Spirit Magazine - August 2013 - (Page 70)

humpday At show’s ends, it’s off to the next town for Jesse and Cleo the camel. on the noggin. Jesse can’t help laughing, because that’s what brothers do. But when Cole bounds to his feet, holding his cheek, Jesse assumes the posture of a concerned coach. “You let it get under you,” he says of the rope. This is how Jesse works—at once total goofball and pro, a balance that suits the circus well. Setup soon begins; eight caged tigers are rolled out onto the field. Everyone who isn’t moving equipment is readying his or her act: brothers Matthew and Fenix Dresdner do test runs on their motorcycles; Uncle Willy, the clown, juggles bowling pins. At one point, Jesse play-tackles a crew member, and from the ground they spot someone slacking. “Get to work, Zack!” Jesse’s wrestling partner half-mockingly hollers. “Dude,” Jesse blurts, suddenly serious. “Let me do the yelling. Let them be annoyed at me, not you.” The hours move quickly. At 3 p.m., the skies are still dark, and the wind is still steady, but 75 people have assembled in the bleachers, as the speakers are pumping out a stately oompah-pah called “Shangri-La,” from the album Sounds of the 70 spirit august 2013 Circus, Volume 16. A modest wooden frame decorated with two rearing horses and the James Cristy Cole Circus logo has been erected at midfield. In scale, it looks a little ridiculous, but ringmaster Ari Steeples glides through it as if he were entering a grand arena. “There’s one thing I have to know: Are you ready for the circus to begin?” he rumbles. The crowd responds in kind. “Then it’s on with our show!” Jesse’s 21-year-old sister, Star, gets things moving with her hyper-gyrating Hula Hoop act. Next up are the tigers, put through their paces by whipwielding Niche. James Plunkett stands about 15 feet away, in the shadow of the bleachers. He’s watching tricks he’s seen all his life and thinking about ones still left to see. “Jesse’s good here,” he says, out of nowhere. “He’s good for morale.” As the minutes pass, he doesn’t take his eyes off the majestic, striped wildlife. “This is a good trick here,” he says. “Watch this.” One tiger lies on the ground, while another climbs on his back. It’s a vintage circus bit called “Over the Garden Wall.” The kids in the crowd roar. And the show goes on. Jason Feifer is a senior editor at Fast Company. He lives in Brooklyn and tweets at @heyfeifer.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - August 2013

Spirit Magazine - August 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
The Greatest Show on Turf
Flipped Out
Your Adventure In Grand Rapids
Life Adventure In Grand Rapids
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - August 2013