Leopards, elephants, magic entrance kids

Seven-year-old Alexia Phillips giggled when she saw Mary, a two-ton baby African elephant dressed in a gold headdress and matching ankle bracelets, dance in circles and play a tambourine with her trunk.

She smiled as a man named Enrico juggled red and blue hoops, gold bowling pins and three flaming batons.

And when Jorge's Unpredictable Car shot fireworks and made a loud boom, she jumped in her seat.

Alexia and her 6-year-old friend Diana Kanchav, were spending Sunday afternoon with Diana's grandmother, Gretta Kanchav, watching the SunShine Circus at A.C. Brase Arena.

"We're just having a fun day together," Alexia said, showing her teeth stained pink by cotton candy as she smiled.

Hundreds of families attended the two-ring circus during its two performances Sunday afternoon.

Dawn Roberts brought her son Kyle to the circus.

"This is our first time here, and it's a lot of fun," Roberts said. "It's really held the kids' attention. They just sit and watch, and all you hear is 'Ooh, ahh.'"

As 6-year-old Kyle munched on a red snow cone he puzzled over how performer Charles Vincent could stand on top of a box that his assistant was locked inside of one second and then be inside the box with his assistant standing on top the next.

"Magic," he said. "It had to be magic."

Kyle said the tricks were neat, but his favorite act was Raratonga and her exotic jungle leopards.

One at a time Raratonga's four leopards performed different tricks. One walked across a beam suspended six feet above the ground. One walked on a rolling tube. One jumped from one platform, over Raratonga's head and landed on another platform. One jumped through a fiery hoop about seven feet off the floor.

Kyle said watching them jump through hoops and do their tricks made him wish he had his own leopard to do tricks at home.

hkronmueller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128