Ringling debuts highly anticipated reimagined circus with 6 shows in Dallas

The circus is coming the circus is coming: It's the highly anticipated return of the newly reimagined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey The Greatest Show On Earth, coming to Dallas this summer on a North American tour, with six performances at American Airlines Center, from July 26-28.

A release promises that the reimagined American icon will captivate audiences through a 360-degree immersive experience that brings fans into the action and the music, creating real connections between audiences and performers.

Tickets go on sale on February 20. They're also offering a Ringling Insider Preferred Guest at Ringling.com for a pre-sale code to purchase tickets early starting Febuary 13.

The tour represents the return of Ringling without the use of animals, a format they discontinued when they retired their elephants in 2016. As the L.A.Times notes, its return without animals is part of a larger trend in which industries that were built on animal cruelty and exploitation are redefining themselves for a more humane future.

The new version returned to the road in late 2023 and this is the first time it will appear in Dallas, featuring human feats with a globally diverse cast of 75 performers hailing from 18 countries including Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Ethiopia, Italy, Mongolia, Spain, Ukraine, and the U.S.

Never-before-seen stunts include:

The Triangular Highwire, led by The Lopez Family, sixth-generation circus artists hailing from Mexico and Chile, takes the show to new heights with a never-before-attempted take on the classic highwire. By re-engineering a circus favorite, three 25-foot-tall wires are connected in a triangular formation with performers who triple the excitement by jumping over their partner’s shoulders, riding bikes on the thin wire with performers on top in a handstand, and more incredible human feats.

The Double Wheel of Destiny is even more extreme with four acrobatic daredevils performing challenging back-and-forth leaps and somersaults atop two simultaneously spinning apparatuses suspended 30 feet above the ground and moving at incredibly high speeds.

Comedic Performances. Delivering humor in a new and unexpected way are Nick Nack and the Equivokee trio. Nick Nack, one of the show guides, alongside the trio from Ukraine, introduces a modern take on clowning that leaves the makeup behind and focuses on delivering fun through a comedic blend of Rola Bola, juggling, acrobatics, dancing, and more silliness.

The Ultimate Playground. A 360-degree modular performance area is the ultimate playground with colorful elements that evoke a toy box activated by the incredible athletics of the performers. It then transforms into a skatepark as bikes soar through the air during a high-adrenaline extreme sports act. Featuring a group of BMX riders, a trial bike, and an extreme unicycle, these riders perform stunts on a unique trampoline box constructed in the center of a take-off and landing ramp, the only one of its kind. Double-sided ramps allow the extreme athletes to mirror each other with epic side-by-side bike stunts that include high-flying flips.

Criss-Cross Trapeze. Nine trapeze artists will ascend to the Criss-Cross Trapeze – the ultimate swing set consisting of four pedestals for this multi-directional act. The Flying Caceres will soar front-to-back, side-to-side, and diagonally with flyers and catchers in an action-packed, near-miss style act where seconds and inches determine the outcome of each high-flying skill. This incredible feat of timing will lead to an in-act transformation, as two platforms disappear, allowing for more daring tricks and higher rotations, including a double-layout rotation from bar to bar, seen for the first time in The Greatest Show On Earth.

Aerial & Acrobatic Spectacle. Solo and group aerialists will perform aerial straps and hoops. Acrobats will jump, dive, and tumble across the show floor, with acts ranging from Teeterboard, Hand-to-Hand Balancing, Hoop Diving, and Foot Juggling. Closing the show is the Ringling Rocket, featuring Skyler Miser launching across the arena to an incredible, inconceivable distance at 65 mph.

Record-Breaking Heights. Wheeling at spectacular heights will be Wesley Williams, the One Wheel Wonder, a Guinness World Record-setting performer who will attempt to set a new world record, riding 10 different unicycles throughout the show, including one with six stacked wheels, an accordion-style unicycle that grows taller with each pedal rotation, and the tallest at an astonishing height of over 34 feet.

Musical Performances. Music will include original compositions, pop cover tunes, and live rock-inspired drumming. Argendance, an energetic, bombastic dance troupe from Argentina, will presents a fiery fusion of Boleadoras and Malambo that create dynamic moments alongside show guide Stix, the rhythm of the show. The Melody Mixer, a unique and interactive moment will feature audience-created musical content incorporated into the show, surprising fans.

Shows will be at:

Friday, July 26, at 7 pm
Saturday, July 27, at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, and 7:30 pm
Sunday, July 28, at 12 pm and 4 pm