In the old World Dennis would throw knives at his beloved girlfriend in the weekend. He would juggle with burning sticks, would let his camels dance.
As a German he was born in a trailer and started his own circus together with his girlfriend Steffie. Because of the coronacrisis they are, together with their three children, forty animals, a Belgian clown and two Ecuadorian acrobats stranded in a meadow in the east of The Netherlands.
There in the provincial town of Laren he pumped up the bounce castle for the nearby children and opened the candy shop, where he sells strawberries drenched in chocolate (“a real rage”), but it’s not the same.
The income also doesn’t cover for the licenses for events (400 to 600 euro per week) that Circus Bolalou already applied for, so they could trek from place to place this year for 45 weeks. Because of corona, events are cancelled in Holland until September. But the bills continue to come.
That’s why Dennis and Steffie wanted to go on strike in Then Hague together with those who organize fairs, a few weeks ago. But who would take care of their animals then? The clown? Better not.
About the food for the animals (lama’s, cows, goats, dogs, pony’s) they don’t have to worry. Farmers and entrepreneurs from the area bring potatoes and carrots, hay, dog food and bread.
But the animals are bored, tells Steffie. When they hear music they start dancing.
text by Leonie van Nierop - NRC (translated from Dutch)
