The elements for a proper circus atmosphere still involve pretty girls, funny clowns and exotic animals, said Christopher Connors, the performance director for Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars.

The circus company - in existence since the 1880s - will hoist its Big Top tent on the parking lot of the Fingerlakes Mall next week. But the circus has also had to update to appeal to audiences getting bored with the long-standing traditions of tigers opening the show and the daredevil being shot out of the cannon at show's end.

In the circus' modernizing experiment of recent years, it eliminated most of the animal acts, but audiences cried that it wasn't a circus without the elephants, Connors said.

“In the olden days, the circus was the only chance people got to see exotic animals,” said Tom McDonald, the marketing director for the circus. “There weren't a lot of zoos around.”

Accordingly, Asian elephants Tina and Jewel will take their bows under the Big Top and be available for elephant rides during the show's intermission.

They also can be met for free at the raising of the tent between 7 and 10 a.m. on the opening day of the show.

The tradition of sheer silliness in the circus will be upheld by Sheriff Elmo's pinto Shetland ponies with their bobblehead riders and the Abuhadba family's Can-Canning poodles.

Cole Bros. also eliminated the three-ring setup in favor of a large ring that allows its 50-plus performers to use the entire tent space and get close to the audience.

Tandem trapezists Blaze Birge and David Jones have previously performed with new age-style

circuses, bringing a new edge to the old-fashioned circus, Connors said.

They open their act with the petite Birge inverted on a trapeze and holding Jones as he performs below.

Marvel's Spiderman performs incredible thrills and chills on a giant wheel almost as tall as the tent while battling the Green Goblin. Spiderwoman gets fired out of the world's largest cannon.

In past decades, a live band, in particular, the drummer, maintained the pace of the show. “Now we don't have a live drummer. We have a computer drummer,” Connors said with a laugh.

Connors keeps the show moving with his dual duty as ringmaster. Ted McRae, the fellow ringmaster, is the chatty one and does a presentation of his snakes.

“The show has to be the same as every town if it's raining or if it's beautiful weather,” Connors said. “The people who paid yesterday paid the same amount as people the day before.”

Doors to the show's four performances open 45 minutes before start time.

Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net