OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” is back in Oakland for the first time in eight years.
But now, there are no live animals after public outcry from animal activists and allegations of animal abuse.
However, there are still plenty of acts and ABC7 got a preview of the hoop diving, BMXing and more.
“We have what we call the ultimate playground, where the whole stage becomes ridable and a playground for us,” said A.J. Anaya, who does freestyle BMX. “We have mountain bike trials, we have extreme unicycle and we have four BMX guys in our act and we added the one-of-a-kind trample box.”
75 people from 18 countries are performing in what they’re calling the all-new, reimagined “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
“We have comedy acts,” said aerial captain Maximillian Bennett. “We have acts with robotic dogs, we have people flying in the air. We have jumping, we have lots of other specialized acts like hand-to-hand.”
You’ll be able to see who they call the human rocket, Skyler Miser.
VIDEO: Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus is back, reimagined for a new era
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has been reimagined as the “ultimate playground” with awe-inspiring acts.
She comes from a circus family and shoots out of the Ringling Rocket.
“It’s like a giant roller coaster and a mini car crash all in one,” Miser said, adding she goes 65 miles per hour.
Jonatan Lopez, of the renowned Lopez Troupe of multi-generation circus artists, demonstrated the low wire for ABC7.
His wife Maria Pontigo performs with him.
“What we can see right now is the low wire what we use to warm up before the show but actually we’re going to do a lot of balance on the high wire,” Pontigo said. “It’s the first time ever the Ringling Brothers and the whole entire world has the triangular high wire. It’s never been done before and the Lopez Troupe, we’re proud to be the first performers ever to attempt this act. This low wire has 2 to 3 feet but actually we’re going to work 25 feet in the air during the show.”
The show is at the Oakland Arena from August 30 – September 1, and at SAP Center in San Jose from September 6 – 8.
In 2014, Feld Entertainment won $25.2 million in settlements from a number of animal-rights groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, ending a 14-year legal battle over unproven allegations that Ringling circus employees mistreated elephants.
In 2015, Ringling officials announced they would phase out elephants from all performances after allegations of animal abuse.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey took a hiatus from the circus starting in 2017.
The circus goes back to the mid-1880s.
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