[Times photo: John Pendygraft] Jose Cabral poses inside the 16-foot steel sphere dubbed the Globe of Death, in which he and members of his family ride motorcycles. The act is billed as one of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ most dangerous.

By THERESA LINNERT
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 6, 2003

Jose Cabral has spent most of his 17 years with circus performers. His latest family act is Ringling Bros.' motorcycle-driven ''Globe of Death.''

It's a time when the ringmaster for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus presents the performers with much fanfare, music and singing. Bello, the fearless comic daredevil, perform stunts that are silly and terrifying. The scent from elephants, zebras, horses, dogs and tigers is in the air the moment you enter the circus arena.

Pie-throwing clowns and amazing aerialists and acrobats keep our heads moving in every direction. Each act is thrilling and keeps the audience on the edge of its seats. One such act is the "Globe of Death," in which six high-speed motorcycles circle within inches of each other in a 16-foot steel sphere.

The riders, brothers and cousins from South America, arrived in the United States in November. At 17, Jose Cabral is the youngest member of the motorcycle team. He doesn't fear the Globe of Death, he said, but he has a respect for the danger of this high-speed stunt.

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] Jose talks to ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson during a dress rehearsal in Tampa about his family’s plans to ride six motorcycles in the Globe of Death.

His home away from home consists of 56 train cars. Instead of dining at a kitchen table, he eats in what is referred to as the "pie car." During his two-year stay in the United States, Jose will visit many cities, including New York, Miami and Savannah, Ga. The circus will finish its tour in St. Louis, Mo., in November 2004.

Jose will see the highlights of these cities when his teacher takes him on field trips. Like his home, Jose's classroom is not in a typical neighborhood school. It is the essence of a one-room schoolhouse with a teacher who gives standardized tests. Jose attends school and studies when he is not practicing or performing. Typically he performs in one show each weekday and two or three shows on Saturday and Sunday, with a few days off in-between cities.

RIGHT: Jose waves to the crowd during the opening number of the final dress rehearsal before the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ recent run in Tampa. BELOW: Jose Cabral rides his motorcycle past ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson as he prepares to enter the Globe of Death during the dress rehearsal.	[Times photos: Toni L. Sandys]

Jose was not quite a teenager when he first learned to ride a motorcycle. "I started practicing when I was 12 years old and actually performed in an act when I was 14," he said through a translator. Before he came to the United States, Jose said, he also performed in a circus in South America.

Being in front of the audience is Jose's favorite part of the circus. "I love the applause and the attention from the people. When I perform, I feel like a star," he said. "When the show ends, I'm just like any other person."

Jose enjoys being a circus performer because it gives him the opportunity to meet all kinds of people and visit many cities. He does, however, miss his family and friends in South America. Through the Internet, Jose is able to keep in touch with his parents in Brazil and his friends in Paraguay.

Aside from the Internet, he enjoys shopping. "I like to spend my money," Jose said.

[Times photo: Toni L. Sandys] Jose Cabral and his brothers and cousins make up the six “Torres Brothers,” who ride their motorcycles, all six at the same time, in the Globe of Death.

Watching Jose and his brothers and cousins perform in the 16-foot Globe of Death was a breathtaking experience. Known as the "Torres Brothers," the family broke a world record by having six motorcyclists riding in the sphere at one time.

It starts with three cyclists riding in unison. A fourth cyclist enters the globe, making the feat more dangerous. Next, Jose enters. The stunt gets harder and scarier with each motorcycle. Jose exits the globe, making room for the next cyclist. After this, he re-enters, and the spectacular act is at its peak with all six cyclists.

Jose is happy being one of the stars in the circus, but he has other aspirations. "Perhaps one day I will become a medical doctor," he said.

-- Theresa Linnert, 12, is in the seventh grade at Westlake Christian School in Palm Harbor.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus just finished a run Sunday in Tampa. The circus will be in St. Petersburg this week at the St. Petersburg Times Arena at the Bayfront Center. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday.

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