Big Apple Circus Welcomes Guest Ringmaster Commissioner Victor Calise of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities for Circus of the Senses

Big Apple Circus welcomes Guest Ringmaster Commissioner Victor Calise of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities to the Big Top at Lincoln Center on October 29, 2015 at 11am for Circus of the Senses:a specially adapted performance of its all-new show, The GrandTour, that enables children and adults with vision or hearing impairments and other disabilities to experience the joy and wonder of the circus. Through the use of audio headsets, Braille descriptive programs, American Sign Language interpreters, and a special "touch session" after the show, anyone and everyone can enjoy Big Apple Circus' The Grand Tour!

"We all want to experience the arts, culture, and entertainment that make New York City so special. Children with visual and hearing disabilities can enjoy the circus and interact with the performers, including a touch session for selected children, through Circus of the Senses. The Big Apple Circus is committed to providing access for all New Yorkers and I am excited for the opportunity to act as Guest Ringmaster at this performance," said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.

While riding a mountain bike in Forest Park in 1994, Victor Calise sustained a spinal cord injury that left him in a wheelchair and without the use of his legs. Victor embraced this challenge. He got involved with disabled sports through United Spinal Association, and took up the sport of sled hockey. His dedication to the sport would take him to Japan in 1998, where he represented the United States on the sled hockey team in the Paralympics. In 1997, he began working with United Spinal Association as Recreation Coordinator. He was promoted up the ranks until he reached the title of Director of Sports Marketing. In October of 2006, Victor took on a new challenge, joining the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator. The New York City parks system is a historic collection of properties, most of which were designed and built prior to accessibility requirements of the ADA. While at Parks, Victor coordinated an effort, worked on by staff at all levels, to improve compliance with the ADA agency-wide. Additionally, Victor was tasked with preparing a transition plan to increase accessibility in the city's parks, beaches, recreation centers, and other facilities. Victor was appointed Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in June 2012, and he was reappointed to that role in February of 2015 by Mayor Bill de Blasio. While acting as the disability policy advisor to city agencies and the Administration, Victor's other responsibilities include: working to spearhead projects, partnerships, and initiatives that better the lives of people with disabilities; advocating for the passage of legislation that will help the disabled community; and acting as the Chair of the Accessibility portion of the 2008 NYC Building Code revision process. Victor currently lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wife and two children.

The GrandTour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began to tour the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on a whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each of more than 100 performances.

Matinee performances of Circus of the Senses will be presented (75-minute abbreviated shows):

Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 11am

Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 11am

A "touch session" after the performances offers a unique opportunity for pre-selected groups of visually impaired children to go into the ring to meet the artists and literally feel a clown nose, a juggler's clubs, or the silky coat of a performing dog.

SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH VISION OR HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

Wireless audio headsets, which utilize a state-of-the-art infrared transmission system, feature a play-by-play description of the action in the ring by Big Apple Circus Founder Paul Binder and Creative Director Karen McCarty. American Sign Language interpreters are strategically positioned in spotlights to translate the auditory aspects of the performances. Audience members also have their choice of a large-print or Braille descriptive program, each of which describes the acts and environment in detail.

Tickets for Circus of the Senses are $12.50 ($10 for groups of 10 or more). To get tickets, please visit www.bigapplecircus.org/circus-of-the-senses to fill out a ticket application form. Please note that submitting the ticket application form does not guarantee tickets. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis to eligible groups. Priority is given to children with vision and hearing impairments and their chaperones. No ticket requests will be taken by telephone.

There will be an evening performance of the full show on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:30pm, at which audio headsets, Braille descriptive programs, and American Sign Language interpreters will also be offered. Tickets to the Wednesday evening performance are available at bit.ly/BACCOS-E15.

Circus of the Senses is also offered at performances in Queens and Boston.

For more information about accessibility at every Big Apple Circus performance, please visit: www.bigapplecircus.org/accessibility.