TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- It's the end of an era. After a 146-year run, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus is getting ready for its final curtain, closing the circus forever.
News of Ringling's closing has shocked the circus community, including in Tallahassee, where the FSU Flying High Circus has entertained crowds for years.
Graduates of the program said they were shocked by the news, recalling the impact Ringling Brothers had on their time there.
Mark Sterrenberg, a member of the circus from 2013-2016, said, "Something that I've seen for a really long time just disappeared, and it's such a staple."
Sterrenberg said the company would visit campus to help train performers. He said watching the pros was unforgettable.
"It inspired a lot of people," said Sterrenberg. "I know it inspired me, especially because I've been looking to pursue Cirque du Soleil for a really long time."
The same could be said for Keenan Rogers, a ringmaster and trapeze artist from 2011 to 2015, who's also applied for circus work.
"I witnessed that sense of camaraderie firsthand, and then, I realized, 'Wow, this circus is where I'm going to find all my friends,'" he said.
"It really becomes a big part of our lives, and a lot of students want to do that for a job," said Allison Brannan, a trapeze artist at FSU from 2011 to 2015. She said the circus industry is in transition.
"Cirque du Soleil is also a different kind of avenue, and that's actually closer what FSU Circus is," Brannan said.
Graduates say current students should not be discouraged by Ringling's closure -- but rather should be inspired to find new ways to draw in audiences.
The FSU Flying High Circus is now in its 70th year.
The final show for the Ringling Circus will be May 21 in New York.
