Bello Nock

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Bello performing on the Wheel of Steel

Bello Nock, usually known simply as "Bello", is a clown performed by Demetrius Alexandro Claudio Amadeus Bello Nock (born 1968). He is currently performing with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in a tour named after him, "Bellobration". Bello performs without the traditional whiteface clown makeup. His signature appearance is his 30cm vertical red (natural) hair, flashy tuxedo or zoot suit with bow-tie, white gloves and saddle shoes. He was named by Time Magazine as "America's Best Clown"^[1]

[edit] Biography

Born in Sarasota, Florida, Demetrius Nock is a seventh generation circus performer, of American of Swiss and Italian ancestry. A descendant of the family that founded Switzerland's Circus Nock in the 18th century, Nock began performing at age 3, playing the baby on the burning house in a "Dumbo" clown routine. At 6, Nock played Michael Darling in the touring version of "Peter Pan" with Cathy Rigby; he also performed at the age of 15 when he began performing in the Nock family's swaypoles act. He later performed with his father and three brothers around the United States in an acrobatic troupe known as the Nerveless Nocks; he was a featured clown in Mexico's Circo Atayde before joining New York's Big Apple Circus, where he became the star attraction in 2000. Nock joined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2001 as the star clown.

Bello slowly progressed from clown to daredevil, learning all he could along the way. His dad, Eugen, invented the act Bello now does, the sway pole. This contraption goes up to 90 feet and is flexible, adding more suspense as Bello climbs to the top and does his routine. "You learn to respect your heights and not be afraid of it," Bello said. "We're all human, and we know what can happen. I spent three years on a sway pole that was three feet tall, so it became home to me. I practiced for hours each day and kept growing in increments of 10 feet." His father came to America from Switzerland in 1954 to work for Ringling Bros., and his mother, Aurelia, was hired that same year. The two were married in 1955 and headlined the three-ring circus.

Bello appears in more than 500 Ringling Bros. shows in 11 months, with three shows on Saturdays. He has no understudy or a stunt double.