AR-News: (US MI) Circus returns with, hopefully, no animal escapes

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Monday, March 01, 2004 
By Bill Iddings 
CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER 



Not that it's going to happen, but if this year's Shrine Circus gets away 
from itself as it did in 2003, motorists would be well-advised to keep their 
vehicles off the streets of downtown Muskegon. 
Last year's circus took an unexpected turn when an African elephant wandered 
away from Circus Central, a.k.a. L.C. Walker Arena, and took a stroll up 
Fourth Street. 
Sheba, a 30-year-old pachyderm who stood 8-feet-tall and weighed in at 9,000 
pounds, ambled across both Muskegon and Webster avenues before handlers got 
her under control. 
No damage was done and, considering how much publicity the news reports 
generated, the escape may have been good for business. A real trouper, an unfazed 
Sheba performed as scheduled. 
This year the 19th annual Shrine Circus again will have the Jordan World 
Circus and elephants, although no word yet on whether any of the quadrupeds suffer 
from wanderlust. 
Of greater significance is that, in this historic year -- 2004 marks the 90th 
anniversary of when the first Shrine Circus was performed, in Detroit -- the 
Shrine Circus will include acrobats from China. The circus is the most popular 
of all Chinese mass arts. 
The Chinese Daredevil Acrobats are from throughout China. They perform with 
such basic props as jugs, cups, poles and straps, employing the skills of 
juggling, flying trapeze and carpet spinning. 

full story:

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/features-0/1078
14690245140.xml 
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