MONTREAL (AFP) — Canadian acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil, created in 1984 and now performing in all corners of the world, is celebrating its silver anniversary with the launch of its 25th show "Ovo," about insects.

The circus company, with 19 traveling and permanent shows now playing, sold 11 million tickets worldwide last year and has brought wonder and delight to almost 90 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents since 1984.

What started as a ragtag group of 20 street performers has blossomed into a global entertainment empire with an estimated net worth of three billion dollars and 4,000 employees in 40 countries.

Founded by former fire-eater Guy Laliberte, whose idea to transform circus acrobatics into sensational, plot-driven theatre has revolutionized this sector of the entertainment industry, it has however always remained true to its root

The performers originate from n...

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(SHELBY) As the days start to warm up, more people are making their way outside. Some for fresh air - others to perform for patrons of uptown shops and restaurants
“Ten years ago no one really went out after dark on the court square,” said Jeff Ledford.
Now that mindset has changed, cities are moving with these ideas.

Moving forward means change.

With the number of people increasing, one of those changes is more musicians taking to the sidewalks.
“With growth comes change, and we are going to see things we haven’t had to deal with like street performers,” said Ledford.

While there have been a few entertainers, Ledford expects more to be coming. Not only due to the expanding uptown area, but also due to the focus on art and music in uptown Shelby. The Uptown Shelby Association sees the addit...

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(MASSACHUSETTS) The Daily Hampshire Gazette has jumped into the performing arts community circle reporting on four individual buskers on a recent summer's day.'The sounds of the street: A day in the life of four downtown buskers' features a fiddler, a singer-songwriter, a tap dancer, and a percussionist all with different stories and motives while performing on the street.

For some performers, busking is just a fleeting moment in their career. But for others, it’s an important stop on the road to fame. Some make it, some don't. Some persist, some give up. There are all sorts of rhyme and reasons for busking. It may surprise the reader to learn about these performers.

“Some wonderful musicians got their chops by performing for street audiences, and there’s lot of merit in putting yourself out there...

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(DARTMOUTH) The majority of students at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire are graduating with debt - and way too much of it - since the average graduate carries $35,000. That's why many young people are turning to alternative means - not just to survive, but to thrive.A Huffington Post interview with William Imbert reveals how he included China, Switzerland, England, Manhattan, and Princeton to juggle, piano, and unicycle away his student debt. Also figuring into the equation was teaching English and some 300 tennis balls.

"I was 24 years old and on my own in a foreign land. I began doing street performance and living by the beach for $80 a month."

Included in the interview is how he paid off his $15,000 student loan, 3 great tips for street performers, and a quote...

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(WWW) eBay.com has pages of busker memorabilia available for listening and home decor. Add to your collection of records, vintage photos, art, sculpture, statues, books, playing cards, mime, articles, collages, bell ringers, figurines, stories, and just about anything else you can think of.Notable items include the Cambridge Buskers, Stars of the Streets, the Busker's Album, and the Beale Street Buskers. Some news articles go back as far as 1919.

Keep in mind thaat the some records are outdated 45's and lp's that will need a turntable to play.

The photo featured here is a pre-war busker in Newport, Rhode Island and is listed for $5000!

Click the link below for some amazing items.

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