The convention begins with registration on Wednesday, July 21, followed by three full days of interesting and entertaining presentations and activities, Thursday morning through Saturday night. You do not have to be a CHS member to attend the convention. Some details are tentative.

Sit in on a panel presentation with trapeze artists Miguel and Juan Vasquez, Tony Steele, Richie Ganoa and Terry Cavaretta. Videos: Richie Gaona, Miguel Vasquez, Vasquez quadruple, Flying Cavarettas. Terry Cavaretta St. Jules is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the first woman trapeze artist to perform the triple somersault. Tony became the first trapeze artist to complete 3 1/2 back somersaults to a legs catch. This earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Worlds Records, pushing past the triple somersault barrier, the Salto Mortale, set by Ernest and Charles Clarke in 1909. Tonys record remained unsurpassed until the completion of the quadruple somersault by Miguel and Juan Vazquez in 1982. Milner Library's Special Collections and the College of Applied Science & Technology's Gamma Phi Circus are sponsoring the Vazquez brothers participation at the convention.

You'll have a ringside seat at a trapeze training workshop, presented by Tony Steele, Vasquez Brothers (Miguel and Juan) and Richie Ganoa.

View film maker Darin Basile's documentary film on Tony Steele, "Dreaming in Circus." Tony Steele is the first trapeze artist to complete 3 1/2 back somersaults which earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Worlds Records. His record remained until the completion of the quadruple somersault by Miguel and Juan Vazquez in 1982. Also planned - viewing vintage films from the Milner library circus collection. All in the hotel's theater. Darin Basile’s website on the documentary film.
    "How many people are ever regarded as being the best in the world at what they do? Part biography, part character study, and a small part circus history. This documentary traces back through the life of Tony Steele, a semi-retired trapeze artist and circus legend. Now in his seventies Tony still flies, performs, and teaches on the flying trapeze. The documentary features interviews with 3 generations of professional circus performers as well as recreational flying trapeze enthusiasts to help illustrate what a unique individual he is. Archival footage, home 8mm films, stills, and current footage of Tony flying, performing, and talking about his life do the rest." - short video on film.

Walter and Dorita Estes present highlights on Kalidoscape and the other shows that they were with, including Allan Hill's Great American Circus, Roberts Brothers, Royal American, Royal Palace and Kelly Miller. Their great memories such as why the right side of the front yard was always the "Macy's" side, an interesting encounter with Wolfgang Puck, how not to celebrate the Fourth of July, too much money on Allan's show, refreshments for Hoxie, etc.
    Dorita and her sister Ronna Sutton present a movie taken by their parents, with a focus on flyers, but also has many of the famous folks of the time including shots of Tuffy, Tex, Mary Jane, Jeanne Sleeter, Lou Jacobs, several of the Doll Family, the Fishers, Curt Genders, Alfi Freddie, and even a very young Randy Concello, and others. Dorita and Ronna grew up in Bloomington - the Barn, the YMCA , Skinny Benton's and the Tilden Hall Hotel with the flyers as well as spending a great deal of time on the road as "circus brats." Their parents were China and Dorthy Durbin who were in one of Concello's flying acts on Ringling in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Janet Davis, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin, will present "From the Cocking Main to the Center Ring: A History of American Animal Welfare and Popular Entertainment." Her paper explores the historical relationship between animal welfare and popular entertainment from 1866 (the year in which the first U.S. animal welfare society was born) to 1920 (when an organized campaign against animal performances became a vocal part of the broader movement). Her published works: Editor, Circus Queen and Tinker Bell: The Memoir of Tiny Kline, by Tiny Kline (University of Illinois Press, June 2008); The Circus Age: Culture and Society under the American Big Top (University of North Carolina Press, September 2002). She has contributed a number of articles and book chapters, many related to the circus, as well as lectures and conference presentations.

Bob Cline presents on the life and times of William P. Hall. William Preston Hall came from a huge family, learned how to make ends meet at a very young age, was a first class horse trader, a loving and caring husband and a proud father. He was generous in his assistance to any and all. A businessman, he had many monikers such as "Billy Hall," "Diamond Billy," "Col. Wm. P. Hall," or just William Hall. He also proclaimed himself as the "Horse King of the World", a title that would last!

Fred Dahlinger on Frank Hall's Royal English Circus and German Water Carnival. Inspired by the Nouveau Cirque in Paris, Frank E. Hall took possession of a former panorama building in Chicago after the 1893 world's fair and transformed it into one of the most unique circus attractions in American history. The sequence of events leading to Hall's cutting edge operation and the story of the structure that housed it also provide an opportunity to discuss the study of indoor shows and their historiography.

From Australia - Peta Tait on "Extreme Athleticism and Aerial Acts." Circus became significant because circus bodies defied athletic expectations. This internationally popular performance form brings together athleticism and artistry and additionally creates an impression of heightened danger. The flying trapeze act has been considered one of the most daring circus acts since its advent with Jules Léotard leaping between bars in 1859 (Gossard 1994; Stoddart 169-170; Tait 2005). This paper describes performers working in flying trapeze acts in the second half of the twentieth century who exemplify further development in this culturally extreme physical behaviour. It outlines the performance histories and artistic achievements of four Australian-based performers and the composition of their acts working in an international milieu. Individual performance histories inclusive of accidents also reveal the actual risks of this performance of extreme athleticism by bodies. Professor Peta Tait is Chair in Theatre and Drama at La Trobe University, Australia and publishes on the practice and theory of theatre, drama, circus performance and gender identity and emotion. She is a playwright and her most recent books are Circus Bodies: Cultural Identity in Aerial Performance (Routledge: 2005), Performing Emotions: Gender, Bodies, Spaces in Chekhov's Drama and Stanislavski's Theatre (Aldershot: Ashgate 2002) and the edited Body Shows: Australian Viewings of Live Performance (Rodopi 2000).

From Australia - Jane Mullett on "Alternative Aerial Performance: Breaking with Tradition?" In the 1970s 'new circus' appeared at similar times in Australia, France and the US. What did these new aerial performers bring to the circus? What was different about their performances? Now, over 30 years later, how has aerial performance developed? And what are the lasting legacies of this turbulent period in circus history? Jane Mullet's paper describes the changes that came to aerial activity in the circus in the 1970s. It looks at the way that aerial artistry reflects contemporary culture, and considers the results of the availability of circus as a subject of tertiary education. It will examine the aerial history of Australian company Circus Oz, the US company The Big Apple Circus and the French company Cirque Bidon and Archaos. In 2006 Dr. Jane Mullett, RMIT University, received her doctorate for her work on the evolution of new circus in Australia, Canada, the US and France She has presented on new circus at a variety of industry-based and academic conferences. She speaks from practical experience, as a trapeze artist in the 1970s in both the traditional circus - the Swiss Circus Royale - and the new circus - Circus Oz.

"An Extraordinary Family, the history of the Valentine Trapeze Acts of Bloomington," Cherie Valentine shares her family history. The famous Valentine flying act family began with the meeting of George Washington Valentine and Lillian Richards at the Jacksonville, Illinois School for the Deaf and Dumb. They were married in 1895. Little did they know, they would raise four sons to be flying trapeze performers and it is very unusual to find four brothers who all became trapeze artists. George Dewey Valentine, my father, was the first of the brothers to learn how to fly at the YMCA, during the heyday of circus acts in Bloomington. He would call his act The Flying Valentinos. Bill had The Flying LaVals; Fred, the Flying Valentines, and Roy, the Flying Romas.

Members of the panel discussion on circus historical research, an advice and help session, are Janet Davis, Debbie Walk, Matt Wittman, Maureen Brunsdale and Fred Dahlinger.

During the convention, film director Philip Weyland and a film crew will be interviewing and shooting footage for a documentary centered on trapeze greats Miguel & Juan Vazquez (website for the film - lastgreatflyer.com). Weyland is extremely interested in obtaining unique photos, videos or personal "trapeze" observations & opinions (Vazquez related or not) that attendees may be able to provide. He can be contacted at philipw100@aol.com.

You’ll have time to browse the Milner Library circus collection and attend their public reception. Tentative at this time is a performance by the Gamma Phi Circus. As usual, we’ll have our annual auction and evening banquet.

You’ll love the awesome old world atmosphere at the convention hotel, The Chateau. In addition to their comfortable rooms and full buffet breakfast, your taste buds will love their "world-famous" hot cinnamon rolls. They have a spacious dining area, and other restaurants are within walking distance. Be sure to register soon, since there is another group at the hotel during our dates. Phone: 309-662-2020, toll-free, 866-690-4006. Be sure to ask for the special CHS rate, $104 (includes full buffet breakfast). www.chateauhotel.biz

More information:

    Where else to celebrate trapeze performance but Bloomington-Normal! From the 1870s to circa 1980, the area contributed hundreds of performers to circuses. By 1900 Bloomington-Normal produced two famous trapeze troupes - the Flying LaVans and the Flying Fishers. After Eddie Ward built a training barn in Bloomington by 1916, many flying acts and performers spun off from the famous Ward Flyers.
    Bloomington-Normal, home of Illinois State University and Gamma Phi Circus, is approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago, 155 miles northeast of St. Louis. Bloomington’s Central Illinois Regional Airport is an up-to-date modern airport. Also available is Amtrak train service. The cities are centrally located with access from Interstates 39, 55 and 74.
    Bloomington-Normal is the home of Illinois State University and Gamma Phi Circus. Only two universities in the United States sponsor full-fledged circuses: Illinois State University and Florida State University. Gamma Phi Circus is the oldest collegiate circus in the United States. Its origins stretch back to 1926 when Clifford "Pop" Horton, a gymnastics instructor at Illinois State University, organized a small group of men to perform pyramids and tumble at basketball and football games. This led to the founding of Gamma Phi in 1929 as a fraternity-not a circus-that was dedicated to physical education, fitness, and gymnastics. Horton, a circus fan, instructed circus performers at the Bloomington YMCA. The group's first annual circus performance on the Illinois State campus took place in 1931; tickets were priced at 25 cents. Horton, who served for many years as the University's athletic director, headed Gamma Phi for 19 years.

Take a tour of past CHS conventions!

1996      2000     2001     2002     2003      2004      2005       2006       2007       2008       2009

The CHS convention encompasses circus history, the purpose of the organization; fellowship, the social contacts that make life worthwhile; and relaxation, a break in the daily routine, travel to different part of the county and just plain amusement and entertainment. People of all walks of life and from all sections of the country come together with a common purpose - the circus.

CHS members and other interested people gather annually at a different location in North America to hold a convention and share a common purpose, circus history. Papers are given, visual media are presented, live demonstrations are displayed, information on circus history and lore is exchanged, current circus executives set forth their views and challenges, friendships are renewed and new ones made - all in the interest of the preservation of circus history. The sessions represent the culmination the circus research and writings of CHS members and others to further our knowledge of the circus past and present. Even if your particular interest is unique, you will find an audience when you discuss it.

Top