In El Centro Ring

From Chinese acrobats to German lion tamers, circus artists speak the universal language of spectacle and wonder. Circo Fantastico!, the first U.S.-produced circus with a Latino focus, brought Latin American music, dance and traditional circus acts to the Southland recently, celebrating a slightly picante version of big-top magic.

Noe Espana, sky wheel artist; Vivien Espana: aerialist, Englewood, Fla.

What attracted you to being a circus performer? Noe: My dad got me into this. I was born and raised in the circus and knew what I wanted to do when I was 7.

Vivien: My dad was a trapeze artist. When I was 11, to see if I had talent, he gave me one month to learn to stand on my head on a trapeze bar. I did it.

What’s the secret of being good at what you do?

Noe: Discipline, concentration and not being scared.

Vivien: To love it. We risk our lives every day, but we love it.

If you could run away and join the real world, what would you do?

Noe: I’d be a cinematographer. I love cameras.

Vivien: A translator. I speak five languages.

What do you do for excitement?

Vivian: Sushi and a movie.

We love sushi.

Gabrial “Gaby the Clown” Castro: clown, Sarasota, Fla.:

What attracted you to being a clown?

I’ve been in the circus all my life. I used to be a trapeze artist, but I got too old, so I switched. I’ve always been good at comedy.

What’s the secret of being a good circus clown?

I use a little psychology with the public, to get people to do what I tell them and be fun. What makes a circus different from everything else?

It’s a hard life. You live in a trailer, you’re always on the road. It’s not 9 to 5.

What would you say to anyone dreaming of joining the circus?

Go to school, get a real job.

What do you do for excitement?

I play golf. I’m a 10 handicap.

“The Bambolas” singers: Heidy Castillo, Perto Rico, Dolly Oropeza, Venezuela, Maria Eugenia: Puerto Rico

What attracted you to being in the circus?

Eugenia: It’s a whole new experience.

Oropeza: Totally different!

What’s the secret of being a good girl group?

Eugenia: Friendship.

Oropeza: To learn to tolerate each other. It’s tough sometimes.

Castillo: To be accepting

. What makes a circus different from everything else?

Eugenia: It’s like a huge family.

Castillo: It’s live. It’s spectacular. You get to travel the world.

What do you do for excitement?

Oropeza: Date other circus performers.

Erica, Jesse, Liz and Adrian Saldivar: audience members, El Monte

If you could run away and join the circus, what would you do?

Liz: I’d be a clown, so I can act silly and stupid and make people laugh without being recognized.

Jesse: Being an acrobat looks like fun to me.

What are you like when you’re clowning around?

Jesse: Erica acts like a nerd.

Liz: Yeah!

Erica: I do not!

What’s your most spectacular feat ever?

Liz: I rode an electrical bull. I fell off in, like, two seconds.

Erica: I bungee-jumped in Las Vegas. It was so high I thought I’d pee in my pants.

What part of your life is like a circus?

Liz: My son, Adrian.

Erica: Our home, ‘cause we’re all a bunch of clowns.