Ali Hassani was a famous acrobat and circus man in England. He had his own performances and circus, but his story started in Marrakech, where he was kidnapped as a kid by a Spanish troupe. He was born in a small village near Marrakech, Ali Hassani was fond of acrobats and tumblers he met on his way while roaming Jemaa el Fnaa. In the ancient square, the 7-year-old boy was kidnapped and taken to Spain where his life took a different turn. Ali Hassani who was born on March the 7th, 1927, was taken away from his family and his twelve relatives. According to Circopedia, the Moroccan tumbler was «abducted by the acrobats, who saw him as an ideal 'top mounter'-the light acrobat who stood at the top of their human pyramids». Although he was taken away from his home town, family and siblings, Ali Hassani enjoyed his new job, the mere idea of joining a troupe and working at a circus. Taken to Spain In an interview, his daughter Zayna stated that her father «used to run and watch as a child and the tumblers said 'do you want to do this?' and he was quite cheeky apparently and said 'yes' and they actually took him away with them». But in Spain, Ali was never paid. For Dominique Jando and Donald Stacey the young boy «was just given food and shelter, and the bare necessities of life». In the Iberian country, Ali Hassani lived through the Civil War (1936-1939) and the Second World War. Ali Hassani in Spain wioth other acrobats./Ph. Circopedia Despite the hardships, Ali enjoyed what he was doing. As part of a Spanish troupe, he learned the basics of gymnastics and gained expertise, moving from a small light top-mounter to a «sturdy bottom man» who carried human pyramids on his shoulders. Ali Hassani in Britain The talented acrobat then mover to Britain in the 1950s, after his troupe managed to secure a contract with Billy Smart, a British circus performer and impresario who owned a circus. In Britain Ali joined the Ifni Sahara Troupe that he anchored. «He supported the weight of his fellow acrobats as they performed human pyramids and dizzying tumbling sequences», wrote The National in an article published on February the 20th, 2010. Moving to England was a turning point for Ali's circus career and love life. While touring for Billy Smart he met Tamara Polakovs, daughter of Coco the Clown (Nicolai Poliakoff) a famous circus performer in Europe. Ali Married Tamara and they decided to start their own project together, forming the Hassani troupe. «Britain was then enjoying a golden age in circus : The troupe travelled the country, performing with Sally Chipperfield's, the Blackpool Tower circus and Glascow's Kelvin Hall among others», the same newspaper recalled. Featured in James Bond's movie The Hassani troupe included Tamara and her three daughters Zayna, Susi and Mina. Their act, according to Circopedia was «spectacular and highly skilled, enhanced by colorful costumes created under Tamara's supervision, and it soon was much in demand in circuses all over Europe». DR The troupe was featured in several performances around the continent. According to the same source, the Moroccan troupe appeared in the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome, a circus ring venue built in 1903 in England, the Bell Vue International Circus in Manchester, the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall in Great Britain. In Europe, they were featured at Switzerland's Circus Knie, Cirque Amar, and Cirque Boulglione in France, Paris's Cirque d'Hiver and Circus Krone, Circus Barnum and Circus Willy in Germany, recalled Circopedia. The Hassani troupe's fame reached the United States after they were hired to perform at one of James Bond's movies. In 1983, Ali, Tamara and their acrobats «featured in John Glen's film Octopussy, where Roger Moore (English actor) as James Bond, dressend as a lown, runs in the main arena of Octopussy's circus pitched on an American airbase in West Germany», said the National. The Marrakech-native and his troupe appeared on television on the Paul Daniels Magic Show, a British magic show presented by entertainer and magician Paul Daniels that aired on BBC1 from 9 June 1979 to 18 June 1994. The Circus Hassani, Britain's first all human-show Ali Hassani's fame and successful performances pushed him to launch his own circus in 1979. The latter was Britain's first circus with no animals. Unfortunately, the project did not seduce circus lovers. In 1982, Circus Hassani went back on track after Ali found a «permanent home at the Chessington Zoo (today Chessington World of Adventures Resort), southwest of London, where it succeeded the old Gilberts Circus and continued to present all-human circus shows», recalled Circopedia. One year later the Hassani Circus was turned into the Tamara Coco's Circus and Ali and his wife opened the International Circus Hassani at the Alton Towers Theme Park in Staffordshire. The Chessington Zoo which housed the Hassani circus, however, was destroyed by a violent storm that hit England. Despite his loss Ali continued in the Circus business. After his wife Tamara died, he married a Moroccan woman called Souad and founded the first Children's Circus Academy. Alongside his second wife, Ali fostered «children in their home at Epsom, Surrey». In January the 10th, 2010, Ali Hassani the brilliant acrobat and circus professional died, leaving behind an epic heritage and history.
