“It was a walking zoo”: His family escaped Europe and 117 years later they keep the fire of entertainment alive
The Servián family is a lineage of circus artists with over 117 years of history and in July they will be performing again in Buenos Aires, more precisely in Pilar , with El Gran Sueño , the show that won the Estrella de Mar Award last summer. With national and international artists, costumes inspired by a post-apocalyptic aesthetic, original music and apparatus specially designed by the company, the Servián Circus renews its artistic proposal that celebrates entertainment for the whole family, ideal for the winter holidays.
"We are very excited to return to Buenos Aires to present a show that speaks about environmental stewardship, reinforcing the message of protecting nature and highlighting the values of how we should care for our home, the Earth. The audience will discover a story about a seed that must be protected, generating different situations throughout the show and a magical ending," Cristian Servián , the circus's general director, told LA NACION.
Thus, over the course of two hours, the story is guided by a group of characters played by the clowns themselves, who give way to traditional circus routines, with a staging where the costumes, lighting, and music contribute different atmospheres to the plot.
"The show has a very interesting color palette, with vibrant moments, such as the acrobats' trampoline routine or the handstand act by Guadalupe Servián, a Got Talent finalist who has toured the world in different festivals, to 'The Globe of Death', with five motorcyclists spinning at full speed , the trapeze act, and many more. We say that coming to see our show is not coming to a traditional circus, but rather living a true experience. When the audience enters the big top, they already meet some of the characters in the middle of a jungle environment, a preshow so that people can enjoy pure excitement and adrenaline from the moment they arrive," says the director.
Cristian Servián Jovanovich is 47 years old today, and his history with the circus dates back precisely to the Jovanovich branch of the family, of Romani descent. They began as acrobats, jugglers, and nomadic performers who traveled from town to town with their wagons, horses, and animals. In the beginning, they had a brown bear, a monkey, and a pony that accompanied them while they practiced their skills, from walking on a bed of glass to breathing fire. They performed juggling routines, twisting moves, and, of course, there was no shortage of clowning around. At that time, they didn't have a big top. Originally from the former Yugoslavia, they emigrated first to Colombia during World War I, and from there they began touring throughout South America.
“My great-grandfather, Georges Jovanovich, had eleven children, including my grandfather, Miguel Omar Jovanovich. Over time, they were able to build their own tents and even built a very large circus. At one point, my grandfather, Miguel, set up shop on his own with my grandmother and her four children, including my father, and they eventually managed to have their own company, a very large circus with many animals, which settled in Argentina,” Cristian recalls. They knew it as “The Boxing Kangaroo Circus,” although in addition to the kangaroo, they also traveled with tigers, lions, bears, camels, horses, ponies, and llamas. A traveling zoo.
Thus, Servián spent his childhood and adolescence in his grandfather's circus, until history repeated itself. His father left the company and on October 23, 1993, founded his own, "El Circo Servián," a very small circus with only a few animals at the time.
“It took many years of discipline, of sacrifice, battling the wind, the rain, cold like this one, and heat too, but always with the excitement and joy of offering what we do best: this art we love. The circus is like an octopus; once it grabs you, it never lets go. For us, it's a beautiful thing to work to make many people happy, always with great respect, love, and affection, just as my father instilled in us,” says Servián.
And he concludes: “We always strive for a completely family-friendly experience, because the circus has the ability to create lifelong memories. In addition to children, adults also have the opportunity to reminisce about their childhood, when they perhaps went to the circus with their grandparents, parents, or friends. From the smell of cotton candy or popcorn to the entrance to the big top and the show, it's an unforgettable memory. Today, with access to so many screens, seeing a live show with more than 30 artists on stage is a wonderful experience they won't forget in their lifetime.”
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