Russian acrobats who defected to Canada in 1992 have returned to St. John’s to celebrate a Newfoundland woman who helped them restart their lives.
The former members of the world-famous Moscow Circus and their growing families continue to perform across North America. They say that┬аwould not have been possible without the kindness they found in St. John’s.
“Judy┬аdid everything for us. She took my hand and gave me my first steps in Canada. Judy, I love you. For me, she’s like my mom,” said Alex┬аArestov.
There are dozens of people who would have done the same thing. It was actually an experience and a joy.– Judy Tulk
Defected 32┬аyears ago
Arestov was one of seven Russians who defected in Gander more than┬аthree decades ago and then months later found safe haven at the Cygnus Gymnastics Club in St. John’s.
They were raised in the circus, schooled and trained to become acrobats,┬аperformers who toured the world as ambassadors for the USSR.┬аBut┬аjust months before they arrived in Canada the Soviet Union dissolved. The country’s future was as deeply uncertain as theirs was when they arrived in St. John’s in January 1992.
“I knew just two words: hi and goodbye. That’s all,” said┬аArestov, who returned to Newfoundland and Labrador with his wife, Elena, and two of their children, Ivan and Sasha, this April.
‘This is our place’
In 1992, they needed a place to keep up their skills and train, and they were lucky to find the Cygnus┬аClub, which at that time was in the Buckmaster Circle area of St. John’s.
“A┬аmiracle,” said Arestov.
“We just walked in and┬аwe couldn’t believe it because we knew nothing but when we saw the gym, when we saw children jumping on trampolines┬аdoing gymnastics, we thought, ‘This is our place.’ I was an acrobat so for me it was, ‘Wow, maybe we can practise here?'”
Join a special reunion between Judy Tulk, former manager of the Cygnus Gymnastic Club, and the former members of the world-famous Moscow Circus who travelled back to St. JohnтАЩs recently to visit the woman they consider their тАЬmom.тАЭ Tulk tells the CBCтАЩs Mark Quinn how the life-long friendship got its start.
In the early 1990s┬аTulk was the manager at Cygnus. She spoke no Russian but that didn’t stop her.
“They were there every day but no one was communicating because we couldn’t. So┬аone day I said,┬а‘We got to go down and make contact,'” she said.
“I went down and I sat on the side of the pit, and Alex came over and we looked at each other and I said ‘hello’ and he said ‘hi.'”
Their relationship grew from there, and slowly┬аTulk helped them settle into St. John’s. They learned from each other.
“They had ideas about coaching and different moves that we don’t have and we have a lot of ideas that they didn’t have. So we just shared, and they coached the girls and they loved it. We were so amazed at what they were doing. We had never seen anything like it, and they were just turning this seven-year-old [son┬аSimon] тАФ I mean, he was like a pretzel.”
As time passed they turned their attention┬аto making a living in Canada.┬аThey were highly trained, experienced entertainers and St. John’s┬аwas full of willing audiences.
“I was the manager┬аof a company we set up and I would book shows for them. We went to just about every school in St. John’s and put off shows for the elementary and primary school grades. We were so well received. It was unbelievable,” said Tulk.
They hoped to stay in Newfoundland and start a circus school but eventually the former Russians┬аrealized there were many more opportunities for them to perform in the large cities of Canada and the U.S.┬а
“They had nothing to start the school with so they figured that they probably would have to move on to a larger area and grow from there. So┬аthat’s what they did,” Tulk said.
Performing across North America
As Canadian citizens, the Arestovs have flourished. Today they are based in Ontario but are constantly travelling for work.
Their son, Ivan Arestov тАФ who is also Judy Tulk’s godson тАФ┬аhas a performing company of his own that travels across North America. His brother, Sasha, has also remained in the family business.
Their┬аeldest son,┬аSimon, who was┬аseven when his parents brought him to Canada in 1992, now┬аhas a family of his own. They’ve performed with him in well-known venues, like Madison Square Garden┬аin New York City.
Returned to mark Tulk’s 80th birthday
At 67, Alex┬аand Elena┬аArestov continue to perform together. Alex says they have no plan to stop but they did take a short break to visit Tulk and celebrate a milestone with her.
Feb.┬а11┬аwas Tulk’s 80th birthday.
She says she received much more than she’s given and┬аwas thrilled the Arestovs┬аcame to visit her.
“It’s just utter happiness. I just can’t explain how I feel,” she said.┬а“There are dozens of people who would have done the same thing. It was actually an┬аexperience and a joy.”
The Arestovs┬аhave gone back to touring but promise they’ll be back in St. John’s for Tulk’s 90th and 100th birthdays.
Download our┬аfree CBC News app┬аto sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.┬аClick here to visit our landing page.
