# My niece has run off and joined the circus Part 2: The Performance **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525 "2011-07-27T18:25:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/1 "2011-07-27T18:25:21Z")
I posted a thread a few weeks ago about my 10-year-old niece joining the local circus, and last night I finally got to see her perform her highwire act! And of course, I got pictures! (Note: The wire is 30 feet high.) [Me](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat01.jpg) and [My](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat02.jpg) [Shadow](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat03.jpg) [On](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat04.jpg) [Billy’s](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat05.jpg) [Shoulders](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat06.jpg) [The](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat07.jpg) [Wheelbarrow](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat08.jpg) [All](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat09.jpg) [By](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat10.jpg) [Herself](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat11.jpg) (She did a kneeldown during this walk, which I completely missed with the camera to my eyes. D’OH!) [The](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat12.jpg) [Pyramid](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat13.jpg) [Posing like a heroine](http://www.mister-rik.com/hosted/circus/nat14.jpg) after the show! Yes, I’m a proud uncle 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/2 "2011-07-27T18:41:20Z")
I totally thought this was going to be a thread about your drug-ingesting, stripper-pole-loving niece who ran off with a meth-head ringmaster. Instead, I am subjected to lovely, inspiring photos of a talented and brave young lady who is living the dream and taking huge chances. Congratulations to all involved! ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/3 "2011-07-27T18:47:47Z")
Cool! Does “me and my shadow” mean that’s you in the picture? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/4 "2011-07-27T18:55:58Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Cool! > > Does “me and my shadow” mean that’s you in the picture? No, it’s the name of that particular stunt. I’m too old and male to be in that pic 😃 ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/5 "2011-07-27T19:25:13Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > No, it’s the name of that particular stunt. > > I’m too old and male to be in that pic 😃 Thanks for clearing that up. I was wondering. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/6 "2011-07-27T19:30:34Z")
She is totally awesome! And I can tell by the last photo that she knows it. 😃 I so want to be her! ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/7 "2011-07-27T19:31:15Z")
I missed your first thread, Mr. Rik. How did your niece decide to join the circus? Why wire walking? Does the circus travel? Was there an audition for the spot? I’m so jealous of her! She’s looks great up there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/8 "2011-07-27T19:44:33Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > Instead, I am subjected to lovely, inspiring photos of a talented and brave young lady who is living the dream and taking huge chances. Congratulations to all involved! Big loud golf claps to your niece and a hearty congratulations! Be sure and tell her she is awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/9 "2011-07-27T21:25:12Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I missed your first thread, Mr. Rik. How did your niece decide to join the circus? Why wire walking? Does the circus travel? Was there an audition for the spot? It’s a local youth circus that’s been in operation for 59 years now. My niece is a very gung-ho, adventurous kid, so this has been a good way to focus her energy. Not sure how she decided to get into it; the circus is quite well-known here, so not surprised it would pique her interest, though. From what the adults have said, including the guy who started the whole thing and who still runs it, she’s a natural talent and they’re all very impressed with her. They do travel — they just finished touring around, and this show was part of a three-day homestand to end the season. The two older wirewalkers there — the guy and the brunette — have been doing it for several years. They both just graduated from high school, and the circus is providing them with college scholarships. The girl also performs a fire-eating/breathing act; the guy was in just about every act, and was quite impressive on the trapeze. He and the younger blond girl did a double-trapeze act that ended with her spinning while supported by a strap around her neck, held in his teeth 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/10 "2011-07-27T23:16:12Z")
Pretty cool. I didn’t even know youth circuses were a thing. Good luck to her! Keep us posted if she gets into lion taming. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/11 "2011-07-27T23:27:07Z")
Just a reminder: Florida State University has a terrific circus, so it’s possible to continue doing this stuff in college as well. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/12 "2011-07-27T23:28:10Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Pretty cool. I didn’t even know youth circuses were a thing. Good luck to her! Keep us posted if she gets into lion taming. 🙂 Next thing you know, she’ll want to go into Chartered Accountancy. Awesome young lady. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/13 "2011-07-28T01:07:35Z")
This is so cool. I was hoping you’d update us on how it all turned out. Honestly, I’m amazed at the level of concentration. I wouldn’t have been able to pay attention with that gorgeous view in the background! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/14 "2011-07-28T01:11:57Z")
Wow! That is so neat to see! Don’t forget the [National Circus School](http://www.nationalcircusschool.ca/en/home) in Montréal for when she graduates from high school! Edit: they have a prep program for students aged 9 to 13, which goes on into a high-school program. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/15 "2011-07-28T01:44:28Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Pretty cool. I didn’t even know youth circuses were a thing. There’s a bunch of them out there! Short video about them: [http://www.vimeo.com/19127418](http://www.vimeo.com/19127418) The video doesn’t mention our little circus, but shows a few of the bigger ones. > [@congodwarf](#): > > Honestly, I’m amazed at the level of concentration. I wouldn’t have been able to pay attention with that gorgeous view in the background! Well of course, she’s been seeing that view her entire life, so it’s no big deal. And actually, that’s not the best view here. You’re looking east in those photos, and at the top of those cliffs it just turns into mile upon mile of dreary, wheat-growing flatland. The opposite direction looks west, toward the Cascade Mountains. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-niece-has-run-off-and-joined-the-circus-part-2-the-performance/590525/16 "2011-07-28T02:54:00Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Big loud golf claps to your niece and a hearty congratulations! Be sure and tell her she is awesome! I’m confused. I thought that golf claps were A) quiet by definition and B) meant to be sarcastic.