’s Club in Coney – this is our last summer of 2011 so come out & see the last burlesque revue on the boardwalk.” But the beat goes on through October with bands like All Mobbed Up and Windsor Terrors, and DJ Dance Parties on Friday nights during the fireworks.

Coney Island Girlie Freakshow at Coney Island USA. Photo © Norman Blake

At the Coney Island Sideshow on Saturdays at 10 pm, there’s the Girlie Freakshow starring Insectavora, Serpentina, Kryssy Kocktail and guests–sirens one and all. Burlesque at the Beach has shows on Thursday and Friday nights all summer long featuring Bambi the Mermaid, Bunny Love and “Miss Coney Island”–past, present and future.

July 30: Thirsty Girl Productions Presents in Coney Island...

Coney Island also has Jen Gapay, the siren who created and produced the first two Siren Festivals when she was Promotions Director for the Voice. Jen went on to launch Thirsty Girl Productions, which co-produces the New York Burlesque Festival with Angie Pontani aka Miss Cyclone. She has also produced events for Astroland, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and the Coney Island History Project. Her current Coney Island baby is the 2nd annual Coney Island Talent Show, set for July 30 on the Boardwalk. Hey you know what? If the Village Voice doesn’t come back to the beach and the boardwalk, Coney Island should launch its very own successor to the Siren Fest. Jen could do it again. All that’s needed are sponsors.

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Circus Portraits: Photography by Kevin C Downs

Posted in circus, Photography, tagged Altier Archers, Circus Vidbel, Coney Island, Kevin C Downs, Nino Murillo, Zamperla Zoppe on July 13, 2011| 8 Comments »

Ambra Zerbini, Zamperla-Zoppe Riders, Coney Island July 12, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

After a first look at Circus Vidbel on Saturday, photographer Kevin Downs returned over the next few days and took these beautiful portraits of the performers against the backdrop of the Big Top. The photographs have a timeless quality that evokes the classic portraiture of the Golden Age of the Circus. You can see the complete set, including a few candids, on flickr.

Zamperla-Zoppe Riders with Guido, Coney Island. July 12, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

The Altier Archers, Peggy Mills and Nino Murillo. Coney Island, July 11, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

Nino Murillo, Archer. Circus Vidbel, Coney Island. July 10, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

Susan Vidbel-Ashton, Aerialist and Owner, Circus Vidbel. Coney Island, July 12, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

Circus Vidbel’s Big Top is set up at 3100 Stillwell Avenue, just off the Boardwalk in Coney Island. Shows are Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are $10.00 and are on sale at the ticketbooth one hour before showtime. For more info visit the Coney Island Fun Guide.

Update, July 17…

Catch the show this weekend! The circus will be here only through Sunday, July 17th and then will be hitting the road again. Discounted tickets are now available online
http://coneyisland.eventbrite.com/

Photo Album: Vidbel Old Tyme Circus Opens in Coney Island

Posted in circus, Photo Album, Photography, tagged Circus Vidbel, Coney Island, Guiming Meng, Kevin C Downs, Susan Vidbel-Ashton, The Fabulous Darnells, Zamperla-Zoppe Riders on July 10, 2011| 3 Comments »

Susan Vidbel-Ashton, Aerial Cloud Swing. Circus Vidbel, Coney Island. July 9, 2011. Photo © Kevin C Downs

Circus Vidbel, a genuine “Old Tyme” family-run circus, has opened in good ol’ Coney Island. You’ll find their red-and-white striped big top on Stillwell Avenue across the street from Scream Zone’s flying coaster. Susan Vidbel-Ashton grew up traveling with the circus founded by her grandparents in the 1980s. Today, in addition to performing the lyra and aerial cloud swing, she manages the show with husband Mike Ashton, a juggler and musician.

Usually Circus Vidbel moves every day, performing in small towns under the auspices of local sponsors. In New Canaan, Conn., where the circus played an annual three-day stand before coming to Coney Island, the YMCA and Kiwanis Club and a Chevy dealership were the sponsors. This arrangement helps raise money for local non-profits and ensures a full house for the circus. But in Coney Island, where Circus Vidbel plans to spend the summer, they’re on their own as far as drumming up business. And so we’re picking up our megaphone to say: Please come out to see this delightful one-ring circus and help keep the circus arts alive and thriving!

ATZ attended a Saturday performance of the Circus Vidbel with photographer Kevin C. Downs, who runs a photography workshop in Coney Island. Here are a few of Kevin’s snapshots as well as some of our own. More photos and video to come! (Update: Check out Kevin’s flickr photostream and website for photos from Sunday’s performance.)

Last month, ATZ wrote about the Zamperla-Zoppe Bareback Riders, whose skill as equestrian acrobats goes back six generations to two Italian circus families. We’re thrilled to see them in Coney Island! The troupe performed with Ringling’s Gold Unit before joining Vidbel a few weeks ago. They’ve also performed individually or as a troupe with the Dixie Stampede, Gilles St. Croix’s Cheval Theatre and Olissio Zamperla-Zoppe’s “Fratelli,” as well as at state fairs and Renaissance festivals.

The Fabulous Darnells & their Poodles. Circus Vidbel, Coney Island. July 9, 2011. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

We’re fond of novelty dog acts, which were a staple at the county fair vaudeville stages of our carny childhood. Somehow we missed seeing the Fabulous Darnells, three sisters who perform a kitschy, glitzy act with their prancing poodles. They were probably playing Vegas! The Darnells and their dogs sport an extraordinary array of matching costumes and their wardrobe includes not only the Stars and Stripes, but a Hawaiian hula skirt and a Scottish kilt.

The first time we saw Chinese vase juggler Guiming Meng’s astonishing performance was with the Big Apple Circus in 2008. His skill at balancing and spinning larger and larger porcelain jars on his head was the surprise hit of the show. According to Circopedia, Guiming Meng’s father was a master jar juggler. He first came to the United States with the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe before making his way as a solo performer.

Circus Vidbel’s Coney Island show also features Mike Ashton, foot juggling and live music; Tevin Delmonte, Rolla Bolla and Clowning; and Peggy Mills and Nino Murillo, Archery. Shows are Tuesday through Fri, 6 & 8 pm; Saturday, 4, 6 & 8pm; and Sun, 3 & 6pm. Tickets are available one hour before showtime and cost $10. At the show we attended, children 5 and under were admitted free of charge.

Update, July 17…

Catch the show this weekend! The circus will be here only through Sunday, July 17th. Discounted tickets are now available online
http://coneyisland.eventbrite.com/