Circus Conelli with daredevil Asians

Switzerland's oldest Christmas circus is going into the next round: Circus Conelli. Including an amazing troupe from North Korea.

Anyone who watches artistic gymnastics on television will be familiar with this horror fantasy: Giulia Steingruber (22) or one of her colleagues land on their heads instead of their feet while doing a somersault on the thin balance beam. More than just ouch! The thrill of the circus version of this exercise, on the Russian parallel bars, is all the greater. The apparatus rests on the shoulders of two strong men, bends elastically downwards and catapults a preferably light artist several meters into the air.

"Bringing artists from North Korea to Switzerland is a costly affair" -Roby Gasser (55), Director Circus Conelli

The best troupe to master this breakneck discipline comes from North Korea and can be seen for the first time in Europe in the Circus Conelli ring at Zurich's Bauschänzli. On behalf of the National Pyongyang Circus, a female artist performs a triple somersault and one of her male colleagues is the only one in the world to perform a quadruple somersault. It happens so fast - you almost can't keep count, says circus director Roby Gasser (55). He is proud to be able to put on this spectacle - because bringing in artists from the isolated dictatorship of North Korea is a costly business.

According to Gasser, several agents are involved. "Contracts are sent by DHL - that alone takes several weeks." The Asians travel with a coach and their own cook. "They don't like European food that much," says Gasser.

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Roby Gasser took over the management of the oldest Christmas circus from his father Conny (1938-2007). He had started the show 34 years ago with Herbi Lips (1936-2010). During the Advent season, the circus offers a varied program for all those who want to escape the stress of the festive season.