French Circus

I always wondered about the veracity of stories about kids who ran away from home to join the circus. To me, the circus sounds like a terrible way of life—all trailers, animal manure and creepy clowns. I see the appeal, though, on an abstract level. It's all about contorting reality (or oneself), celebrating the absurd and having a good time. The whole concept is a little too Stephen King for me, but the angry runaway in all of us needs something to aspire to. And I suppose if your kids are going to take off and join a circus, the Celebration le Cirque is a good option. It's diverse, featuring performers from around the world. An Argentinean acrobat, a Russian juggler and a Mongolian contortionist will teach your little vagabonds the ways of the world. Juggling involves lots of spatial concepts, always useful on the SATs, and perhaps handy for a later stint in architecture school. The contortionists could foster an interest in physical therapy, a lucrative career these days. The clowns...well, I still stand steadfastly against the clowns. But let your kids decide for themselves as they escape reality for a few hours in the company of this circus troupe. Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Rosewood Center for Family Arts, 5938 Skillman St. Tickets are $38 to $42 for adults and $24 to $26 for kids. Visit dct.org for tickets.
Fri., Dec. 28, 7 p.m.; Dec. 29-30, 2 & 7 p.m., 2007