By Bill Church – HERALD TRIBUNE: Circus Sarasota and its headliner, Sarasota’s Bello Nock, are among the reasons our area ranks so high in the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Circus Sarasota is a fun, family-driven event that reflects well on our circus heritage. The best part? World-class performers hang around to sign autographs after the show. MORE
By Kay Kipling – SARASOTA MAGAZINE:
If you still haven’t seen this year’s version of Circus Sarasota, Red, White & Bello!, under the Big Top at Benderson Park, you have a few more chances before the end of the run, Feb. 28. As always, it will be worth your while to see circus folk—performers who have dedicated their lives to doing things day after day most of us would never attempt—cheerfully risk falls, fire and poodle bites to bring you thrills. Sarasota’s own Bello Nock is both headliner—high atop the spinning Wheel of Destiny with daughter Annaliese—and clown, from the beginning of the show, where he places his entire body inside a giant yellow balloon… MORE
‘Red, White & Bello!’ Review by William S. Oser – TALKIN’ BROADWAY:
February is always one of my favorite times of the year, because it is time for Circus Sarasota, under the auspices of The Circus Arts Conservatory. This year’s production is entitled Red, White & Bello! and is built around the antics of daredevil clown Bello Nock, Sarasota born and raised and he still lives here. Ringmaster, 15th generation circus performer, Joseph Bauer, Jr. introduces him as “my cousin” Bello. Bello has three features, the best of which involves him going almost completely inside a very large yellow balloon, while in another he pulls down a rope from its pulley and then works to get the rope back where it needs to be. He weaves in and out of other featured acts and is clearly the big star of the show.
The featured acts for the rest of the first act are… MORE
By Liz Sandburg – VISIT SARASOTA COUNTY: Bello Nock and Circus Sarasota do not disappoint to entertain children of all ages in “Red, White, and BELLO!” “How in the world can he do that?!” The man sitting behind me is incredulous. The rest of us are speechless as he blurts out these words, though we are all thinking the same thing. How? How can one man accomplish such unfathomable feats, such creative accomplishments, such death-defying maneuvers, such hilarity? Simple answer – because he’s Bello Nock. It’s just what he does … and this is only halfway through his opening act of “Red, White, and BELLO!” at Circus Sarasota. MORE
Review By Carrie Seidman – HERALD-TRIBUNE: “Red, White and Bello,” Circus Sarasota’s winter show under the Big Top behind the University Center Mall, provides plenty of allure, for the uninitiated and the jaded alike. No sad animals, sophomoric clowns or second-rate showmen here; founders Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs are carrying on the circus legacy with style, class and an awful lot of bang for your buck (like 2 ½ hours worth). MORE
By Marty Clear – BRADENTON HERALD:
Bello Nock has performed with elite circuses all over the world. He ranks Circus Sarasota as one of the best big-top circuses around, along with Cirque du Soleil and New York Big Apple Circus. So the man that Time magazine called “America’s best clown” said he’ll be among his peers performing with Circus Sarasota. “It is a wonderful show,” Nock said… MORE
By Molly Schechter – THE OBSERVER: Sarasota attracts interesting people with interesting stories as demonstrated by the “Best Man’s Hat” winner at this years Circus Arts Conservatory gala on January 29. The man is Preston T. Scott, a University of Virginia educated attorney whose original career was working for the U.S. government in environmental law…. The hat came to Sarasota as a gift to Scott after he organized the Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife Festival featuring Bhutan in 2008. The exhibit, one of an annual series started in 1967, included the first American performance of the “Black-Hat Dance,” which dates from the early 17th century. MORE
By Brian Ries – HERALD-TRIBUNE : This year’s Circus Sarasota series of performances features seventh generation circus performer, hometown favorite clown and “The World’s Greatest Comic Daredevil” Bello Nock, who promises to take his act to new heights. (Did he mean “act” or “hair”?) There will also be acts from around the world, including Bello’s daughter Annaliese Nock on the Wheel of Destiny; foot juggler Deborah Maloku; The Dominguez Poodle Review; the U.S. debut of Marc Giely’s Acrobatic Mountain Bike Act; Mario Berousek – “Thw World’s Fastest Speed Juggler”; hand-balancing quartet The Pellegrini Brothers; Shannon Monni’s Aerial Bubble; Sylvia Zerbini and her Liberty Horse; and, of course, “Queen of the Air” Dolly Jacobs. Through Feb. 28, 2016; Behind The Mall at UTC, 140 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota; $15-$55; 941-355-9805; circusarts.org
The Circus Arts Conservatory is proud to present 24 exclusive performances of “Red, White & BELLO!” on Friday, February 12th through Sunday, Feb. 28th. Come see extraordinary acts from across the globe perform in a magnificent showcase under a one-ring, European-style Red and White Big Top (behind The Mall at University Town Center).
Starring “The World’s Greatest Comic Daredevil” Bello Nock, who is taking his act to completely new heights and Sarasota’s very own “Queen of the Air” Dolly Jacobs… MORE
‘Circus Aerialist Honored With First-ever Perfect Pitch Award’ by Susan Rife, Herald Tribune – Sarasota, FL – On Nov. 4, [circus aerialist Dolly Jacobs] will receive the inaugural “Perfect Pitch” award from Key Chorale, Sarasota’s professional vocal ensemble. The award “honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to our cultural community through educational, financial, and/or artistic efforts,” said Catherine Vernon, Key Chorale’s executive director, in announcing the award.
“It’s very humbling. It’s just amazing to be awarded for something you love to do,” said Jacobs, the co-founder of Circus Sarasota and the Circus Arts Conservatory but perhaps better known as “Queen of the Air” for her elegant aerial routines in the circus ring. MORE
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