Seated on the grass at Oakland’s DeFremery Park, my friends and I joined a bustling crowd of families, gathered for Circus Bella’s free Circus in the Parks. Accompanied by the Circus Bella All-Star Band — a lively ensemble of brass, keys and percussion — the performance featured an array of impressive acts.
From mind-bending contortionism and acrobatics to precarious chair stacking, the show wove its diverse spectacles into a cohesive narrative centering a clown on the search for her lost box of laughter. As she raced across the stage in pursuit of the brightly decorated prop, the performers juggled, vanished and passed it from one act to the next, seamlessly linking the production’s many parts.
Among the production’s many standout acts was Jack Weinstock’s foot juggling performance, an awe-inspiring display of balance and coordination. Lying on his back, Weinstock rolled fragile vases across the tips of his toes, eliciting oohs and aahs from youngsters leaning eagerly over the barricade.
Equally impressive was Elise Hing’s contortionist performance. Decked in green and purple glitter, embodying a serpent-like character, Hing slithered and coiled across the stage, her limbs showing no sign of bones, cartilage or anything resembling ordinary human anatomy.
Meanwhile, Kali Huang and Paige Grieco’s duo juggling act demonstrated the depth of talent on display, positioning the two apprentices as shoo-ins for the future of circus performance. The young artists effortlessly exchanged balls and bowling pins as the Circus Bella All-Star Band launched into a groovy, Jamiroquai-esque instrumental arranged by Ian Carey and Rob Reich.
The band’s contribution proved indispensable throughout the evening, providing a dynamic musical backbone for the performance. Saxophonist Kasey Knudsen, whose commanding musicianship could not go unnoticed, deserves particular praise.
Ori Quesada’s rola bola act showcased an impressive combination of balance and dexterity. Perched atop a flat board balanced on a rolling cylinder, Quesada tossed and caught cups on his head.
Later in the night’s entertainment, Chloe Somers Walier taught a master class in Hula-Hooping, or what many would call a step-by-step tutorial to becoming the coolest kid on the playground.
Next up was the penultimate performer, Garret Allen, whose chair stacking performance kept spectators on edge. The audience was particularly dazzled by his grand finale: holding himself in a handstand atop his tower of chairs.
Fortunately, our red-nosed protagonist was later reunited with her box of laughter, though this reunion was hardly the point of the show. The clown soon imparted a lesson that served as the heart and soul of the evening’s performance — in the midst of chasing joy and laughter, we often forget that we too are capable of creating joy and laughter. Though we often find ourselves in the endless pursuit of larger happiness, Circus Bella emphasizes the importance of taking in the world with childlike wonder.
Under the setting sun, Circus Bella allowed parents to see the world through the eyes of their children, through spontaneous bursts of laughter and the simple magic of collective imagination. For a few hours, the boundaries between performer and audience dissolved, reminding everyone gathered on the grass that joy is not something to be discovered in a distant place or hidden inside a box. Rather, it emerges in moments of curiosity, connection and play.
Circus Bella offers a gentle invitation to embrace wonder for wonder’s sake.