Gamma Phi Circus
Encyclopedia
Gamma Phi Circus, sponsored by Illinois State University
, is the oldest collegiate circus
in the United States
. It began as the Gamma Phi fraternity
, founded in 1929 by ISU gymnastics instructor Clifford "Pop" Horton. The fraternity's first circus performance took place in 1931. Gamma Phi Circus is a performing arts fraternal organization and is no longer affiliated with social fraternities or sororities and is a Registered Student Organization. Membership is available by audition to all full-time ISU students, faculty, and staff. Illinois State University and Florida State University
are the only four-year universities that have full-fledged circuses.
instructor for Illinois State University. The Gamma Phi fraternity was founded in 1929 and held the first Gamma Phi Circus performance in 1931 on the Illinois State University campus
. The Bloomington-Normal community has had strong ties to circuses since the 1880s, and was home to the Flying Wards and the Conciellos, both trapeze acts. In 1938, female members began to perform with the all-male circus, with women formally elected into the organization in 1940.
Circus alumni have gone on to perform in a variety of venues including the Shrine Circuses, the Circus Kingdom, Roberts Brothers Circus, Kelly Brothers Circus, the Great American Circus, and the Circus Alleluia. They have also performed at Disney World, Busch Gardens
, Universal Studios
, Great America
, and at Club Med Resorts. Members and alumni have also competed several times internationally in the Rhoenradturnen (Wheel Gymnastics) World Championships.
from the home performances . “Home Shows” performed at Illinois State University draw visitors to the university. Gamma Phi also offers free exhibitions that publicize the show and the University. Local businesses and corporations help with the cost of the show by sponsoring certain acts and purchasing advertisement space in the program. The circus rents space from the university at full cost, buys or makes the costumes, and does maintenance and buys equipment for the rehearsal areas. Advertising is through TV, radio, newspapers, and brochures.
usually consists of twenty or more acts and typically draws an audience of over 16,000 fans. Twenty to thirty road shows and exhibitions are also performed each year for schools, businesses, and charities. The Gamma Phi road show performances are approximately two hours long, and are performed in advance of the main Home Show. They perform double-duty as both a full circus performance and a preview and tune-up for the main show. Exhibitions are usually forty-five minutes in length and will normally consist of floor acts only including acrosport, globes, unicycles, gymwheel, chair balancing and juggling and are typically performed for school assemblies and open houses.
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
, is the oldest collegiate circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It began as the Gamma Phi fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
, founded in 1929 by ISU gymnastics instructor Clifford "Pop" Horton. The fraternity's first circus performance took place in 1931. Gamma Phi Circus is a performing arts fraternal organization and is no longer affiliated with social fraternities or sororities and is a Registered Student Organization. Membership is available by audition to all full-time ISU students, faculty, and staff. Illinois State University and Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
are the only four-year universities that have full-fledged circuses.
History of the Gamma Phi Circus
The Gamma Phi Circus was founded in 1926 by Dr. Clifford Horton, who was a gymnasticsGymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
instructor for Illinois State University. The Gamma Phi fraternity was founded in 1929 and held the first Gamma Phi Circus performance in 1931 on the Illinois State University campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
. The Bloomington-Normal community has had strong ties to circuses since the 1880s, and was home to the Flying Wards and the Conciellos, both trapeze acts. In 1938, female members began to perform with the all-male circus, with women formally elected into the organization in 1940.
Circus alumni have gone on to perform in a variety of venues including the Shrine Circuses, the Circus Kingdom, Roberts Brothers Circus, Kelly Brothers Circus, the Great American Circus, and the Circus Alleluia. They have also performed at Disney World, Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens is the name of two amusement parks in the United States, owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of Blackstone Group. One of the parks is in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the other is in Tampa, Florida...
, Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, Great America
Great America
Great America is a name shared by two American amusement parks opened by the Marriott Corporation in 1976.Both parks are now under different ownership and are known as:* California's Great America, Santa Clara, California, owned by Cedar Fair...
, and at Club Med Resorts. Members and alumni have also competed several times internationally in the Rhoenradturnen (Wheel Gymnastics) World Championships.
Financial Aspects
The Gamma Phi Circus is an entirely self-financed organization supported by revenueRevenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
from the home performances . “Home Shows” performed at Illinois State University draw visitors to the university. Gamma Phi also offers free exhibitions that publicize the show and the University. Local businesses and corporations help with the cost of the show by sponsoring certain acts and purchasing advertisement space in the program. The circus rents space from the university at full cost, buys or makes the costumes, and does maintenance and buys equipment for the rehearsal areas. Advertising is through TV, radio, newspapers, and brochures.
Shows
Gamma Phi performs both Home Shows as well as Exhibitions and Road shows. Every April their Home Show at Redbird ArenaRedbird Arena
Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena is a 10,200 seat multi-purpose arena in Normal, Illinois. Built in 1989, the building is notable for its use of a Teflon-coated roof that gives off a "glow" during night events...
usually consists of twenty or more acts and typically draws an audience of over 16,000 fans. Twenty to thirty road shows and exhibitions are also performed each year for schools, businesses, and charities. The Gamma Phi road show performances are approximately two hours long, and are performed in advance of the main Home Show. They perform double-duty as both a full circus performance and a preview and tune-up for the main show. Exhibitions are usually forty-five minutes in length and will normally consist of floor acts only including acrosport, globes, unicycles, gymwheel, chair balancing and juggling and are typically performed for school assemblies and open houses.