A number of top artists were honored at the Las Vegas Variety Circus Festival - two of them will be coming to Dresden in 2026/27. The dinner shows MAFIA MIA! and Moments have secured international talent from the USA and Mexico. The festival organizers themselves were also honoured with an award from Dresden.
Dinner shows from Dresden present their own awards in Las Vegas for the first time
The Las Vegas Variety Circus Festival is regarded worldwide as an important platform for artistry, circus arts and show productions. This is where show organizers, casting agencies and circus directors meet outstanding artists from all over the world. For the Dresden dinner shows MAFIA MIA! and Moments, Artistic Consultant Mario Danee was on site at the end of October - with a clear mission: to bring the best acts to Dresden for the coming seasons.
For the first time, Danee also had two new prizes up his sleeve: the "MAFIA MIA! Dinner Show Award" and the "Moments Dinner Show Award". Both went to artists who have already been engaged for the 2026/27 season.
Two award winners signed up for Dresden
The MAFIA MIA! award went to Mexican unicycle artist and dog trainer Emiliano Vazquez, who impressed the audience with his powerful tricks and precise animal training. The Moments Award went to Angel Ramos from the USA for his extraordinary handstand balances. Both artists will be part of the shows in Dresden from 2026/27.
Director Guido Gentzel praises Mario Danee's decades of expertise: "For many years, we have benefited from Mario Danee's expertise in tracking down high-quality artistic acts for us." The special eye of a former artist is invaluable for the shows.
First Class Concept Award for festival initiators
A third prize - the First Class Concept Award - was awarded to festival organizers Julia Makarova and Maxim Popasov. Both are active artists with engagements in renowned shows in Las Vegas and organize the festival in addition to their own stage performances.
"They are highly appreciated by the artists and organizers for this and more than deserve an award," explains Mirco Meinel, Managing Director of First Class Concept. Both artists have been in contact with Dresden before and were invited for engagements last year.
Top artistry soon to be seen live in Dresden
Dresden audiences won't have to wait long: Julia Makarova will be performing at Moments 3 from November 28 - including on a disco ball and on a spectacular "Chandelier". She previously toured with Cirque du Soleil and is currently engaged at Caesars Palace.
Maxim Popasov will be performing his chair stacking acts both at Moments and from November 21 at MAFIA MIA! - Carnevale di Venezia. He is part of the show "Absinthe" at Caesars Palace and will be released for the dinner show season.
This year's show season kicks off on November 21 in the OSTRA Dome, followed by the opening of Moments 3 in the Chapiteau der Träume on November 28. The season ends on January 18, 2026.
