Val De Fun
From Circopedia
VALERY SEREBRYAKOV, Jr. – Clown
By Dominique Jando
Val De Fun (Valery Serebryakov, Jr.), also known as "Vallery," was born into a family of circus performers on November 11, 1969 in Semferopol, Ukraine. While growing up, he was trained in a wide range of circus skills and learned even more by watching his grandfather and his father perform. His father was one of Russia's greatest clowns, the legendary Valery Serebryakov, who for many years delighted Soviet and international audiences with his partner, Stanislav Shchukin.
In 1984, at the age of fourteen, Valery followed in his mother's footsteps: he became an acrobat on horseback in the legendary equestrian troupe of Natalia Alexandre-Serge. But his father's influence eventually won out: three years later, Valery began his apprenticeship with a Russian clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team., Vladimir Egorov (not to be confused with his homonym, the founder of the Egorov Troupe).
In 1992, after two years in the Russian Army and a brief stint as a solo clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team., Valery teamed up with his childhood friend, Ludwig Shchukin, the son of his father's partner, and together they recreated most of their fathers' repertoire. They began touring abroad, notably in South America, before eventually separating. Ludwig returned to Russia, while Valery found an engagement at Circus Vargas in the United States and settled for a while in Los Angeles.
Val De Fun has performed extensively in the U.S., including two seasons with the Big Apple Circus and a long association with Tuffy Nicholas's Circus Hawaii. In 2009, he returned to Europe, where he was notably featured with Germany's Circus Krone.
See Also
- Video: Val De Fun, Teeterboard Entrée in the Big Apple Circus production of Carnevale (2003)
- Video: Vel De Fun, Trapeze Entrée in the Big Apple Circus production of Carnevale! (2003)
- Video: Val De Fun, Water Entrée in the Big Apple Circus production of Picturesque (2004)