Beloved Asian Elephants Take Final Bow at ‘Circus Xtreme’

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s “Circus Xtreme” has arrived at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C., and with its famed elephants’ final show.

The show features artists, according to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, “who redefine the word extreme in everything they do, magnifying traditional elements of the circus and combining them with never-before-seen spectacles, original fast-paced performances and incredibly hilarious moments. Audiences will be dazzled and astounded by the beautiful Bengal tigers, double-humped dromedaries ridden by brave Mongolian women and, for the last time, the most popular members of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey family: the magnificent Asian elephants.”

“The ultimate family entertainment experience features high-wire wizards, spectacular strongmen, BMX trick riders, trampoline daredevils, inconceivable contortionists, a high-flying human cannonball, a bungee aerial skydiving display and an international assembly of more than 100 world-renowned artists.”
 
The company also noted, “The show is also the last opportunity for local residents to see the treasured Asian elephants before they are moved to their permanent home at the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida in May 2016. The elephants’ move to Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation will allow the company to focus on its Asian elephant conservation program and the pediatric cancer research partnership with Dr. Joshua Schiffman of Primary Children’s Hospital and the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah.”

The circus is at Verizon Center through April 3 — and will be at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, April 6 through April 17.