I have finally found a picture of Dominique Jando. That's him in the sunflower gold sweater with his hand on Aurelia Cats thigh in the break room after a taxing session of judging athletes. He would occasionally come on Buckles Blog and make some pretty absurd statements. But would never rebut or defend his statements, which I guess you don't have to if you are a keen critic of the circus arts. The post prior to this one, we waited for days(made Buckles Top 10 List) for him to come back and offer an explanation, but he never did. And I think that was the post where he finally decided the unsophisticated Americans were not worth his time. The circus is a weird, whacky, wonderful world full of nut jobs and self proclaimed experts. The National Football league calls them Monday morning coaches. In this industry they call themselves Critics above reproach. Mr. Jando now offers a great deal of his "expertize" to judging circus festivals. Below is the post from Buckles Blog, where we all were told "do you know who he is", and now two American Circus Blogs have teamed up and we have a visual identification, and can see who is setting the standard of Animal Training.johnny said...
I am surprised that Mr. Reynolds would even suggest that the remark of Mr. Jando in regard to Mr. Houcke could be recognized at having any clai8m whatsoever as to his rating among wilod animal trainers. I have heard from those that swaw him that he was handsome, well costumed and presented a very fine act to great acclaim. However, right here on the blog we have seen some stuff from Europe over the years that are awesome, to say the least, and I would suggest the this remark by a former clown would leave alo0t to be desired for in depth comprehension, and of course I wonder how aware Mr. Jando of America's contribution to the field over the ye3ars from both import and home grown trainers. I have been in the trenches of circus and quite aware of its goings on for some seventy years and I never heard of Mr. Jando being a highly recogtnized critic of the animal t5raining art5s.
henry edgar said...if i were looking for an expert to name the best circus tiger trainer of all time, i'm sorry, i would ask another tiger trainer. or at least another animal trainer because i believe only an animal trainer would be qualified to voice an opinion like this. mr. houcke has a great reputation and i wish i had seen him perform, but i have never before heard anyone say he was the best of all time. that means he was better than charley baumann, better than mabel stark, better than alfred court, and better than any number of other legends. did this man ever even see any of our american trainers such as mabel stark? we all have our favorites, but how do we decide who the greatest of all time is? how many of us even saw mabel stark in her prime? have any of us even seen EVERY good tiger act in history? if so, we could say this was the best in my opinion, but only another trainer knows if someone is a good trainer or a good presenter -- and there IS a difference -- or if the person is simply someone who can sell an act no matter the animals do. after what we've learned about the monte carlo awards, i question european experts more than ever. Does this quy have any credentials in tiger training or breeding?
- Wade G. Burck said...
Johnny and Henry,
Thank you. That's is exactly what I was trying to get to. I'm glad you got there first. Now you can be the "bad guy", and we can keep that jealous nonsense and other crap out of it.
I too was suprised and said a loud WHAT!!!, at Mr. Reynold's statement Johnny. Abe Goldstein told me that Pat Anthony was the best, and if you asked the great Dime Wilson, I'll bet I know who he would vote for. Joe Sherman favored me, but I suspect it had something to do with me loading he and Chester's trunk, each move out night.
I disagree with you, Henry about fellow animal trainer's/contemporaries deciding. Are you sure you fully understand the MC nonsense? Gunther get's my vote, but that's only because he did it longer then Adam Burck. If I am around in 30 year's, I will probably change my choice. Until there is some sort of standard decided on and accurate record's are kept it will alway's be a hug, hug, two cheek kiss, and that is a poor way to crown a king/queen. Number of animals? Number of acts? How many show's worked on? One show all career? Dirt, rubber, ring mat, One ring affair, three ring extaveganza? "Kiss 0 Death" or multiple hind leg walks? Animals happy, or unhappy? Handsomest/cutest? Best costume, rhinestones or loin cloth? What is the standard, Henry. Still photos? Come on, your a publicist. Joe Montana look's real "poised" on his rookie card and it is a nice "presentation." I have seen photos of him after hitting the ground for the 10th time, where he didn't look so handsome. But he was a winner, and went into his Hall of Fame, with a number of well deserved awards. This debate will continue on through history until a standard is agreed upon. Our Hall of Fames, "Awards" festival, certificates, proclaimations, etc, etc. will alway be under scrutiny, and more like a presidential campaign, than a factual achievement.
Wade Burck
For Wade: it's the "greatest tiger trainer of all time" that got me, and that's why i said only another trainer could say that. I can argue forever over why one still photo is better for press than another. we can all talk about costumes and props. we can quibble over why a triple was so rare in codona's day but is now almost as common as the passing leap. it's easy to spot someone who is a master showman and think their act is better than it is vs. the trainer who is very talented but is so good he makes it look easy and therefore fails to create any excitemnt. many of us today will pick smoke and mirrors over basic training. but only a real trainer knows how hard, say, a hind leg hop is vs taking a treat from a trainer's mouth. a tiger walking on a board or a pair of ropes vs leaping onto an elephant or a horse or leaping through a hoop held over a trainer's head. which tricks are easy with some animals and hard for others of the same breed vs those that are hard no matter how smart the individual animal might be. is it easier to train a tiger to do a roll-over or spin when the trick is done in the arena alone vs a cage filled with 20 animals. most of these questions can only be answered by someone who has actually broken trained and presented a group of tigers.
- Richard Reynolds said...
Whew! - -I did not mean to stir up so much controversy.
Lest he dismissed too quickly with a “what can that French clown possibly know,” I should point out that Jando was a co-founder of France’s first professional circus school and a co-founder of the Paris circus arts competition. He spent 19 years as the associate artistic director of the Big Apple Circus. So, he would appear to have some bona fides in judging the quality of this or that circus act.
When he expressed his Gilbert Houcke opinion to me he was with the Big Apple. I only know him casually but he came across as a man of definite opinions. He projected the sort of personality I associate with theater critics. Buckles knows him well.
Of course, who was the best of this or that is certainly a matter of personal preference. “The best” is influenced by so many subjective influences as to be unquantifiable. How did one feel the day he saw the act - - was he influenced by others - - was it the sort of thing he naturally likes etc., etc.
And I never saw Gilbert Houcke myself.-
Buckles said...Every year with Big Apple we had the customary "end of the season party" at which some acts were lampooned by other performers.
My favorite was a skit called "What does Jando do?".
Nuf Ced- The posts stopped because now we all finally knew just "who" Mr. Jando was. And to borrow a quote from Johnny Herriott, "End of story."
Dominique Jando, a keen critic of circus acts, once told me that Gilbert Houcke was the greatest tiger triner of all time.
23 February, 2008 16:18
Mr. Reynold,
Who is Dominique Jando? What did he do? I have never heard that name before. Thank you.
Wade Burck
23 February, 2008 19:01
An all this time I thought Wade Burck was!
23 February, 2008 19:37
Mr. Burck, Dominique Jando was originally a well regarded clown in Europe.
23 February, 2008 22:59