It's always hard to pinpoint one person's contribution in the face of so many voluminous ones, but some of the obvious ones have already been heaped (and deservedly so) with accolades. I personally came away from my 4th Cirque with only the regret that I didn't spend enough time appreciating John Barron's components display, associated with his seminar presentation. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered at the time and organization it must have taken to choose, extract, and transport all the prized gems that made that spread happen. I wish I had the knowledge to have benefited from it more. And this was on top of all the other behind-the-scenes work John contributes. So, John Barron gets my "wow!" vote for this year.
It's this type of generosity from ALL of those involved that really makes the Cirque happen. A group of special, enthusiastic folks bringing together even more knowledgeable folks and still even more interested folks, all for the same basic reason. I'm very glad to hear that the Cirque will likely continue after Dale's 10th and final run. Wherever it lands, if the same sorts of people are involved, I can't think of any reason why it won't continue to be the winner it has been.
Honorable mention; I was stone lucky to be in the right place and time to have experienced a certain leather hairnet viewing. Left me pretty speechless.
Jon Schaer
Columbus, OH