Ringling Circus, Opening Tonight in Philly, Offers Free Chinatown Preview
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The circus opens tonight at the Wells Fargo Center, in South Philadelphia.
In advance of opening night in Philadelphia, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus held a preview today in Chinatown.
"This is a demonstration with some of my clown friends as well as the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe," said clown Asa Walker (second from right in photo, in dark blue vest). " Right now they're doing hat juggling, but also you can see them riding bikes, riding unicycles, as well as some hoop diving during the show."
(Kuznits:) "What's training like?"
(Walker:) "The training is pretty intense. We had a five-week to six-week build for this show, where you came in every day, morning to night. Our clowns, this year especially, are very acrobatic."
(Kuznits:) "Would you say that everybody including the clowns -- you guys look pretty fit -- are like athletes?"
(Walker:) "Absolutely! I would say circus is very close to athletics in that way."
The circus is in town through Sunday.