Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS Review

The Messy Family was able to see Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS in Cincinnati last night. We arrived about an hour early for the pre-show, unfortunately everyone else did too. So we waited to get into the garage for a while and by the time we got to the floor inside the Arena Drama and Diva had about 30 minutes of fun time. It wasn't enough time for all the fun to be had but we did manage to have lots of fun anyway.
 

 

 

Drama and Diva each got the fake tattoos. Then we watched a couple of very funny clown skits! I had Diva on my shoulders so she would be able to see. That barely made her as tall as Mr. Messy but she could see. I'm not a big fan of so many people squeezed in together but I have to admit, the pre-show for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS was worth braving the crowd.

 

None of the Messy Family has seen any shows similar to or presented by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. I have to also admit that part of that was how afraid I was about animals being mistreated. After seeing all the trainers and performers interact with the animals I have no doubt that these animals are not mistreated. The animals did seem to be enjoying their roles.

 

 

Drama's favorite part of Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS was the opening act. I can completely understand why, since the entire Arena was filled with performers and animals. There was so much going on that there was no possible way of catching it all. That is the only thing that could possibly be a problem.

The shows description:

"Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS is a once in a millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling Bros.^® Presents Dragons to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus feats. Dragons is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show On Earth^®!"

 

 

It really was the Greatest Show On Earth! At least the greatest show that The Messy Family has ever seen. There was something for everyone. Drama, my 6 year old, is usually pretty scared of new things. Not last night! She couldn't seem to stay in her seat because of how excited she was. We really couldn't have had a better time.

Diva did say at one point in time that she wanted to go home. So I took her away from the show to find out what was going on. That's when I found out that she was afraid of the Dragon. I then explained to her that it's wasn't real and she seemed to perk right up. She almost raced back to her seat. When we got back to our seat the Lions and Tigers were up. Those cats were so beautiful. They were incredible and put on an excellent performance. There were times that I was truly scared for the trainer, Alexander Lacey, but it really was all part this thrilling and death-defying act.

 

 

My favorite part was Klose's Performing K9's. I am a dog lover and to watch those adorable, fun dogs putting on such an amazing act was a thrill. The trainer, Han Klose is a wonderful person as you will find out if you visit www.Ringling.com. This is just a little of what I found out about him:

"Hans owns 17 dogs including those that have retired from performing. 'I don’t let go of the dogs that have been with me because they are a part of my family.' All of the dogs except for the poodles were rescued from pounds and shelters. 'These dogs are my life. I spend several hours a day with them, grooming, feeding, and taking care of them.It’s like they were my children."

Even intermission kept us entertained. There wasn't a single dull moment at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS. We decided against taking FB, only because the show we were going to started at 7:00 p.m. and my girls' bedtime is 8:00 p.m., which we actually stick to 98% of the time. I knew Drama and Diva would be able to make it with the excitement but FB wouldn't be able to make it and not get crabby. I did, however, see plenty of babies and they were ALL having a great time.  

I plan to attend any performance by Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® that comes to Cincinnati in the future. I don't think I can tell you about ALL of the awesome acts in Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® Presents DRAGONS. There was so much. I can tell you this isn't something you want to miss. There really were boys and girls and children of all ages there and I didn't see a single unhappy person in the audience.

There was so much action that I can't believe I have missed this for the last 32 years of my life. I can't wait until Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® visits Cincinnati again! My girls have done nothing but talk about it all day. By the way, they were asleep within just about 1 minute of leaving the garage, which tells me they had a wonderful time.

I highly recommend that you make Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey^® a tradition for your family.  

“Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."