The Best of Russian State Circus on Ice – St. Petersburg

by | Apr 3, 2020 | Sravasti's Blog, Travel

Gaetano Ciniselli, an Italian circus performer, founded the first brick-built circus beside the Fontanka River in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 1877. The building has a large stage, stables and the first circus museum in the world. The Russian State Ice Circus is also called Ciniselli Circus.

Tickets can be bought online for the 2.5-hour shows. These are from 10:00 am to 08:00 pm without a break.

There are snacks, souvenirs, toy-sellers and face-painting kiosks inside to keep children busy while waiting for the show to start.

woman painting on boy's face

Face-painting while waiting

Children upto 4 years can watch the show for free. All acrobats show off their skills while skating under the dazzling lights and colourful laser beams.

circus acrobats and hula hooper

Circus acrobats and hula hooper under dazzling lights

The breathtaking and unbelievably difficult silk rope act leaves the spectators spellbound.

gymnast silk rope act

Breathtaking silk rope act

The arctic is brought alive through simulated killer whales and sea lions while the temperature is lowered in the theatre for the silvery white polar bears to arrive.

killer whale

Simulated killer whale

 

polar bear

Silvery white polar bears

Can there be a circus without clowns juggling clumsily to bring on peals of laughter from the clapping children?

clowns juggling

Clowns juggling buckets

The clowns are the most talented of all as they can do most of the tricks. They can literally make music out of everything – pots, pans and even commode lids!

clowns playing pots pans trumpet

Clowns making music out of pots and pans

Where can you find cats and dogs on the same stage? The circus, of course!

These dogs will melt your hearts with their precise jumps and retrieving tricks.

dogs on stage

Dogs performing retrieving tricks

The graceful cats jump through hoops and balance on balls, making the children want to train their pets the same way.

tranier and cat on ball

A trained cat balances on a ball

The vibrant parrots and macaws fly around the stage and perch on props to play music and do swinging acts. These social birds are given berries as treats.

parrots and macaws

Colourful Macaws perch on props

There are many fun acts in the circus, like balloon acts by super-flexible gymnasts;

balloons with lights, acrobats

Balloon acts while skating

acrobats on unicycles balancing to foot-tapping music;

acrobats on unicycles

Acrobats on unicycles

rolling acts by hoopers in fluorescent body suits and

gymnasts rolling

Rolling acts by gymnasts

balancing acts high up in the air while the hoop rolls, keeping the spectators riveted to their seats.

balancing on hoops

Balancing on rolling hoops

There are some moments with Snow Princesses which will remind you of your favourite movie, Frozen.

gymnasts ice skating

The Frozen moment

Then the most-awaited act begins. The undaunted aerialists or trapeze artists always get the maximum attention and claps.

trapeze

The Flying Cranes

They fly around like elegant white cranes.  They land as lightly and perfectly on the safety nets, just like birds touching down on the delicate branches of trees.

trapeze artist

Trapeze artist landing on safety net

The splendid show of colours and multi-talented circus artists comes to an end within the circle of light.

circus acrobats

The circle of light

 

Words & Images: #Sravasti Ghosh Dastidar

Ideation & Editing: Mitul Bose

Video: Shinjini Mitra

Voiceover: Swati Mitra