The Big Top of Billy Smart's Circus Cambridge 2004.

A circus is most commonly a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists. The word also describes the performance that they give, which is usually a series of acts that are choreographed to music. A circus is held in an oval or circular arena with tiered seating around its edge; in the case of traveling circuses this location is most often a large tent called the big top. A circus is a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, trained animals, and other novelty acts. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 224 KB)A circus tent. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 224 KB)A circus tent. ... Billy Smart, Jr (15 October 1934 – 23 May 2005) was widely known in Britain as a circus performer and impresario. ... This article is about Cambridge, England; see also other places called Cambridge. ... High wire act Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts, and is also practiced as a sport. ... Clowning redirects here. ... Juggling is a form of skillful, often artful, object manipulation. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Big Top may refer to: Big Top (Transformers) is a Transformers character. ...

History of the circus

In Ancient Rome the circus was a building for the exhibition of horse and chariot races, equestrian shows, staged battles, displays featuring trained animals, jugglers, and acrobats. The circus of Rome is thought to have been influenced by the Greeks, with chariot racing and the exhibition of animals as traditional attractions. The Roman circus consisted of tiers of seats running parallel with the sides of the course, and forming a crescent around one of the ends. The lower seats were reserved for persons of rank; there were also various state boxes, eg. for the giver of the games and his friends. In Ancient Rome the circus was the only public spectacle at which men and women were not separated.

The first circus in Rome was the Circus Maximus, in the valley between the Palatine and Aventine hills. Next in importance to the Circus Maximus in Rome was the Circus Flaminius, the Circus Neronis, from the notoriety which it obtained through the Circensian pleasures of Nero. A fourth, the Circus of Maxentius, was constructed by Maxentius; the ruins of this circus have enabled archaeologists to reconstruct the Roman circus. , For other uses, see Circus Maximus (disambiguation). ... The Circus Flaminius was a race-track in Ancient Rome. ... Circus built as part of a funerary complex by the emperor Maxentius. ... Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius ( 278-28 October 312) was Western Roman Emperor from 306 to 312. ...

Following the fall of Rome, Europe lacked a large and animal rich circus. Itinerant showmen traveled the fair grounds of Europe. Animal trainers and performers are thought to have exploited the nostalgia for the Roman circus, traveling between towns and performing at local fairs. Another possible link between the Roman and modern circus could have been bands of Gypsies who appeared in Europe in the 14th century and in Britain from the 15th century bringing with them circus skills and trained animals.^{[citation needed]} Language(s) Romani, languages of native region Religion(s) Romanipen, combined with assimilations from local religions Related ethnic groups South Asians (Desi) This article is about the Indo-Aryan ethnic group. ...

In China's Eastern Han Dynasty scholar Zhang Heng was one of the first to describe acrobatic theme shows in the royal palaces in his writing "Ode to the Western Capital". A grand acrobatic show was held by Emperor Wu of Han in 108 BC for foreign guests^[1]. Most western text describe the circus as a "Chinese Circus". The Far East generally see it as a separate performance art called Chinese variety art, and is not believed to be a direct predecessor to "Western Circus" despite many stunts and performances being similar. The Han Dynasty (Traditional Chinese characters: 漢朝, Simplified Chinese characters: 汉朝, pinyin Hàncháo 202 BC - AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. ... For other uses, see Zhang Heng (disambiguation). ... Emperor Wu of Han (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), (156 BC[1]–March 29, 87 BC), personal name Liu Che (劉徹), was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty in China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under... This article is about the Asian regions. ... Variety arts in China, including tightrope walking, acrobatics, animal acts, and sleight of hand date back at least as far as the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) and were very popular in the imperial court. ...

Development of the circus

Lion tamer, in lithograph by Gibson & Co., 1873.

The modern concept of a circus as a circular arena surrounded by tiers of seats, for the exhibition of equestrian, acrobatic, and other performances seems to have existed since the late 18th century.^[2] The popularity of the circus in England may be traced to that held by Philip Astley in London, the first performance of his circus is said to have been held on January 9, 1768. One of Astley's major contributions to the circus was bringing trick horse riding into a ring, though Astley referred to it as the Circle. Later, to suit equestrian acts moving from one circus to another, the diameter of the circus ring was set at 42 feet (13 m), which is the size ring needed for horses to circle comfortably at full gallop. Astley never called his performances a 'circus'; that title was thought up by his rival John Hughes, who set up his Royal Circus a short distance from Astley's 'Amphitheatre of Equestrian Arts' in Lambeth, London. Astley was followed by Andrew Ducrow, whose feats of horsemanship had much to do with establishing the traditions of the circus, which were perpetuated by Henglers and Sangers celebrated shows in a later generation. In England circuses were often held in purpose built buildings in large cities, such as the London Hippodrome, which was built as a combination of the circus, the menagerie and the variety theatre, where wild animals such as lions and elephants from time to time appeared in the ring, and where convulsions of nature such as floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have been produced with an extraordinary wealth of realistic display. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Philip Astley (January 8, 1742–January 27, 1814) is regarded as the father of modern circus. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1768 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Andrew Ducrow (1793 - 1842) was a British circus performer often called the Father of British circus equestrianism and the Colossus of equestrians. Ducrow was trained by his father who had immigrated to England from Belgium in 1793. ... The London Hippodrome was built in 1900 by Frank Matcham for Edward Moss as a hippodrome for circus and variety performances, including a tank for aquatic performances. ...

Trapeze artists, in lithograph by Calvert Litho. Co., 1890.

Antonio Franconi, the founder of the French circus, is credited by many to be a co-creator of the modern circus, along with Philip Astley. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Trapeze artists, in lithograph by Calvert Litho. ... Antonio Franconi (born 1738 in Venice, Italy - died 1836 in Paris, France) was an Italian horse rider. ...

The first circus building in the United States opened in 1793 in Philadelphia with a performance by John Bill Ricketts^[3]. George Washington attended a performance there later that season^[4]. In the Americas of the first two decades of the 19th century, The Circus of Pepin and Breschard toured from Montreal to Havana, building circus theatres in many of the cities they visited. Later the establishments of Purdy, Welch & Co., and of van Amburgh gave a wider popularity to the circus in the United States. In 1825 Joshuah Purdy Brown was the first circus owner to use a large canvas tent for the circus performance. Circus pioneer Dan Rice was probably the most famous circus and clown pre-Civil War, popularizing such expressions as "The One-Horse Show" and "Hey, Rube!". The American circus was revolutionized by P. T. Barnum and William Cameron Coup, who launched P. T. Barnum's Museum, Menagerie & Circus, a travelling combination animal and human oddities, the exhibition of humans as a freak show or sideshow was thus an American invention. Coup was also the first circus entrepreneur to use circus trains to transport the circus from town to town; a practice that continues today and introduced the first multiple ringed circuses. For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... John Bill Ricketts by Gilbert Stuart John Bill Ricketts, an Englishman who brought the first modern circus to the United States, began his theatrical career with Hughes Royal Circus in London in the 1780s coming over from England in 1792 to establish his first circus in Philadelphia. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... The equestrian theatre company of Pépin and Breschard arrived in the United States of America from Madrid, Spain (where they had performed during the 1805 and 1806 seasons), in November of 1807. ... Dan Rice circa 1840s. ... Hey, Rube! is a circus slang term most commonly used in the United States with origins in the middle 19th century. ... Phineas Taylor Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum by Mathew Brady 1856 newspaper advertisement for Barnums American Museum Parody of Jenny Linds first American tour for P.T. Barnum, New York City, October 1850 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5... William Cameron Coup (1837 – March 4, 1895) was a Wisconsin businessman who partnered with P.T. Barnum and Dan Castello in 1871 to form the P.T. Barnum’s Museum, Menagerie and Circus. Previously Barnum had a museum at a fixed location in New York City and the traveling circus... Ringling Bros. ... For other uses of this word, see Freakshow (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sideshow (disambiguation). ... old photo of Barnum and Bailey Circus train photo from Florida Photographic Collection A circus train is a modern method of conveyance for circus troupes. ...

In 1840 the equestrian Thomas Cooke returned to England from the United States, bringing with him a circus tent. Three important circus innovators were Italian Giuseppe Chiarini, and Frenchmen Louis Soullier and Jacques Tourniaire, whose early travelling circuses introduced the circus to Latin America, Australia, South East Asia, China, India, South Africa and Russia. Soullier was the first circus owner to introduce Chinese acrobatics to the European circus when he returned from his travels in 1866 and Tourniaire was the first to introduce the performing art to Ranga where it became extremely popular. Following Barnum's death his circus merged with that of James Anthony Bailey, and travelled to Europe as Barnum & Bailey "Greatest Show On Earth" where it toured from 1897 to 1902, impressing other circus owners with its large scale, its touring techniques including the tent and circus train and the combination of circus acts, zoological exhibition and the freak show. This format was adopted by European circuses at the turn of the 20th century. Thomas Cooke (March 8, 1807 – October 19, 1868) was a British instrument maker. ... James Anthony Bailey (July 4, 1847-April 11, 1906) was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan, and died in Mount Vernon, New York. ...

The influence of the American circus brought about a considerable change in the character of the modern circus. In arenas too large for speech to be easily audible, the traditional comic dialog of the clown assumed a less prominent place than formerly, while the vastly increased wealth of stage properties relegated to the background the old-fashioned equestrian feats, which were replaced by more ambitious acrobatic performances, and by exhibitions of skill, strength and daring, requiring the employment of immense numbers of performers and often of complicated and expensive machinery. In 1919, Lenin, head of the USSR, expressed a wish for the circus to become 'the people's art-form', given facilities and status on a par with theatre, opera and ballet. The USSR nationalized the Soviet circuses. When the Moscow State Circus company began international tours in the 1950's, its levels of originality and artistic skill were widely applauded, and the high standard of the Russian State circus continues to this day.

The International Circus Congress held in Madrid over the 4th to 6th October 1988 issued the following statement: (1) That each country be asked to recognize that the circus arts are a valuable cultural manifestation and form an essential part of the culture and history of humanity. (2) That the circus is an entertainment worthy of protection in each country, to conserve the circus arts and the way of life of its performers. (3)That the real identity and quality of the circus should be defended in order to avoid its degradation. (4) That the setting up of circus schools be encouraged and that places there be available to students from other countries. (5) That animals are an integral part of the circus.

Full details of the above Congress meeting appeared in the Circus Fans of Great Britain 'King Pole' Magazine December 1988 issue. Personally I would agree with the above plus that the two words 'circus' and 'clown' should be totally safeguarded to mean clean, wholesome family entertainment and to curtail efforts that (quote) degrade them. 14th April 2008 - Tommy Sandow

Contemporary circus

Cirque du Soleil performing Dralion in Vienna, 2004

In the 1960s and 1970s, the circus began to lose popularity as people became more interested in alternative forms of entertainment. Some circuses have stayed afloat by merging with other circus companies. There are numerous circuses that maintain a mix of animal and human performers, these include Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the Moscow State Circus, Circus Krone[1] from Munich, Circus Royale from Australia and the Big Apple Circus. Circus Circus is a Las Vegas circus themed casino and the largest permanent big top in the world also presents human and animal performances. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1529x1024, 119 KB) Image:Http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1529x1024, 119 KB) Image:Http://www. ... Cirque du Soleil (French for Circus of the Sun) is an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. ... A photo from a Vienna Dralion show. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... Ringling Bros. ... The Moscow State Circus is a touring circus. ... CIRCUS ROYALE is an Australian circus troupe owned by Damian Syred. ... The Big Apple Circus is a circus that is located in New York City. ... This article is about the Circus Circus hotel and casino in Las Vegas. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ...

Cirque nouveau / New Circus is a performing arts movement that developed in the 1970s, simultaneously in France, Australia the West Coast of the U.S. and the U.K . There are no animals used in this type of circus and influences are drawn as much from contemporary culture as from circus history. Examples include Circus Oz forged in Australia in 1977 from SoapBox Circus and New Circus, both founded in the early 70's, The Pickle Family Circus[2] founded in San Francisco in 1975, and more recently Circus Burlesque from the U.K in 1980 and Nofitstate circus[3] in 1984 from Wales, Cirque du Soleil founded in Quebec, Canada in 1984, Archaos in 1986, Club Swing in 1994, through to more recent examples such as Teatro ZinZanni, founded in Seattle in 1998, Quebec's Cirque Éloize, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, also know as The 7 Fingers [4], and the West African (French Guinea - Guinée) Circus Baobab[5] in the late 90's. The form includes other circus troupes such as the Le Cirque Imaginaire, later renamed Le Cirque Invisible both founded and directed by Victoria Chaplin, granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, the Tiger Lillies, Circus Monoxide, Acrobat, Dislocate[6], RANGA Circus[7] (now CIRCA), and Throwdown, while The Jim Rose Circus and The Happy Sideshow are both interesting takes on the sideshow. Cirque Nouveau, or contemporary circus, is a relatively new form of performing art where a story or a theme is conveyed by using the traditional circus arts. ... Circus Oz is an Australian circus group that was founded in 1978 through the amalgamation of two groups: Soapbox Circus and New Circus. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... This article is about the country. ... Cirque du Soleil (French for Circus of the Sun) is an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Archaos was a French circus created by Pierrot Bidon in 1984. ... Teatro ZinZanni is a circus dinner theater that began in the neighborhood of Lower Queen Anne in Seattle, Washington. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Cirque Éloize is a Quebec based circus troupe. ... For other uses, see Guinea (disambiguation). ... Victoria Chaplin (May 19, 1951-) is an American actor, the daughter of actor/comedian Charlie Chaplin and Oona Chaplin, the daughter of Eugene ONeill. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... The band after a concert The Tiger Lillies are a three-piece band, based in London. ... Look up Circa on Wiktionary, the free dictionary The Latin word circa, literally meaning about, is often used to describe various dates (often birth and death dates) that are uncertain. ... The original Jim Rose Circus is (was?) a modern-day version of a freak show[1][2] circus sideshow. ... For other uses, see Sideshow (disambiguation). ...

Swedish nouveau circus company Cirkus Cirkör was founded 1995. U.S. Company PURE Cirkus [8] under the Genre of Cirque Noir, was founded in 2004, and in Northern England, (United Kingdom), combining punk, rap, dance music, comedy, and daring stunts, Skewed Circus delivers "pop-circus" genre entertainment to young urban audiences who have not had the opportunity to visit traditional circuses. Northern England, The North or North of England is a rather ill-defined term, with no universally accepted definition. ...

Circuses from China, drawing on Chinese traditions of acrobatics, like the Chinese State Circus are also popular touring acts. A tradition is a story or a custom that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a writing system. ... High wire act Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts, and is also practiced as a sport. ... The Chinese State Circus is a touring circus. ...

The International Circus Festival of Monaco[9] has been held in Monte Carlo since 1974 and was the first of many international awards for circus performers. Monte Carlo is a very wealthy section of the city-state of Monaco known for its casino, gambling, beaches, glamour, and sightings of famous people. ...

The circus performance

Fire breathers risk burns, both internal and external, as well as poisoning in the pursuit of their art.

Female animal trainer and leopard. Human performers in Big Cat acts such as these are often referred to by the misnomer "Lion tamers". Animal rights activists allege that these acts involve cruel training methods.

A traditional circus performance is led by a ringmaster who has a role similar to a Master of Ceremonies. The ringmaster presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the show moving. The activity of the circus takes place within a ring; large circuses may have multiple rings, like the six ringed Moscow State Circus. A circus traditionally has its own band. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Fire breathing is the act of creating a large flame by spraying, with ones breath, a flammable liquid upon an open flame. ... Download high resolution version (2000x1555, 1707 KB)TITLE: Vallecitas leopards CALL NUMBER: SSF - Circus and shows--Animal acts--1906 <item> [P&P] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-117923 (b&w film copy neg. ... Download high resolution version (2000x1555, 1707 KB)TITLE: Vallecitas leopards CALL NUMBER: SSF - Circus and shows--Animal acts--1906 <item> [P&P] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-117923 (b&w film copy neg. ... An animal trainer is a person who trains animals to perform specific acts in response to conditions or stimuli. ... For people nicknamed The Big Cat, see The Big Cat. ... Lion taming is the practice of taming lions, either for protection, whereby the practice was probably created, or, more commonly in the West, entertainment, particularly in the circus. ... A man holds a monkey with a limb missing by a rope around her neck, a scene epitomizing the idea of animal ownership. ... Cruelty to animals refers to treatment which causes unacceptable suffering to animals. ... The ringmaster is often the most important and most-visible performer in the modern circus. ... A Master of Ceremonies or MC (sometimes spelled emcee), sometimes called a compere or an MJ for microphone jockey, is the host of an official public or private staged event or other performance. ...

Circus acts

Main article: Circus skills

Common acts include a variety of acrobatics and gymnastics including tightrope walking, aerial acts such as trapeze and cradle, and a variety of floor routines. Juggling is also a common act in circuses; the combination of juggling and gymnastics is called equilibristics and include acts like plate spinning or the rolling globe. Circus skills are a group of pursuits that were traditionally used as a form of entertainment in circus, sideshow, busking or variety/vaudeville/music hall shows. ... High wire act Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts, and is also practiced as a sport. ... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, gracefulness, and kinesthetic awareness, and includes such skills as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials and cartwheels. ... Tightrope walking is a spectacle activity usually performed for the amusement of an audience. ... Trapeze artists, in lithograph by Calvert Litho. ... an aerial circus act where acrobats act as either catchers, swinging other performers back and forth on a large rectangular frame, or flyers, those being swung. ... Juggling is a form of skillful, often artful, object manipulation. ... Equilibristics refers to a number of circus arts and juggling skills in which the main prop is rotated around its own center of gravity. ... Plate spinning is a circus manipulation art where a person spins plates, bowls and other flat objects on poles, without them falling over. ... A student from Simply Circus learning to walk on a rolling globe Rolling Globe is a circus skill where the performer balances atop a large sphere, often taller than the performer. ...

Clowns are common to most circuses and are typically skilled in many circus acts; "clowns getting into the act" is a very familiar theme in any circus. Famous circus clowns have included Austin Miles, the Fratellini Family, Emmett Kelly, Grock and Bill Irwin. Clowning redirects here. ... Fratellini circus family was worlds famous in late 1900s and 1920s. ... Emmett Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979), a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure Weary Willie, based on the hobos of the Depression era. ... Grock (January 10, 1880, Reconvilier, Switzerland - July 14, 1959, Imperia, Italy), original name Karl (Charles) Adrien Wettach, was a Swiss circus clown whose blunders with the piano and the violin became proverbial. ... Bill Irwin (born April 11, 1950, Santa Monica, California as William Irwin) is an American actor and clown noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s. ...

Daredevil stunt acts and sideshow acts are also parts of some circus acts, these activities may include human cannonball, chapeaugraphy, fire eating, breathing and dancing, knife throwing, magic shows, sword swallowing or strongman. Famous sideshow performers include Zip the Pinhead and The Doll Family. A popular sideshow attraction from the early 19th century was the flea circus, where fleas were attached to props and viewed through a Fresnel lens. Stunt man and stunt woman redirect here. ... For other uses, see Sideshow (disambiguation). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Chapeaugraphy, occasionally anglicised to chapography, is a panhandling trick in which a ring-shaped piece of felt is manipulated to look like various types of hats. ... Categories: Stub | Circus skills | Sideshow attractions ... Fire breathing is the act of creating a large flame by spraying, with ones breath, a flammable liquid upon an open flame. ... A fire twirler with staff A firedancer with poi A fire dancer juggling torches in a cascade pattern. ... // Impalement arts are a type of performing art in which a performer plays the role of human target for a fellow performer who demonstrates accuracy skills in disciplines such as knife throwing and archery. ... “Illusionist” redirects here. ... Sword swallowing is a dangerous performance art, in which the performer inserts a sword into his mouth and down his esophagus towards his stomach. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Doll Family The Doll Family was a group of four dwarf siblings who were popular performers in circuses and sideshows from the 1920s until their retirement in the mid 1950s. ... A flea circus refers to a circus sideshow attraction in which fleas were attached to miniature carts and other items, and encouraged to perform circus acts within a small housing. ... Not to be confused with Fresnel lantern. ...

Animal acts

A variety of animals have historically been used in acts. While the types of animals used vary from circus to circus, big cats, elephants, horses, birds, sea lions and domestic animals are the most common. For people nicknamed The Big Cat, see The Big Cat. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Genera Eumetopias Zalophus Otaria Neophoca Phocarctos A sea lion rookery at Monterey, California A sea lion is any of several marine mammals of the family Otariidae. ...

The earliest involvement in animals in circus was just the display of exotic creatures. As far back as the early eighteenth century, exotic animals were transported to North America for display, and menageries were a popular form of entertainment.^[5] The first true animals acts in the circus were equestrian acts. Soon elephants and big cats were displayed as well. Isaac A. Van Amburgh entered a cage with several big cats in 1833, and is generally considered to be the first wild animal trainer in circus history.^[6] Mabel Stark was a famous female tiger-tamer. Mabel Stark, whose real name was Mary Haynie (died April 21, 1968) was the worlds premier tiger trainer of the 1920s and she was referred to as the worlds first woman tiger trainer/tamer. ...

Recently the use of animals in the circus has been a matter for controversy, as animal-welfare groups have documented multiple instances of animal cruelty, used in the training of performing animals. Elephants in particular have been of some problem recently as is demonstrated by "Tyke" (1974 – August 20, 1994)^[7] a circus elephant who on August 20, 1994 in Honolulu, Hawaii, killed her trainer, Allen Campbell, and mauled her groomer, Dallas Beckwith causing severe injuries during a Circus International performance before hundreds of horrified spectators at the Neal Blaisdell Center. Tyke then bolted from the arena and ran through downtown streets of Kakaako for more than thirty minutes. Police fired 86 shots at Tyke who eventually collapsed from the wounds and died. Cruelty to animals refers to the treatment or standards of care that cause unwarranted or unnecessary suffering or harm to animals. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ... Photo of Allen Campbell (left) taken with Circus Historical Society trustee Richard Reynolds (right) in Peru, Indiana, 1993. ... The Neal S. Blaisdell Center is the premier community center for the City & County of Honolulu. ... Kakaako stretches from Honolulu Harbor to Ala Moana near Waikīkī and is home to Victoria Ward Centers and the John A. Burns School of Medicine. ...

In 1998 in the UK, The Circus Animal Working Party, chaired by MP Roger Gale, studied animal conditions and treatment in UK circuses. All members of this Party agreed that a change in the law was needed to protect circus animals. Mr Gale, Conservative MP for Thanet North, told the BBC, "It's undignified and the conditions under which they are kept are woefully inadequate - the cages are too small, the environments they live in are not suitable and many of us believe the time as come for that practice to end." Also cited in the study were concerns about boredom and stress, as well as noting that an independent study by a member of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University "found no evidence that circuses contribute to education or conservation." ^[8]

Sweden, Austria, Costa Rica, India, Finland, and Singapore have restricted the use of animals in entertainment. The UK and Scottish Parliaments have committed to ban certain wild animals in travelling circuses. In response to a growing unease from the public about the use of animals in entertainment, the formation of animal free circuses have begun cropping up around the globe, and animal free circuses have begun to be more wide-spread.^[9].

Circus music, films and plays

See also: Circus music

The atmosphere of the circus has served as a dramatic setting for many musicians and writers. The famous circus theme song is actually called "Entrance of the Gladiators", and was composed in 1904 by Julius Fučík. Other circus music includes "El Caballero", "Quality Plus", "Sunnyland Waltzes", "The Storming of El Caney", "Pahjamah", "Bull Trombone", "Big Time Boogie", "Royal Bridesmaid March", "The Baby Elephant Walk", "Liberty Bell March", "Java", Strauss's "Radetsky March", and "Pageant of Progress". Entrance of the Gladiators (Czech: Vjezd gladiátorů, German: Einzug der Gladiatoren) is a military march composed in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fučík. ... Entrance of the Gladiators (Czech: Vjezd gladiátorů, German: Einzug der Gladiatoren) is a military march composed in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fučík. ... Portrait of Julius Fučík Julius Ernst Wilhelm Fučík (18 July 1872 – 15 September 1916) was a Czech composer and conductor of military bands. ...

Plays set in a circus include the 1896 musical The Circus Girl by Lionel Monckton, Polly of the Circus written in 1907 by Margaret Mayo, He Who Gets Slapped written by Russian Leonid Andreyev 1916 and later adapted into on of the first circus films, Caravan written in 1932 by Carl Zuckmayer, the revue Big Top written by Herbert Farjeon in 1942, Top of the Ladder written by Tyrone Gutheris in 1950, Stop the World, I Want to Get Off written by Anthony Newley in 1961, and Barnum with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics and book by Mark Bramble. Lionel Monckton (December 18, 1861 - September 15, 1924) was a British writer and composer of musical theatre. ... Margaret Mary Mayo (b. ... Leonid Nikolaievich Andreyev (1871-1919) was a Russian Short story writer, who was active between the revolution of 1905 and the Communist revolution which finally overthrew the tsarist government. ... Carl Zuckmayer (December 27, 1896 – January 18, 1977) was a German writer and playwright. ... Anthony George Newley (September 24, 1931 – April 14, 1999), was an English actor, singer and songwriter. ... Original cast recording Barnum is a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical with book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart, and music by Cy Coleman. ... Cy Coleman (June 14, 1929 - November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. ... Mark Bramble is a Broadway producer and scriptwriter. ...

Following the First World War circus films became popular; in 1924 He Who Gets Slapped was the first film released by MGM; in 1925 Sally of the Sawdust (remade 1930), Variety, and Vaudeville were produced, followed by The Devil's Circus in 1926 and The Circus starring Charlie Chaplin, Circus Rookies, 4 Devils; and Laugh Clown Laugh in 1928. German film Salto Mortale about trapeze artists was released in 1930 and remade in the United States and released as Trapeze starring Burt Lancaster in 1956; in 1932 Freaks was released; Charlie Chan at the Circus, Circus (USSR) and The Three Maxiums were released in 1936 and At the Circus starring the Marx Brothers and You Can't Cheat an Honest Man in 1939. Circus films continued to be popular during the Second World War, The Great Profile starring John Barrymore was released in 1940, the animated Disney film Dumbo, Road Show and The Wagons Roll at Night in 1941 and Captive Wild Woman in 1943. He Who Gets Slapped is a 1924 film starring Lon Chaney and Norma Shearer. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... The Circus is a 1928 silent film which finds Charlie Chaplins Little Tramp character being chased by a police officer at a circus. ... Charles Chaplin redirects here. ... 4 Devils (also known as Four Devils) is a 1928 silent drama film directed by German film director F. W. Murnau starring Janet Gaynor. ... Trapeze is a 1956 circus film directed by Carol Reed and starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida, making her debut in American films. ... Burt Lancaster (2 November 1913 – 20 October 1994) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor, noted for his athletic physique, distinct smile (which he called The Grin) and, later, his willingness to play roles that went against his initial tough guy image. ... For other uses, see Freak (disambiguation). ... At the Circus is a 1939 Marx Brothers comedy film in which they save a circus from bankruptcy. ... This article is about the comedian siblings. ... This article is about John Barrymore, Sr. ... Walt Disney Feature Animation (WDFA) is the animation studio that makes up a key element of The Walt Disney Company. ... Dumbo is a 1941 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney and first released on October 23, 1941 by RKO Radio Pictures. ... The Wagons Roll at Night is a 1941 circus film, starring Humphrey Bogart as travelling carnival owner Nick Coster, Sylvia Sidney as his girlfriend and Eddie Albert as a newcomer who falls in love with Nicks sister. ...

The film Tromba, about a tiger trainer was released in 1948 and in 1952 Cecil B. de Mille's Oscar winning film The Greatest Show on Earth was first shown. Released in 1953 were Man on a Tightrope and Ingmar Bergman's Gycklarnas afton released as Sawdust and Tinsel in the United States; Life is a Circus; Ring of Fear; 3 Ring Circus and La strada an Oscar winning film by Federico Fellini about a girl who is sold to a circus strongman; Fellini made a second film set in the circus called The Clowns in 1970. Films about the circus made since 1959 include B-movie Circus of Horrors, musical Billy Rose's Jumbo, A Tiger Walks a Disney film about a tiger that escapes from the circus and Circus World starring John Wayne. Cecil Blount DeMille (August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959) was one of the most successful filmmakers during the first half of the 20th century. ... The Greatest Show on Earth is the slogan for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. ...   (IPA: in Swedish; usually IPA: in English) (July 14, 1918 – July 30, 2007) was a Swedish film, stage, and opera director. ... 3 Ring Circus was filmed from February 17 - March 31, 1954. ... La Strada is a 1954 Italian motion picture produced by Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti and directed by Federico Fellini. ... Federico Fellini (January 20, 1920 – October 31, 1993) was one of the most influential and widely revered film-makers of the 20th century. ... I Clowns (The Clowns, 1971) is an italian language, made for television film by Italian director Federico Fellini which explores his love of clowns. ... The term B-movie originally referred to a film designed to be distributed as the lower half of a double feature, often a genre film featuring cowboys, gangsters or vampires. ... Poster for Circus of Horrors Circus of Horrors is a 1960 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers. ... Billy Roses Jumbo was a 1962 musical film, starring Jimmy Durante, Doris Day, Martha Raye, and Stephen Boyd. ... Circus World, also known as Samuel Bronstons Circus World, is a 1964 drama film made by the independent production company Samuel Bronston Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures. ... For other persons named John Wayne, see John Wayne (disambiguation). ...

Circus Buildings

In some towns, there are circus buildings. The best known are

• Circus Krone Building in Munich
• Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard in Moscow
• Shanghai Circus World in Shanghai
• Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Cirque d'Hiver, Paris
• Budapest Circus
• Blackpool Tower Circus
• Hippodrome Circus, Great Yarmouth

In other countries, purpose-built circus buildings still exist which are no longer used as circuses, or are used for circus only occasionally among a wider programme of events; for example, the Circus Schumann in Copenhagen, Denmark or Cirkus in Stockholm, Sweden. The Circus Krone Building is the main building for the Circus Krone in Munich, Germany and the first permanent building used for circus meetings in Germany. ... For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard used to be the only circus in Moscow between 1926 and 1971 and still remains the most popular one. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... Shanghai Circus World is a metro station in the city of Shanghai. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ... Cirque du Soleil (French for Circus of the Sun) is an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... Looking down to the road below through the glass floor The Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in the town of Blackpool, Lancashire, in Northern England (grid reference SD306360). ... , Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

See also

• List of famous circuses and circus owners
• Circus skills
• Acrobatics
• Aerobatics
• Animal training
• Benposta
• Cirque du Soleil
• Dog and pony show
• Hartford Circus Fire
• Spanish web
• Wheel gymnastics
• Teatro ZinZanni

There have been many famous Modern circuses since the first modern circus was staged by Philip Astley in London on January 9, 1768. ... Circus skills are a group of pursuits that were traditionally used as a form of entertainment in circus, sideshow, busking or variety/vaudeville/music hall shows. ... High wire act Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts, and is also practiced as a sport. ... The Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force, flying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, England, in 2005 The UK Utterly Butterly display team perform an aerobatic maneuvre with their Boeing Stearmans Red Arrows Hawks in Concorde formation Indian Air Forces Surya Kiran during an aerobatic... Animal training is a method to teach animals to perform specific acts in response to conditions or stimuli. ... Benposta (from the Galician words ben and posta, meaning well set), known in Spanish as Ciudad de los Muchachos (City of Youth), is a communal charitable organization for troubled youth founded by Father Jesús Silva in 1952. ... Cirque du Soleil (French for Circus of the Sun) is an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. ... Dog and pony show was a colloquial term used in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century to refer to small traveling circuses that toured through small towns and rural areas. ... Tent on fire The Hartford Circus Fire, which occurred on July 6, 1944 in Hartford, Connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States. ... The Spanish web in circus performances involves a long, cloth covered rope with a loop attached near the top that a performer climbs and inserts either their foot or their wrist into the loop. ... Wheel gymnastics (German: Rhönradturnen) is a kind of gymnastics coming from Germany. ... Teatro ZinZanni is a circus dinner theater that began in the neighborhood of Lower Queen Anne in Seattle, Washington. ...

Notes

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Croft-Cooke, Rupert and Cotes, Peter. 1976. Circus: A World History. Elek. London ISBN 0-236-40051-7
• Johnson, William M. 1990. The Rose-Tinted Menagerie. Iridescent Publishing
• National Museum of Performing Arts, Theatre Museum. Circus Guided Tour

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. Encyclopædia Britannica, the eleventh edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Circus

• Circus at the Open Directory Project
• Dictionary of Circus Slang (American and British/European)
• Issues in Contemporary Circus 1995 Australian research paper

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