subject: Meet the Top Dogs of Branson, Missouri, Shows [print this page] Meet the Top Dogs of Branson, Missouri, Shows
The top dogs in Branson, Missouri, shows are at the Yakov Smirnoff Theater. We don't just mean the Russian comedian. We're also talking about the four-legged co-stars of Yakov Smirnoff's Dinner Adventure.
One of the featured acts in this new dinner-theater presentation is Zhanna Alferova and Her Incredibly Intelligent Dogs. How intelligent are they? Well, can your dog pick up and move circus props on cue, aligning them in the right place every time? Can yours prance around in a costume without objecting? Does your dog know how to milk an audience for laughs?
Zhanna's dogs are talented, no doubt about it. But a lot of the credit for their skills goes to Zhanna herself. She has long been a performer herself and knows what it's like to be in front of an audience night after night. She's been able to transmit that knowledge to her troupe.
Born in Russia, Zhanna trained as a ballet dancer but ended up starting her performing career in Mexico's Circus Tihhani. While she enjoyed dancing, she found her true calling when she met the Circus' featured performer, Irina Markova, who was the subject of the Sundance Film Festival hit The Poodle Trainer and is known as the Russian Dog Whisperer. She has performed in many shows around the world, to wide acclaim, including several productions by Yakov Smirnoff. Most recently, she performed in Yakov's Moscow Circus one of the most popular of Branson, Missouri, shows.
Under Irina's tutelage, Zhanna developed her own dog-training skills and soon created her own tricks for her act, which she has performed to great applause around the world. When Irina's schedule became too busy to continue with Yakov last year, Zhanna was the natural choice to take her place. It's been a successful transition, and the dogs have sold many Branson tickets.
These dogs are as "incredibly intelligent" as their billing would have you believe. They wear full-body lion costumes and perform as if they indeed were the kings of the jungle. If you've ever tried to train a pet, you know it's no easy task. First, the right dogs must be found: some take to performing while many others do not. Like human performers, each canine performer excels at a certain type of trick.
Once the perfect dogs are found, then the training begins. Believe it or not, it takes a full year to get the troupe ready for a consistent performance. They must learn to work with each other and with Zhanna. In addition, they perform several tricks without Zhanna's being directly present.
Those who are concerned about animal rights need not fear. All the dogs used in Zhanna's act are treated like family. After a year of developing a rapport with each one, Zhanna knows their little quirks and treats them accordingly. The dogs perform for her because they trust and love her as she loves them. The mutual respect shows in the performance.
Zhanna and her Incredibly Intelligent Dogs are a highlight of Branson, Missouri, shows. It's well worth the ticket to see them at Yakov Smirnoff's Dinner Adventure.
