Both Circus Wow and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, pride themselves on encouraging a sense of identity and belonging while celebrating the power and beauty of diversity. And gee, did we celebrate the power and beauty of diversity when Circus WOW travelled to Sydney to take part in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2006 and 2007, where twenty WOW women headed up to Sydney to take part in Foreplay, the pre-parade entertainment. And we didn’t hold back on the costumes—we had corsets, stilts, juggling clubs, tutus, whips, trikes, a chainsaw and a stilting mama pram! Oh, and don’t forget a tonne of glitter and sparkles. As part of Foreplay, there are already thousands of people along the parade route on Oxford St and Flinders St, and Circus WOW entertained the crowd in the lead up to the parade—had to be our biggest audience ever!
In 2006, our “dressing room” was in The Taxi Cub on Flinders St. So, once we were all frocked up and stepped out the doors, we were in the thick of it already! We split into two groups with one group heading up Oxford St and the second group down Flinders St… all to meet up in Taylor Square… what a moment that was… and the crowd roared! I seem to recall we were allowed in a special viewing area to watch the parade afterwards… so much fun!
Then in 2007, we were asked back to Foreplay and Mardi Gras… no need to ask twice… we were heading up to spread WOW’s larrikin sense of humour once again. We had the Dykes on Trykes, Wozza & Trukka, The Martweeni Twins and more. The amazing ACON organisation gave us their headquarters for our “dressing room” this time around and from here we launched ourselves onto Oxford St and had great fun entertaining the waiting crowds. WOW, seriously good times!
—Mara Vukasinovich