Portraits of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performers and staff
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Portrait of school teacher and contortionist Li Jiahui and Zhao Qianyu, both of the China National Acrobatic Troupe that is currently performing with Ringling Bros.
"It's a very different experience than being at home," said Jiahui. When we perform in China, we perform in one building and the stage is very small. Here, the stage is huge and we get to travel on the train, which we've never experienced before. [Also] in China, the show is more serious. Here, [they] have clowns and animals. It seems like a lot of performers are playing around onstage. It's more fun."
After 146 years, the "Greatest Show on Earth" will close its curtain in the end of May.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus started in 1919 when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, made the decision to end the show after waning ticket sales and long court battles over the treatment of animals, particularly the elephants, made the costly entertainment event unsustainable.
![Portrait of school teacher and contortionist Li Jiahui and Zhao Qianyu, both of the China National Acrobatic Troupe that is currently performing with Ringling Bros.<br />
<br />
"It's a very different experience than being at home," said Jiahui. When we perform in China, we perform in one building and the stage is very small. Here, the stage is huge and we get to travel on the train, which we've never experienced before. [Also] in China, the show is more serious. Here, [they] have clowns and animals. It seems like a lot of performers are playing around onstage. It's more fun." <br />
<br />
After 146 years, the "Greatest Show on Earth" will close its curtain in the end of May. <br />
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus started in 1919 when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, made the decision to end the show after waning ticket sales and long court battles over the treatment of animals, particularly the elephants, made the costly entertainment event unsustainable.](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000njSWHsd5dc0/fit=1000x750/g=G0000BI8ps.2vTPA/150827-Sinclair-RinglingPortraits-002.jpg)
