Toninho, as he is kindly named, is a member of the fourth generation of the Stankowich family who are known for performing with animals in Eastern Europe. His parents are Constantino Stankowich and Aurora da Silva Stankowich. He started his artistic life performing acrobatics, juggling, equilibrism, trapeze and acting as the clown Lamparina. In 1950, he inaugurated Circo Stankowich which had a minigerie with chimpanzees, tigers, llamas, bears and other animals, when they were allowed to perform in the circusring. He was also vice president of the Associação Brasileira de Espetáculos e Diversões and a member of the of the Ministry of Culture committee in Brasília, in 1995. Toninho married Altamira da Silva Stankowich in Nilópolis, Rio de Janeiro, in 1960. Today, Circo Stankowich has two big tops – pink and yellow - and they are managed by his sons Marlon and Marcio.