The Big Apple Circus (Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center, 888/541-3750, bigapplecircus.org) travels around the country, but releases the following year’s new original show each winter right in the heart of New York City. Performers come from America, Armenia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia, exciting crowds with a more classic version of the all-too commercialized circus arts.

A hoop-like four-story-high Wheel of Wonder, trapeze act, trampoline acrobatics, contortionists, jugglers, rousing music, and, of course, clowns, all add to the fun, which is further enhanced by the intimate nature of the performance.

With little resemblance to the massive arena filled with crying kids, whirring plastic light-up products, and gimmicky overpriced treats which pop to mind with the term “circus,” the not-for-profit 32-year-old Big Apple Circus offers an entertaining two hours where Big Top tent guests are never seated more than 50 feet from the action.