Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show is back in Detroit without animals

The circus is coming to town, but don't expect to see any elephants or dancing bears.

The longstanding Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is back, but with a major change — no animals in the show.

Feld Entertainment's new touring act, The Greatest Show on Earth, marks Ringling's return to traveling shows after six years. The new show features international artists in a variety of performance art, including acrobatics, unicycles, aerobics, thrills, stunts, world dance, live music and more.

"As we began envisioning the reimagined Ringling, it was important to balance evolving the show for today's consumers, while staying true to who we are as a brand," said Kenneth Feld, chair and CEO of Feld Entertainment, in a press release. "Over the past two years, we have innovated and reimagined what audiences can expect from live family entertainment. We are delivering powerful moments of connection between the performers and the audience."

The Humane Society of the United States welcomed the change, ushering in a new era of humane entertainment, said President and CEO Kitty Block.

"I couldn't be more pleased, this has been a century plus of cruelty that was unnecessary, disguised as entertainment," Block said. "The Humane Society of the United States has put decades of effort into fighting these kind of things, especially Ringling Brothers."

What will they have instead?

The show's North American tour began in Louisiana on Sep. 29. The nearly two-hour show provides a family-friendly experience, with multiple acts performing simultaneously, organizers said.

This year's show represents a new art form, combining the show's traditions with innovative art forms and new performers. In a break from the tradition of an animal circus, organizers are seeking to revive the Ringling Brothers in a new style.

"The one thing that has always defined a Ringling show is the sense of wonder, awe, and authenticity," said Juliette Feld Grossman, COO of Feld Entertainment. "Each member of the audience, spanning multiple generations, will find moments within the performance they can relate to, providing the exhilarating, inspiring feeling only Ringling can deliver."

The show features 75 performers from 18 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and North America. Instead of the traditional ringmaster, the show will feature three emcees.

Elephants were the 1st to go

Years of controversy over the conditions of animals used in circus performances and the rising animal rights movement led to growing pressure on the entertainment company. The show phased out elephants in 2016 amidst abuse allegations, though the state of the circus continued to decline.

The Humane Society of the United States dedicated time and resources to ending the practice of animal entertainment, including through education, outreach and advocacy and through state and city legislation nationwide, Block said.

The company hosted its final animal circus in 2017, ending a 146-year legacy. Feld Entertainment cited low attendance and high operating costs behind the move.

“We all have to embrace change,” Feld said at the time. “But there is a love for the circus that will never die. Our family has given a half-century of life to something that would have ended 50 years ago.”

The move to end animal involvement in the act marks a broader shift away from animal rights abuses in U.S. culture. A major company, Ringling Brothers' change sends a warning message to smaller entertainment shows still practicing animal entertainment, Block said.

"It's evidence of a wider trend, this work we've been doing," Block said. "Other industries are stepping away from a model where their business is built on the backs of animal suffering and moving to a more humane model that's successful."

The show promotes a family-friendly environment and enforces a dress code policy, according to its website. Organizers envision the performance drawing in the audience through its changed format and new stunt acts.

The Greatest Show on Earth performances happen at Little Caesars Arena on Friday through Sunday, with an evening show Friday and shows throughout the day Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start at $26 and are available at Ticketmaster.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show is back in Detroit