ROCKINGHAM — Sisters Ariana Wunderle, 10, and Emily Wunderle, 13, of Rockingham, are running off to join the circus this summer - with their parents' blessing.
Ariana's skills as a wire-walker, aerialist, clown, and acrobat, and Emily's skills as an aerialist, have won them a spot on tour with Circus Smirkus, the award-winning, international, traveling youth circus based in Vermont.
From late June through mid-August, the troupe will travel with its European-made Big Top tent to 15 venues throughout the Northeast, and will perform nearly 70 individual shows. Circus Smirkus reaches the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, N.H., on July 15 and 16.
Ariana and Emily both grew up within the circus. Their parents, Sara and Troy Wunderle, both have major leadership roles in Circus Smirkus. Sara is assistant circus operations director; Troy is the artistic director of the Vermont-based Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour.
“They were immersed within the circus environment as toddlers and have been involved every summer to date,” Sara says. “Watching as they grow as both performers and individuals within the circus ring each summer is such a proud parent moment.”
When Ariana and Emily aren't performing with Circus Smirkus in the summer, they continue their training at the New England Center for Circus Arts in the Advanced Youth Program in Brattleboro.
This will be Troy's 18th year with the company. He's made his mark on each of its three programs: Big Top Tour, Smirkus Camp, and School Residencies.
“To have our whole family be a part of such a tremendous organization is truly a blessing,” he says.
This will be Ariana's first official year as a trouper. Even though she has been a part of the company since 2, she was considered a trouper-in-training and stayed on site and traveled with her parents. This year she's immersed fully into what a Smirkus trouper is.
Both Ariana and Emily attended a live audition back in January. They are two of 30 performers aged 10 to 18 that were selected for the 2014 Big Top Tour.
“I finally can say I am an official Smirkus Trouper,” says Ariana. “When I got the acceptance call from Jesse Dryden, Creative Director, I was so excited.”
“This is my fourth year as a trouper and I am so excited to share the experience with my sister this year,” Emily says. “I can remember the summer I made that transition from trouper-in-training to trouper and I can recall being just as excited as Ariana is for what this summer is going to be for her.”
Life on the road will be both fun and exhausting for Emily and Ariana, as they will join their fellow troupers in such tasks as taking care of props, selling tickets and popcorn, and working cooperatively with the tent crew, light and sound technicians, equipment riggers, costumer, musicians and others who travel with the one-ring show.
The payoff for all the hard work, they say, will be joining with other teens from around the country and the world who bring their love of circus to each performance.
This year's troupers hail from nine states (California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Texas) and from Mexico.
Troupers' skills include juggling, wire-walking, clowning, acrobatics, aerials and unicycling, and acts involving the diabolo, trapeze, cradle, Spanish web, and lyra.
Over the years, Circus Smirkus has become known for its theme-based and “story” shows. Themes have included Pirates, the Wild West, and Superheroes, while stories have included original circus versions of “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and “Pinocchio.”
This year's tour continues the tradition of theme-based shows with “Anchors Away for Atlantis,” a circus-style journey on the high seas.
When not balancing on high wire, clowning around, or flying through the air, Ariana is a student at Saxtons River Elementary School. Emily is a student at Bellows Falls Middle School. Both girls are on their respective school's honor rolls and are also involved in other extra-curricular activities such as gymnastics, Girl Scouts, music, and art.
“I enjoy being home and spending time with my school friends,” says Ariana. “But once the snow starts to melt, I start to get excited for the summer and all the adventures that await me at Circus Smirkus.”
“Smirkus is home,” Emily says. “Performing in front of an audience is wonderful, but spending time with kids and adults that understand your passion for this thing we call circus is priceless.”