American circus

In ''''' American Circus ''''' (it '' Circo Americano '' in Italian) is an itinerant circus in Europe under the direction of the Italian family Togni (Flavio Togni, Daniele and Cristina Togni).

The establishment counts two capitals, one of 4000 seats, the other of 3500 seats, a boxing ring of 3 tracks (transformable in hippodrome for certain numbers), 11 elephants, forty horses, about thirty semitrailers, about fifty roulottes and trailers, more than one hundred of people (artists and their family, assemblers, drivers, cooks, stablemen, technicians in any kind…).
Today the circus is in round in Italy where it occurs 4 to 5 months per annum in winter from November to March. The remainder of the year the animals are distributed in several European establishments. For the round 2007: 4 white elephants and 4 tigers are with the circus Arlette Gruss in France whereas 4 other pachyderms and part of the cavalry are with the Netherlands with the Renz circus.

The history of American Circus started at the end of the years 1950 in Spain. The spectacle is then produced by the company of Feijo Castilla.

After a long round of several years (Spain, Portugal and France) it is Arthuro Castilla which will become the president in 1962 about it. It joined Carol Williams later, already owner of a gigantic establishment, for a round in Germany then with the Netherlands but the circus will have like name: Circus Hero.

It is with Turin the November 24th 1963 that began the Italian round. Followed the big cities of Milan, Rome, Naples and Genoa.

The receipt, in the purest American tradition, is a considerable success. The three tracks are generally assembled in large halls of exposures but being given the lack of buildings of this scale at the time the direction decides to make build a capital of 6000 places! Thus rolling stock once again increases in order to transport the fabrics, the steps, and the reception facilities. The organization, the assembly and transport give to the unit the paces of a true itinérante.
city At this point in time the company of Arthuro Castilla called upon Fedinando Togni and its family, true leader of this type of organization since it had already treated with great names: the Circus of Moscow, the Ballets of Bolschoï, the Choruses of the Red Army, celebrates it spectacle the parade Disney, the National circus of Mexico and Spain.

In 1976 they are Togni which becomes owners of the establishment after the retirement of Arthuro Castilla and Carol Williams. The same year Prince Rainier III of Monaco, insane of the Circus, located the single number of the 19 elephants and engages the Togni family for the organization of the International festival of the Circus of Monte Carlo and this during several years. The same year Flavio Togni receives its Money first Clown to this same festival.

Whereas the Cirque does not create as much any more sensation in France, Enis Togni (then owner) decides to conquer Paris in November 1979. But foreign competition is not the welcome and its arrival becomes polemical. The Cirque does not have any more the right to settle in the capital whereas thousands of tickets are already sold at the Parisian work's councils. The police force is even on the spot to prevent any intervention of Italian to assemble their capital. However the twenty semitrailers (which voyageaint by the road) arrived on the Pelouse of Reuilly and the two trains special which transported the remainder of the material are in station of Paris-Tobliac with step less than 15 elephants, 90 horses, 50 roulottes and several tens of tons of material of which a capital supported by 6 masts and being able to accommodate 5000 people. Finally agreements are found and is very arranged thanks to the large Mister of the circus: Jean Richard. Paris is a triumph and the American Circus decides to start a round in the Hexagone passing by the Northern , the Is, the the Alps and the the Mediterranean during the year 1980.

Togni decided to renew the experiment in 1981 but privileging the West. The Atlantic coast , the Brittany as well as the areas Center accommodates the Cirque with three tracks. Meanwhile Flavio Togni receives its second Clown of Money to the International festival of the Circus of Monte Carlo.
Until 1986 American Circus will furrow the French territory in spite of the problems which have occurred with the French establishments and will not return before December 2004 to Paris but this time in room to the Porte de Versailles.

The Italian circus will continue its European tour in Germany until 1989. During this time the star of the circus Flavio Togni is approached by the recruiters of famous the Cirque Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus and will sign a two year old contract to present not less than 4 numbers per spectacle: 4 horses and 4 elephants on the same track, tigers white, Rhinoceros and herd of elephants.

The American Circus will cease turning of 1990 to 1991. Time to repaint almost the totality of the park road, to change logo, a new program, new posters and to re-examine a new spectacle, more modern, Made in the USA .

Of return in Europe Togni take again the roads while passing by the Germany, the Luxembourg, the Netherlands but also the Italy where the Circo Americano takes its winter quarters to Vérone. The circus triumphs in the big cities like Rome, Berlin, Rotterdam where it does not settle there less than two months. In 1994 a round in Belgium is envisaged in step less than 10 cities of which Brussels. The reception is memorable, of the parades in the downtown areas with tasting for the elephants are organized by the municipalities, the capital is full with each representation. But it is only in 2003 that American-Circus will return there.

All that was possible thanks to single and only person Mr DANTE CARDARELLI which was with the head of the organization as from year 1959 until July 31st, 2005, day of its death.