Elvira Bono/Sormunen (b. Katrineholm, Sweden, 1893 – d. 1973, Rovaniemi, Finland) was a circus artist, who performed in her father’s circus as a rope dancer, a trick rider and a trapeze artist from the age of four. She also had an act with a boa constrictor. Elvira, who was also known as ‘Moppe’ , toured with different circuses in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Russia and Germany. She first appeared under the artist name of Miss Laura. Elvira Bono married at 16 to the Finnish expressionist Jalmari Ruokokoski, who painted several circus-themed paintings inspired by Elvira Bono. Their marriage did not last long due to the husband’s alcohol and financial problems. Elvira resumed her circus career as a perch-acrobat with partner Eddie Hyyppä. Unfortunately, she fell off the perch in St. Petersburg in 1917, severely injuring herself, thus having to end her acrobatic career. Later on, Elvira Bono moved to Lapland and made a living working in the gold mines and in the forest industry. Elvira with her new husband Unto Sormunen built a cottage by the lake Inari in the Lapland wilderness.
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