Turn To Tara: Circus gets new look following elephant ban
The Royal Hanneford Circus is coming to town this weekend, but this year - with a dramatic new look and feel.
News 12 Staff
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Feb 14, 2019, 10:24 PM
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Updated 1,896 days ago
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The Royal Hanneford Circus is coming to town this weekend, but this year - with a dramatic new look and feel.
News 12's Tara Rosenblum spent one week embedded with the heirs of America's oldest circus last year as they performed with elephants for the last time ahead of a statewide ban.
Turn To Tara checked in Thursday to see how things have changed since "Under the Big Top," as the group prepared to do another weekend of shows over Presidents Day weekend at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
High wire star Katherine Hanneford tells News 12 they have prepared a whole new show, one without elephants but still with plenty of excitement - including more daring, artistic and high-tech acts.
“The show is based on new beginnings. We are taking what happened last year by not having the elephants and trying to move forward with everything,” says Hanneford.
With advance ticket sales down dramatically from last year, the pressure is on to build up excitement and keep the generations-old lifestyle alive.
“I’m going to try all of my power keep this going, it’s in my heritage, it's in my blood. I want a future for my baby and my grandbabies to come,” says Hanneford.
“The show is based on new beginnings. We are taking what happened last year by not having the elephants and trying to move forward with everything,” says Hanneford.
With advance ticket sales down dramatically from last year, the pressure is on to build up excitement and keep the generations-old lifestyle alive.
“I’m going to try all of my power keep this going, it’s in my heritage, it's in my blood. I want a future for my baby and my grandbabies to come,” says Hanneford.
