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Circus Owners Give New Meaning to Family Business

Ringmaster Ted McRae

Ringmaster Ted McRae and Slinky, a 60-pound Burmese python

Kids dream of running away and joining the circus‚ but it’s unlikely that they dream of actually owning one.

But that’s precisely what Katya and Nelson Quiroga have done. Not only are they members of the Flying Tabares – a 20-plus-year-old trapeze act that is one of the main acts of Circus Vargas – but they sign the checks‚ as well.

“It’s actually very fun‚ but it can be stressing‚” says Katya Quiroga. “But it’s creating a business. It’s keeping your whole family together so we can all stay together and work together and do something we really love.”

The seven-member Flying Tabares and various other relatives who work for the circus spend two months vaca­tioning in the Lucerne Valley. When they are on the road performing at 38 stops in Southern California‚ family members work as tent master‚ general manager and concessions attendants.

“It’s like a little traveling city‚” Quiroga says.

The Quirogas met in 1989‚ she a juggling act with her mother‚ he a flyer. They married in 1993‚ and she started flying‚ accompanying her husband all over the world. They acquired Circus Vargas in 2005‚ partly as a way to ensure family members would not have to split up and join other circuses to find work. Their daughters – Daniella‚ 4‚ and Mariella‚ 9 – are with them. Occasionally‚ the older daughter will go up‚ when safety lines are up.

In addition to the flying act under the big top‚ Circus Vargas has many of the other trappings of a circus: animal acts‚ comedy and death-defy­ing feats. Some of these can be seen at www.circusvargas.org. During the winter in Lucerne Valley‚ acts are tweaked‚ costumes are mended and downtime is enjoyed.

“We put the kids in public school‚” says Quiroga. “We just have a little normal life for a while.”

Story by Catherine Darnell
Photo by Darin Basile

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