Electric Circus
Encyclopedia
Electric Circus, aka EC, was a Canadian
live
dance music
television program
aired on MuchMusic
and Citytv
. It aired from September 16, 1988 until December 12, 2003.
The name originated from the nightclub
that once existed at Citytv
's first studio at 99 Queen Street East in Toronto
.
The show was also simulcast on MuchUSA during the show's run and also had a loyal following among American
viewers, especially dance music
fans who tuned in since it was the only place to see artists and videos from the genre, which usually gets shunned or avoided by MTV
in the United States
. In addition, a Francophone
version of Electric Circus aired on Musique Plus, telecasting live from Montreal and had the same set up as Toronto's.
The dance hall
where people were invited to dance which the show used was the MuchMusic studios on the main floor of the CHUM-City Building
in Toronto
, but audiences often spilled out onto Queen Street West
, and on warm days the windows to the studio were opened, with some acts performing outside. It was also not uncommon for dancers to be stationed on the CHUM-City rooftop or even on rooftops of buildings across the street, effectively making the surrounding neighbourhood part of the set. Most music played was pre-recorded but live acts also were invited on some shows, and in the 1990s guest deejays were also featured. The show was hosted by Monika Deol
until 1996, along with Michael Williams, followed by George Lagogianes
, and also featured dancing floor director MC Craig F. (Craig Halket of Combat Des Clips on MuchMusic.) After that, a rotation of various hosts took over. The show was an hour and a half, until 2001, when it shortened to just an hour long. Two concerts were hosted annually. One at Canada's Wonderland, during the summer and another in the winter, at Winterlude
in Ottawa
.
Like its American antecedents American Bandstand and Soul Train, Electric Circus was known for its flashy dancers and many of these dancers became fan favorites in their own right. A couple of these dancers later graduated to host the show. Most dancers lived in the Greater Toronto Area
. Some regulars also travelled from Niagara Falls
, Montreal
and Buffalo, New York
for the Friday evening show.
The show's original producer, Joel Goldberg, went on to produce many music videos and even a few feature films (He is now Managing Director, Creative/Production Services for CourtTV, a CHUM property). His minimalist approach to the set - using nothing more than a well run Vari-Light installation, and camera work from videographers including George Lagogianes and talented dancers & live performances Goldberg created a show that highlighted the music and the dancers while throwing cutaways to the music videos. After Goldberg moved on, the set became more elaborate, the dancers' costuming became choreographed, the quality of the dancing declined, and most of the performances were synched - with the exception of the DJs who mixed the breaks as well as a short feature each episode.
In 1988 some of the original featured dancers included The WiZ, Tori G (also an editor for CITY TV), WARP-1, Brenda C, The Cowboy, Kenrick and Tyra J. Many of the dancers were regulars at "The Club At Richard's" in Mississauga, as well as working professionally in the "Go-Go" circuit. The WiZ (incidentally the first one asked to be on the show) who was also a DJ & Producer, created the first theme the show ever had, "The EC Rap" as well as a short audio "stinger" for the breaks - both can be found on one of his websites along with some streaming mixes of music from that era The WiZ.
In the summer of 1996 the show packaging had a complete re-design, with a new multi-camera film open directed by MuchMusic Creative Services producer Carl Armstrong. A new show theme was also created, titled "Hang On Here We Go!(Theme to E.C)". Almost a year after the new theme went to air and because of viewer popularity ,a full-length version of the song was released under the band name Jet Fuel, and featured lead vocals by Aleah D'Kos and guest vocals by a gas mask wearing (video) K-os. The song was included on the MuchDance 97 compilation cd(6X Canadian Platinum) and Pure Dance 3(Canadian Platinum). The song was also released on 12" vinyl and CD single with various mixes and remixes. The song charted on dance radio and in clubs across Canada in the spring of 1998 and was performed live during Electric Circus at Canada's Wonderland in front of 50,000 people that summer. This music theme remained with the show until the last episode. The CD single by Jet Fuel is available on iTunes etc.
Guests on the show included Britney Spears
, Pink
, Aqua
, Alice DeeJay
, Martha Wash
, Sarina Paris
, O-Town, Ginuwine
, Booker Huffman
, Chyna, Bow Wow, Sash!
, Bubba Sparxxx
, Eiffel 65
and many more.
Dancing alumni from the show also includes former CFNY Programmer and DJ Edd "The Wiz" Scorpio, radio DJ, Ashley Greco, of the Z103.5 Morning Show and boy band, b4-4
.
MuchMusic aired an Electric Circus special on Christmas Day 2006.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
aired on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
and Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
. It aired from September 16, 1988 until December 12, 2003.
The name originated from the nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
that once existed at Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
's first studio at 99 Queen Street East in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The show was also simulcast on MuchUSA during the show's run and also had a loyal following among American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
viewers, especially dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
fans who tuned in since it was the only place to see artists and videos from the genre, which usually gets shunned or avoided by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In addition, a Francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
version of Electric Circus aired on Musique Plus, telecasting live from Montreal and had the same set up as Toronto's.
The dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
where people were invited to dance which the show used was the MuchMusic studios on the main floor of the CHUM-City Building
CHUM-City Building
299 Queen Street West, also known as Bell Media Queen Street, is an office and studio complex located at the intersection of Queen Street West and John Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Currently the corporate head office of Bell Media the building previously served as the headquarters...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, but audiences often spilled out onto Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
, and on warm days the windows to the studio were opened, with some acts performing outside. It was also not uncommon for dancers to be stationed on the CHUM-City rooftop or even on rooftops of buildings across the street, effectively making the surrounding neighbourhood part of the set. Most music played was pre-recorded but live acts also were invited on some shows, and in the 1990s guest deejays were also featured. The show was hosted by Monika Deol
Monika Deol
Monika Deol is a Canadian television personality. She began as a reporter for Citytv in Toronto, and later became a VJ for MuchMusic, hosting and co-producing Electric Circus from 1988 to 1996...
until 1996, along with Michael Williams, followed by George Lagogianes
George Lagogianes
George Lagogianes is a Canadian television personality, currently a reporter/anchor for CP24.Lagogianes was previously the host of Live at 5 before they changed the format of the show and changed the time from 5pm-5:30pm. He anchored the weeknight news...
, and also featured dancing floor director MC Craig F. (Craig Halket of Combat Des Clips on MuchMusic.) After that, a rotation of various hosts took over. The show was an hour and a half, until 2001, when it shortened to just an hour long. Two concerts were hosted annually. One at Canada's Wonderland, during the summer and another in the winter, at Winterlude
Winterlude
Winterlude is an annual festival in Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec that celebrates winter.Winterlude is run by Canada's National Capital Commission and was started in 1979. The event is one of Ottawa's most important tourist draws, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
Like its American antecedents American Bandstand and Soul Train, Electric Circus was known for its flashy dancers and many of these dancers became fan favorites in their own right. A couple of these dancers later graduated to host the show. Most dancers lived in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
. Some regulars also travelled from Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
for the Friday evening show.
The show's original producer, Joel Goldberg, went on to produce many music videos and even a few feature films (He is now Managing Director, Creative/Production Services for CourtTV, a CHUM property). His minimalist approach to the set - using nothing more than a well run Vari-Light installation, and camera work from videographers including George Lagogianes and talented dancers & live performances Goldberg created a show that highlighted the music and the dancers while throwing cutaways to the music videos. After Goldberg moved on, the set became more elaborate, the dancers' costuming became choreographed, the quality of the dancing declined, and most of the performances were synched - with the exception of the DJs who mixed the breaks as well as a short feature each episode.
In 1988 some of the original featured dancers included The WiZ, Tori G (also an editor for CITY TV), WARP-1, Brenda C, The Cowboy, Kenrick and Tyra J. Many of the dancers were regulars at "The Club At Richard's" in Mississauga, as well as working professionally in the "Go-Go" circuit. The WiZ (incidentally the first one asked to be on the show) who was also a DJ & Producer, created the first theme the show ever had, "The EC Rap" as well as a short audio "stinger" for the breaks - both can be found on one of his websites along with some streaming mixes of music from that era The WiZ.
In the summer of 1996 the show packaging had a complete re-design, with a new multi-camera film open directed by MuchMusic Creative Services producer Carl Armstrong. A new show theme was also created, titled "Hang On Here We Go!(Theme to E.C)". Almost a year after the new theme went to air and because of viewer popularity ,a full-length version of the song was released under the band name Jet Fuel, and featured lead vocals by Aleah D'Kos and guest vocals by a gas mask wearing (video) K-os. The song was included on the MuchDance 97 compilation cd(6X Canadian Platinum) and Pure Dance 3(Canadian Platinum). The song was also released on 12" vinyl and CD single with various mixes and remixes. The song charted on dance radio and in clubs across Canada in the spring of 1998 and was performed live during Electric Circus at Canada's Wonderland in front of 50,000 people that summer. This music theme remained with the show until the last episode. The CD single by Jet Fuel is available on iTunes etc.
Guests on the show included Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, Aqua
Aqua (band)
Aqua is a Danish dance-pop group, best known for their 1997 breakthrough single "Barbie Girl". The group formed in 1989 and achieved huge success across the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group managed to top the UK Singles Chart with their first three singles. The group released two...
, Alice DeeJay
Alice DeeJay
Alice DeeJay was an electronic music group, who achieved success from 1999 to 2002.-Members:The group consisted of record producers Pronti , Kalmani and DJ Jurgen with Marc Lee-Smith remixing and the DJ's From Mars lead singer Judith Anna Pronk...
, Martha Wash
Martha Wash
Martha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
, Sarina Paris
Sarina Paris
-Notes:...
, O-Town, Ginuwine
Ginuwine
Elgin Baylor Lumpkin , better known by his stage name Ginuwine is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Signed to Epic Records since the mid-1990s, Ginuwine had released a number of multi-platinum and platinum-selling albums and singles, becoming one of R&B's top artists during the late 1990's...
, Booker Huffman
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
, Chyna, Bow Wow, Sash!
Sash!
SASH! is a German DJ / producer team, fronted by Sascha Lappessen , who works in the recording studio with Ralf Kappmeier and Thomas "Alisson" Lüdke. They have sold over 18 million albums worldwide and earned more than 65 Gold and Platinum awards.-History:Sascha Lappessen, Thomas "Alisson" Lüdke,...
, Bubba Sparxxx
Bubba Sparxxx
Warren Anderson Mathis , known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American Southern rapper. His biggest hit is "Ms. New Booty" featuring The Ying Yang Twins which peaked at #7 in the United States...
, Eiffel 65
Eiffel 65
Eiffel 65 is an Italian three-piece group formed in the late 1990s and best known for pioneering in pitch-correction and autotune, and for their international hit "Blue ". Their other hit singles include "Move Your Body" and "Too Much of Heaven", all of which appeared on their album Europop,...
and many more.
Dancing alumni from the show also includes former CFNY Programmer and DJ Edd "The Wiz" Scorpio, radio DJ, Ashley Greco, of the Z103.5 Morning Show and boy band, b4-4
B4-4
b4-4 later on Before Four was a Canadian boy band from Toronto, Ontario. The band was composed of the twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, and Ohad Einbinder. They were signed to Sony Records and achieved commercial success in Canada and later on as Before Four in Germany...
.
MuchMusic aired an Electric Circus special on Christmas Day 2006.
Past hosts
- Monika DeolMonika DeolMonika Deol is a Canadian television personality. She began as a reporter for Citytv in Toronto, and later became a VJ for MuchMusic, hosting and co-producing Electric Circus from 1988 to 1996...
(1988-1996) - now a mother of four in Vancouver - Juliette PowellJuliette PowellJuliette Powell is a Canadian television host, producer and author. She was the Miss Canada titleholder in 1989, that contest's first Black Canadian winner....
(1996-2000) - now a media entrepreneur - Nadine RamkissonNadine RamkissonNadine Ramkisson is a Trinidadian born television host.Ramkisson worked in MuchMusic , on the show Electric Circus, starting out as a dancer and eventually becoming the show's host from 2000 to 2002...
(2000-2002) - Rick CampanelliRick CampanelliRichardo Tomasso "Rick" Campanelli is a Canadian television personality.-Life and career:Born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, he was first introduced to the MuchMusic viewers in 1996 as the winner of MuchMusic's 1994 MuchTemp contest...
(2002) - now co-host of ET Canada - Bradford HowBradford HowBradford How was a MuchMusic VJ from 2000 to 2003. He won the 2000 MuchMusic VJ Search, and became one of the channel's most well-liked video jockeys. After stints hosting Electric Circus and Gonna Meet A Rockstar, among other shows, he left MuchMusic on October 30, 2003 to pursue other ambitions...
(2002) - Rainbow Sun FrancksRainbow Sun FrancksRainbow Sun Francks is an actor and songwriter. He is the son of actor/musician Don Francks and dancer Lili Francks, a member of the Plains Cree First Nation. He is also the brother of Cree Summer. For a brief time, he was an on-air personality at MuchMusic, a Canadian music video and variety...
(2002-2003) - Namugenyi KiwanukaNamugenyi KiwanukaNamugenyi "Nam" Kiwanuka is a Canadian television personality and journalist. Formerly a VJ for MuchMusic from 1999 to 2003, she was later a host of NBA XL and CFL Crunch on Rogers Sportsnet....
(2002-2003) - Amanda WalshAmanda WalshAmanda Walsh is a Canadian actress and former VJ for the Canadian television station MuchMusic.-Career beginnings:Walsh was born in Rigaud, Quebec. She went to Hudson High School, in Hudson, Quebec...
(2002-2003) - now actress in the United States
See also
- Club MTVClub MTVClub MTV was a half hour television show molded after American Bandstand that aired on MTV between the years 1985 and 1992. Club MTV was part of MTV's second generation of programming when they were phasing out the original 5 VJs and introducing new ones.-Background and format:Hosted by Downtown...
- The GrindThe Grind (TV series)The Grind was a Dance music show broadcast on the cable television station MTV between 1992 and 1997.It replaced Club MTV, and featured people dancing to music tracks in a studio, linked by various hosts, including Eric Nies and DJ Jackie Christie. While Club MTV was mostly Dance, House and...
- VH1 Dance MachineVH1 Dance MachineVH1 Dance Machine was a half hour music video program on VH1 shown between 1997 and 1998. It was also known as Dance Machine and VH1 Dance.-Overview:Originally, Dance Machine was shown in an hour block with The RuPaul Show...
- Dance Party USADance Party USADance Party USA is an American dance television show that aired on cable's USA Network from April 12, 1986, to June 27, 1992. It was originally a half-hour, but was expanded to an hour in 1987....
- bpm:tvBpm:tvbpm:tv is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Stornoway Communications. bpm:tv's programming is devoted to dance, club lifestyle, and dance music- electronica, house, techno, eurodance, trance, and other similar genres.-History:In November 2000, a partnership between...
, the Canadian dance music video channel