Piedmont Teen Earns Spot in Traveling Circus

PIEDMONT, CA - Graham Reicher of Piedmont has earned a spot in Circus Smirkus, the country’s only traveling youth circus. He'll perform in 66 shows in 16 cities throughout New England and New York this summer.

Graham demonstrated an interest in juggling when he was eight years old, says his mother, Carole Parker. “I was flipping pancakes at breakfast one morning and Graham taught himself to juggle with clementines. Every time I turned around, he would holler ‘I’m up to 5 catches, now 7 mom!’ Now he has moved on to juggling knives and fire torches and rubber chickens and 7 balls in patterns I can barely follow.”

She whisked Graham off to Oakland’s Kinetic Arts Center, where he has been studying acrobatics, clowning, juggling, unicycling and other circus skills under international circus artist Jaron Hollander. He also joined the Kinetic Arts Circus Spire Youth Troupe, a pre-professional circus arts training program, which performs locally in the East Bay.

Graham first learned about the Vermont-based circus after attending a performance of the Big Top Tour when he was three years old and living in Warren, Vermont. Graham and his two older siblings, Haley and Will, and even his father Dan Reicher all attended Circus Smirkus Summer Camp for a few years. Graham, starting at just six years old, couldn’t get enough of Smirkus camp and returned every summer for six years. “The camp is located in this spectacular spot in northern Vermont with big top tents and world class coaches” said Dan Reicher. “The kids loved learning how to fly a trapeze and throw pies; I loved the way the program gave the kids amazing confidence while having a ton of fun.”

The Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour is a highly selective performing youth circus where hundreds of applicants from around the world vie for a handful of available spaces each year. Through both a video and live audition process, only 30 are chosen to go on tour. The students train and rehearse for three weeks in Greensboro, VT and then hit the road on June 25 complete with a big top tent, cook bus, coaches, counselors, tent crew, and everything else needed for the tour.

Graham submitted his first audition tape for a slot in the Big Top Tour three years ago at age 10. After three years, two live auditions and two rejections, Graham was invited in January to join the 2016 Big Top Tour. “The third time is my lucky charm,” said Graham. “I am so incredibly excited that I will be going on tour with Smirkus this summer.”

His duties will include more than just performing, he and fellow trouperswill perform such tasks as taking care of props, selling tickets and popcorn, and working cooperatively with the tent crew, light and sound technicians, equipment riggers, costumer, musicians and others who travel with the one-ring show.

One of the things that Graham is most looking forward to is spending the summer with teens from all parts of the country and the world, who all share his love of the circus. This year’s performers are from 12 other states besides California, including Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

When not juggling, Graham is an 'A' student at Piedmont Middle School where he will enter his 8th grade in September. He also competes with the school debate team and enjoys film making. He plans to make his next film about performing in the circus.

“I like debate and film making,” says Graham. “But my real love is circus. I guess I really am going to run away and join the circus!”

--Image via Circus Smirkus