A life for the circus

Clear the ring for the renz family in augsfeld. The circus is on tour until saturday, 7. April, in the habbergen district.

The circus has been run by the renz family for generations, explains monique renz on tuesday, when the french day is visiting. "I was standing in the ring at the age of three", remembers the artist. She started with floor gymnastics. At the show in augsfeld she has a more rough repertoire: net acrobatics, performances with poodle or horse and a hula-hoop performance.

A lot of work to a show

But until the first circus show starts at 4 pm there is still a lot to do."The horses have to be run down, then washed and their dun plaited", explains monique renz. Fresh sawdust must be scattered in the tent for the animals. "That’s what the animals need, so that they can walk more smoothly", describes the artist.

And in the background lights and music have to be played. The power comes from an aggregate, for which further fuel must be procured. There is enough to do. "You have to love this life, says the artist. The circus is every week in a different place. "But we always stay within a radius of 20 to 30 kilometers, so the animals don’t have to travel so far and so long", says renz.

First come the animals

The tent and the boxes for the animals are always set up first. Only then do the circus artists’ caravans and the rough circus tent arrive. "We always have to go back and forth twelve times until everything is in the new place", monique renz describes the process.

After that it will take at least one more day to set up the rest. Up to ten men are necessary.

All circus members belong to the renz family. And they don’t get on each other’s nerves at all: "we feel it’s the greatest happiness when we can always be together", says monique renz.

The circus starts at a young age: a five-year-old member of the renz family even performs as a clown.

The renz circus has around 20 animals on show: dogs, horses, camels and even two snakes. As a special treat, the children are allowed to ride the camel during the break, says monique renz.