Acts Descriptions

ACTS DESCRIPTIONS

FUNAMBULA is produced by DreamCast Entertainment exclusively for MGM Resorts International’s Beau Rivage. The show’s creator and producer Misha Matorin presents an exciting new show featuring renowned artist and comedic daredevil Bello Nock.

FUNAMBULA is derived from the Latin term fūnambulus, meaning rope dancer, or tightrope walker and features an international cast of accomplished aerialists, acrobats contortionists, tightrope walkers, jugglers, trampoline jumpers, trapeze artists, and a rhythmic gymnast champion who has won competitions in the Ukraine and throughout the world.

BELLO NOCK Bello Nock is an international circus star, an amazing comedian and the world’s only true comedic daredevil. He is equally accomplished at generating breathtaking thrills and laughter.TIME Magazine called him “America’s Best Clown” in their edition devoted to “America’s Best Artists and Entertainers.”

Bello opens FUNAMBULA with a breath-taking high wire walk high above the audience in a skywalk across the Beau Rivage Theatre.

Bello is a seventh generation performer and performs in FUNAMBULA with three of his children, the eighth generation of performers.

What makes Bello stand out is his unusual blend of jaw-dropping daredevil stunts and hysterical comedy. Bello’s wowed more than 40 million people in his live performances during the last decade. He was the first person in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s 140-year history to have a production named after him. Kenneth Feld, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment said, Bello is “unlike anyone in the history of circus, a once in a lifetime performer.” A testament to his iconic image, “Bellobration” featured a cast of hundreds of human performers, elephants, horses, dogs and audience members donning wigs of Bello’s trademark hair.

Fluent in Spanish and four other languages, Bello first garnered a huge following at Mexico’s Circo Atayde. He then joined the prestigious Big Apple Circus. With Bello, the show set new attendance records during their run at Lincoln Center in NYC. He went on to perform a total of three seasons with the BAC before he left for Ringling following the highly acclaimed “Bello and Friends.” He returned to headline the BAC in their 2010 production “Bello is Back!” 1 Bello’s repertoire includes virtually every major thrill act and stunt imaginable, hysterical audience participation and classic clowning. Bello has done everything from hanging by his toes suspended under a helicopter over the Statue of Liberty and MGM Resorts’ Beau Rivage, to repelling off Madison Square Gardens.

In FUNAMBULA, Bello will perform High Wire, Portable Wire, Wheel of Wonder, Sway Poll, Trampoline and other amazing acts.

DUO AERIAL STRAPS "Unforgiving Love" performed by Anna Dvoian and Igor Kostenko. Choreographed and directed by Mariya Remneva, acclaimed choreographer from Ukraine. Anna Dvoian is multiple Ukraine national gymnastic champions and her partner Igor is an experienced circus performer. This act won a silver medal in the festival in France "Les Feux de-la-Rampe 2009," has been invited to “Minute of Fame” –Ukrainian TV and starring in the circus special of the French TV5. Anna and Igor are actively touring the world with this stunning aerial act including Switzerland- "Circus Conelli", South Africa, Universal Studio in Japan, Germany- European Youth Circus in Wiesbaden, Hualien Ocean Park, Taiwan.

SOLO AERIAL TISSUE ACT Coming to FUNAMUBLA from Cirque du Soleil, performer Ekaterina Shustova comes from a circus family. Her father graduated from circus school in Moscow and performed amazing hand balancing acts. Shustova began her performing career in 1997 when she was eight years old with aerial Circeau (ring) in Denmark in Circus Dannebrog. After two years she developed an aerial strap act and began performing at Circus Mundial in Spain. In the end of 2001, for the first time she began to do aerial tissue when she was working at Familien Freizeit Park in Germany. Further in 2003, she went to International Youth Circus Festival in Moscow won first prize for her solo Tissue act "Golden Elephant.”.In the same year (2003), she went to Youth Festival Circo de Latina in Italy and won third prize "Bronze.” From 2005-2007 she performed solo Tissue in the most famous Russian Circus program "Safari". In 2007, Shustova went to work in the Nikulin Circus in Moscow where she was the main character in the fairy tale pantomime “Cinderella.” In the beginning of 2007, she was invited to an International Circus Festival "Première Rampe" in Monaco/Monte Carlo and won third place "Bronze" and a special award from the Prince of Monaco for her amazing solo Tissue act. Ekaterina become a Cirque du Soleil artist in 2007. She has performed in Cirque du Soleil show’s ZED and MYSTERE.

SYERANYAN FAMILY CIRCUS

2 The incredible circus family of Gagik Seyranyan, Tatavik Seyranyan and Anaida Akopyan are acclaimed contortionists and will perform the Limbo, Rolla Bola, and The Cube in FUNUMBULA.

The family has won numerous awards throughout their performing career including 2011 Gold Medal winners at the 5th World Circus Festival in Moscow, Russia; 2009 winners of the Bronze prize on the International Circus Festival in China; 2008 Bronze Medal holders of the International Circus Festival in Paris, France - "Circus of the Future”; 2003 owners of the 1st, Golden prize on the 5th International Circus Festival, in the City of Latina, Italy; In 2000, they participated in the “First Delphic” games in Moscow, Russia. In 1999, they won the Silver prize in the International Circus Festival in Monte-Carlo, Monaco and the main prize of the sponsor. In 1998, they won the Silver Clown on the International Circus Festival in St.- Petersburg, Russia and the main prize of the sponsor. In 1995, they were diplomats of the International talent competition “Bravo Bravissimo” in Cremona, Italy

Limbo: Definitely not your typical limbo, but a unique compilation of contortion and balance in a creative Cirque-style background that is sure to be an audience favorite. This unique Limbo act will leave the audience breathless as the bar is set lower and lower and they gracefully maneuver themselves and their props underneath – even blindfolded!

Next, a 3 foot-by-3 foot clear cube appears center stage and to the amazement of the audience, two contortionists maneuver their way inside. A truly amazing feat.

Rolla Bola ‘Picasso Blue Girl” act: A brave and adventurous girl will have audiences on the edge of their seats as she performs a unique balancing act. Building slowly to reach a height of approximately seven feet, the artist balances and acrobatically performs feats upon cylinders and other unique shapes of metal.

MOTORCYCLE GLOBE

Motorcycle madness is the order of the day as three stunt riders actually ride their machines upside-down in the sphere of fear, reaching speeds of 55 MPH. Only centrifugal force and skill stand between them and disaster as they criss-cross the globe together at breakneck speeds.

TRAMPOLINE

The Olimecha’s family, of Japanese origin, has a circus tradition of four generations. Jaiataka Torakist, their patriarch who became radicalized in Brazil in the 1880s, specialized in acrobatic acts. This current trampoline troupe was assembled by his grandson Luiz Olimecha, creator and director of the National Circus School in Brazil. The troupe consists of his wife, his son and a skilled professional. The troupe started its activities in 2000 at Tihany Circus in Puerto Rico. After that, they performed for several seasons as Circus Chem, Portugal, in 2003; Garcia Circus, Brazil, in 2004; Circus Marcus Frota, Brazil, in 2005; Fővárosi NagiCircusban, Hungary, in 2006; Mike Togni Medrano Circus, Italy, in 2007; Circus Fantasy, Italy, in 2008; Disney World, from October to December /2008; Lidia Togni Circus, Italy, in 2009; Weber Circus, 3 December 2009; TV Show "Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde", France, 2010; Award for outstanding performance Wuhai Festival, China, 2010; Circus Errani, Italy, 2011;Teatro Circo Price madrid 2011/2012.National Circus of Egypt 2012.Christmas 2012/2013 Circus Teatre Colizeu Porto (Portugal)

BABY ELECTRA – “LITTLE DEVIL”

Diane Wasnak’s Baby Electra keeps the tempo light and fun. This dual-personality act features Diane’s precocious inner child, Baby Electra, and her alter ego, Harriet. The fun is just beginning when Baby Electra discovers "Uncle Fred" (a real audience member), who is kindly persuaded to teach her how to ride a bicycle. Baby Electra wins over the audience with waves of laughter with harmless shenanigans. The guests are treated to equal parts of Lucille Ball and June Cleaver blending Diane’s unique talents from dancing a retro-Mambo number to riding a bicycle backwards while juggling bowls from foot to head. She has a special way of getting her guest to explore his own inner child. This riotous act will leave the audience doubled-over with hilarious laughter.

CONTORTIONIST

Ungantuya Otgonbayar, winner of the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo, comes to FUNAMBULA directly from Mongolia.

As the opening act in FUNAMULA, she encompasses all the elements of flexibility, balance and strength which come together in a remarkable and beautiful performance showcasing feats of agility that are beyond comprehension to the average body.

FLYING TRAPEZE ACT

Nikolay Sarichev acclaimed aerialist and trainer presents an international circus award winners troupe. This act was specially created for MGM Resorts International and Beau Rivage. The human dream to fly shines through in this amazing act. Beautiful body lines of flyers mesmerize audiences. What seems to be an effortless gravity defying routine with trilling elements of danger becomes a great attraction to spectators. UV light and costumes give this outer space act flavor.

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTS AND CHARACTERS

In 1995 Irina Kovalchuk became engaged in rhythmic gymnastics. In 2001, she got in the youth team of Ukraine and in 2003 got in the first team of the national team. Kovalchuk is master of the sport of international class . She has won numerous championships throughout Europe and the world and is a consistent champion of Ukraine, bronze prize-winner of world cup, absolute champion of world university game, champion of world cup, and repeated prize-winner of international tournaments. Simply stunning.