Val De Fun

VALERY SEREBRIAKOV, Jr. – Clown

By Dominique Jando

Born November 11, 1969 in Semferopol, Ukraine, Vallery (Valery Serebriakov, Jr.) comes from a family of circus performers. While growing up, he was trained in a wide range of circus skills, and learned even more watching his grandfather and his father perform. His father was one of the greatest clowns of Russia, the legendary Valery Serebriakov, who for many years delighted Soviet and international audiences with his partner, Stanislav Shchukin.

At the age of fourteen, inn 1984, Vallery 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 took over, and Vallery began his apprenticeship three years later with another 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).

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., Vallery teamed up in 1992 with his childhood friend, Ludwig Shchukin, the son of his father's partner, and together they re-created most of their fathers' repertoire. They began touring abroad, notably in South America, and eventually separated. Ludwig returned to Russia, while Vallery found an engagement at Circus Vargas, in the United States, and settled in Los Angeles.

Vallery has since performed extensively in the U.S., including two seasons with the Big Apple Circus and a long association with Tuffy Nicholas's Circus Hawaii.

See Also

• Video: Vallery, Teeterboard Entrée in the Big Apple Circus production of Carnevale (2003)
• Video: Vallery, Water Entrée in the Big Apple Circus production of Picturesque (2004)