Fully charged circus amps up the fun.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW? - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth - Circus review

Every year, we look forward to the time when the circus comes to town. Not just any circus, but Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth.This year's production by Feld Entertainment--Fully Charged--is amped up to bring megawatts of fun, sending its powerful energy and surges of spectacle to everyone in the arena.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Arriving early is a must, as the opportunity to walk around the lower floor of the Nassau Coliseum to view the animals up-close brings a new perspective to the show. For us, having the occasion to stand next to an elephant helps us appreciate its majesty. For the children, it's the tigers that bring the most enthusiasm. Whether watching the cubs wrestle each other while they tussle for con trol of a ball or being startled by the roar of the big cats and amazed by their sheer size, we have a hard time dragging our kids away from their pens.

A trip upstairs for the All-Access Pre-show pushes the level of excitement. Allowing patrons to enter the circus flour and interact with the performers is a unique experience. We love mingling with the clowns and listening to the acrobats as they seem to put on a show just for us.

Once Fully Charged starts, we're glued to our seats. From the first number through the close, we could feel the sparks in the air. We were excited to see one of our favorite acts in this year's edition: the Twin Turbines of Steel, where the fearless Fernandez brothers perform various acrobatics on giant rotating drums. The...