‘No Animo Mas Anima’- Farewell to the circus beasts?
A new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in Châlons-en-Champagne reflects upon the ongoing debate about the
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History
Jewels of the Past: The British Music Hall Society Launches Conference
For Britons of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the music hall promised an evening of fun, leisure, and variety
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Circus History Live! Featuring Sylvia Zerbini
Inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame in 2008, Zerbini hails from a nine-generation circus family and has been performing
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Circus History Live! Featuring Jeanette Williams
This edition of Circus History Live! features 2023 Circus Ring Of Fame inductee, Jeanette Williams. An eighth generation member of
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Dimensions of Juggling in Chile – Docuseries Chapter 4: The Juggling Market
When exploring a whole continent’s worth of circus cultures, it can be hard to keep track of the many unique
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Dimensions of Juggling in Chile – Docuseries Chapter 3: Sport Juggling
When exploring a whole continent’s worth of circus cultures, it can be hard to keep track of the many unique
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Dimensions of Juggling in Chile – Docuseries Chapter 2: History
When exploring a whole continent’s worth of circus cultures, it can be hard to keep track of the many unique
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Dimensions of Juggling in Chile – Docuseries Chapter 1: Introduction
When exploring a whole continent’s worth of circus cultures, it can be hard to keep track of the many unique
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Circus Historical Society Bandwagon Internet Archive Collection Celebrates One Year
One year ago, Circus Historical Society (CHS) unveiled the Bandwagon: The Journal of the Circus Historical Society collection on
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Juggling: The Books
The history of instructional juggling books in English is, from my perspective, also the story of the rise of hobbyist
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A Gorgeous Landscape: Circus in Modern-Day Chile
As they tour the continent, the Esta Pasando project is taking us along for the ride to map out the
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Building Circus History: Steve Ward’s Next Book Explores Sights and Sites of 19th Century Circus
The ‘Big Top’ is an iconic image of the circus. But the Big Top was a relatively recent invention. In
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In 2023, Monte-Carlo Festival Shows Many Shades of Tigers and Somersaults
From the stands of the 45th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival (January 20-29, 2023), Raffaele De Ritis reports to us on
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Circus History Live! featuring Peggy Williams
This Women’s History Month edition of Circus History Live! celebrates the career of 2023 Circus Ring of Fame inductee Peggy
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American Circus Through the Pages of History: A Reading List
I’m always a little jealous of circus scholars that can begin their articles by describing what it felt like to
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Cirque de Demain: The Wings’ Beat of Tomorrow’s Circus
In the more than four decades since its inception, Le Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain has become one of
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The Circus Ring of Fame Foundation™ 35th Annual Inductee and Award Ceremony
Established in 1988, The Circus Ring of Fame Foundation™ was created to formally acknowledge Sarasota, Florida’s rich circus history and
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Elbows in My Ears: My Favorite Circus Book of 2022
A trailblazing circus career makes more than just a good story to tell further down the line: it also provides
Read moreThe History and Future of the Circus; Plus, How Cirque du Soleil is Leading a New Concept of the Circus
First, we talk with Jennifer Lécuyer, artistic director for KOOZA, a production by Cirque du Soleil, who explains the history of the
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Celebrating Black Artists in the American Circus: Zachary “Skeeter” Reece
The creative brainchild of performer-documentarian Veronica Blair, The Uncle Junior Project is a digital storytelling exhibition that showcases the lives,
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Celebrating Black Artists in the American Circus: Zanda “Zeke” Charles
The creative brainchild of performer-documentarian Veronica Blair, The Uncle Junior Project is a digital storytelling exhibition that showcases the lives,
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Who Owns Cultural Heritage? The Roma People’s Significance to Swedish Circus
Sometimes the most extraordinary things are hidden in plain sight, such as Sweden’s oldest circus, nestled at the end of
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Circus History Live! from the 45th International Monte-Carlo Circus Festival
This edition of Circus History Live! was broadcasted live from the 45th International Monte-Carlo Circus Festival and explores the event
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Dimitri – Swiss Clown, National and International Legend
Dimitri is a Swiss and international legend. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone in Switzerland who hasn’t heard of
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“My Kingdom For a Horse”: How the Folies Grüss Illuminates French Circus History
Built from classical techniques and a family’s long legacy of work with horses, the Folies Grüss stand apart as a
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Circus History Through Photographs: Dawn V. Rogala at the 2022 CHS Convention
At this year’s annual Circus Historical Society convention, writer and circus scholar Aine Norris got to speak with photographer and
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Circus History Live: A Conversation with Paul Binder, Co-Founder of the Big Apple Circus
This special edition of #CircusHistoryLive! on World Circus Day 2022 features a conversation with Paul Binder, Big Apple Circus founder
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They’re Not Just Women – They’re Superwomen! – The Rise of the Female Circus Performer
Every day across the world, thousands of women perform daring feats of circus agility, whether in the traditional circus under
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Circus History Live: Ringmasters and Role Models -A Celebration of Black History Month
This episode of the Circus Historical Society’s Circus History Live! vlog series features circus legends Johnathan Lee Iverson, Vanessa Thomas
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Circus History Live: Conversation with Circus Ring of Fame 2021 Inductees, Tina Winn and Nik Wallenda
This episode of the Circus Historical Society’s Circus History Live! vlog series features legendary circus professionals Tina Winn and Nik
Read moreRingling Brothers: Greatest Circus Ever – Full Documentary by Biography
Biography.com just released on You Tube The Biography Channel’s 2004 full length documentary about the Ringling Brother. We are glad
Read moreThe Story of Miss Lala, a 19th-Century Circus Star Who Could Lift Three Men Simultaneously
Historians say that in the 19th Century, women were the highest-paid circus performers, and Anna Olga Albertina Brown was no
Read moreHoudini Posters Set New Records at Ricky Jay Auction
Seven original Houdini posters sold yesterday for astoundingly high prices in Sotheby’s auction of The Ricky Jay Collection. A Water Torture Cell
Read moreMexican Circuses
Mexican circuses trace their origins to pre-Columbian religious rites and Spanish colonial entertainment spectacles. Their companies resided and played in
Read moreSaving Circus World
The mystery-laden offices of Baraboo’s fabulous Ringling Bros. Circus just won $500,000 for restoration and preservation. That’s the good news.
Read moreKeeping the Nazis and the Soviets Laughing Helped This Circus Family Survive the Holocaust
Kubush Horowitz survived World War II by making the enemy laugh. A clown in the famous Staniewski Brothers circus in
Read moreAs Circus Gets Serious, is All the Fun of the Fair Lost?
There aren’t many laughs in The Cambridge Companion to the Circus, but much analysis of how the Big Top became
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Flying Trapeze Won’t Make Women Infertile: How Victorian-era Infertility Myths Are Still Plaguing Modern Day Athletes
The first time I was told that my career as a female flying trapeze catcher would make me infertile my
Read moreThe Time Disneyland Had Its Own Circus, And It Didn’t Go Well
When Walt Disney first conceived of the idea that would eventually become Disneyland, much of his desire to build his
Read moreThe Life of Circus Lady Josephine Demott
In 2016, Milner Library received one of its largest grants ever to collaborate with Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and The John
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The Uncle Junior Project–Episode 6, Bernice Collins
The Uncle Junior Project is a sharing of research on the African-American circus community sparked by respect for the work
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Mapping Contortion in Japan– Part Three: Cultural Heritage & The Lion Dance
Following up with part one of my series, Mapping Contortion in Japan, I continue exploring the history of contortion and body
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The Uncle Junior Project–Episode 5, Paris
The Uncle Junior Project is a sharing of research on the African-American circus community sparked by respect for the work
Read moreBlack Performers of the Nineteenth Century Circus
As we move into Black History Month we should be celebrating the lives of black performers of the nineteenth century
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The Rise of the New Woman Within the Circus
Women have always had a place in the circus, but it would not be until 1896 that the “New Woman”
Read moreFrom Wirth’s to Circus Oz, Melbourne’s Art Centre is Still Home for Australia’s Greatest Circus Troupes
What began as equestrian events in the 1860’s led to travelling troupes of performers and exotic animals which became known
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The Uncle Junior Project–Episode 4, Zanda “Zeke” Charles
The Uncle Junior Project is a sharing of research on the African-American circus community sparked by respect for the work
Read moreMeet Khalil Oghab: “The Father of Iranian Circus”
Born Khalil Tariqat Peyma in 1924, the athlete acted as a stuntman in different world countries and set a record
Read moreWalking a Tightrope
Clowns, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians and dancers does this sound like a fantasyland to you? If yes, then probably you
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Exploring the Lives of Sideshow Performers with The Uncle Junior Project
This week The Uncle Junior Project takes a break from its regularly scheduled content to present new historical research called Entrapment
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The Female Aerialist: Androgyny, Femininity, and Muscularity
As a child, I was what some would call a tomboy, clad in baggy hand-me-downs while leaping from trees onto
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The Uncle Junior Project–Episode 3, Danise Payne
The Uncle Junior Project is a sharing of research on the African-American circus community sparked by respect for the work
Read moreAfter 76 Years and a DNA Investigation, the Identities of Five Victims from the Hartford Circus Fire Remains a Mystery
Chief State Medical Examiner James Gill said Tuesday that experts were unable to extract viable DNA from the exhumed bones
Read moreSSoP Podcast Episode 11 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats
For centuries, the circus has transported audiences to an enthralling in-between place: a version of our world where gravity seems
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The Uncle Junior Project–Episode 2, Susan Voyticky
The Uncle Junior Project is a sharing of research on the African-American circus community sparked by respect for the work
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Somersaulting Out of the Archive: Facets of Circus Studies in German-Speaking Countries
A conversation by Mirjam Hildbrand & Anna-Sophie Jürgens In times of climate catastrophe, refugee crises and Covid-19, the question of
Read moreThe Tiger King of the 19th Century
Netflix’s hit docuseries Tiger King is so relentlessly crazy that it’s easy to think that its particular breed of bananas
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Showbiz & The Spanish Flu: Lessons from Last Century’s Pandemic
The entertainment world is in a spiral, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cirque du Soleil has temporarily laid off 95%
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Mapping Contortion in Japan– Part One, A History
I recently published my anthropological research study The Art of Contortionism: An Introduction to and Analysis of Chinese Contortionism in
Read moreCircus Sarasota Reinvents the Great American Circus for the 21st Century
The circus is an ancient art form, dating back to the Roman Empire, at least. The reason it’s still around?
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The Forgotten ‘Gentleman of Colour’ of the Victorian Circus; Joseph Hillier
The Victorian era was the golden age of the circus. Popular entertainment for the masses, it embraced all classes of
Read moreKeeping Tradition of Circus Music Alive Is Focus of Retirees’ Windjammers Group
More than a hundred, mostly retired, part-time musicians from around the country gathered last week in Sarasota to revive what
Read moreColliding Expectations: Cautionary Tale from the Circus
It was the widespread use of trains that finally got the circus business on track. But wild success also brought
Read moreThe Untold Story Of Europe’s First Black Female Circus Star
2018 MARKED the 250th anniversary of the circus. In celebration, an exhibition which highlights diversity and complexity within the circus
Read moreThe Hartford Courant Let Survivors of a Tragic 75-Year-Old Circus Fire Tell Their Own Stories
Seventy-five years ago, a fire broke out in Hartford, Connecticut. On July 6, 1944, fire erupted inside the big top
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How a German Circus Saved a Jewish Family of Circus Artists
Back in 2013, I had typed a few words into the Google search bar, and little did I know that
Read moreDirector Sharon Grimberg On Her Big Top Historical Doc ‘The Circus’: “It Was Transgressive In All Sorts Of Ways”
Traditional circuses still crisscross the country, but on a much-reduced scale from when they ruled America as the undisputed “greatest
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Pascal Jacob, Straddling the Circus of Yesterday and Tomorrow
Picture the word impressario, and you will have a perfect image of Pascal Jacob, Vice President of the Festival Mondial
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New Circus Children’s Book About Historic Australian Performer May Wirth–Interview with the Author
It is a precious opportunity to learn about and from circus from folks who have traveled with and performed in
Read morePast: Arthur Konyot
I first learned of the Konyot family through professor Ron Beadle, a renowned British circademic and a descendant of the Konyot
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Philip Astley; the Man Behind the Myth
So, here we are in 2019 and the circus celebrations of last year are behind us – or are they?
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The Maroma of Mexico, Then & Now
My first approach to the Maroma was in 2008. I was member of Otro Circo and Circo Atayde Hnos invited us to a gathering with
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25 Moments from the Life of Cirque Éloize–Part 2
Cirque Éloize is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018. That equals 25 years of shows and innovation in the circus
Read moreBlack and Female Circus Artists Take Center Ring in New Museum Show
In 1879, the artist Edgar Degas attended a performance at the Cirque Fernando in Paris where he was dazzled by
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San Francisco Style Circus from Pickle Family to Bella
In front of the blue, red, and gold circus ring looms the iconic North Beach church, a bright white beacon
Read moreAfter the Big Top: CarlosAlexis Cruz on the Evolution of Modern Circus
The classic circus, featuring performing animals in three rings under the big top, has passed away. What’s taken its place?
Read moreCircus Performers Killed in Hammond Train Crash Remembered 100 Years Later
For more than 100 years, the remains of 56 performers and roustabouts of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus lay at the Woodlawn
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Rock N Roll Circus: Pioneers of the Brisbane Contemporary Circus Sector
With its roots embedded in the thriving bohemian and nomadic local arts scene, the origins of Brisbane’s (Queensland, Australia) contemporary
Read moreCircus250 – Museums and Galleries Celebrate 250 Years of the Modern Circus
This year hundreds of circus-related exhibitions and events are taking place in towns and cities throughout the UK as part
Read more250 Years of Circus: Why Straps Are the Most Balletic and Stripped Back of Aerial Disciplines
I do straps because it’s just me and the air up there. It’s the most stripped back of aerial disciplines.
Read more250 Years of Circus: The Death Defying Feats of Early Handbalancers
Handstands may sound like a ridiculously niche skill but they are actually a staple of many circus disciplines. My handbalancing
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250 Years of British Circus Posters!
When I was about 11, a shopkeeper gave me an out-of-date circus poster of a growling lion’s head to stick
Read more250 Years of Circus: The Street Origins of Foot Juggling
I began acrobatics 15 years ago when I was 7 years-old. I started to train in foot juggling in 2008.
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Philip Astley and the First Circuses; A Very British Institution
Here is a challenge for you – stop anyone in the street and ask them if they know what a
Read more250 Years of Circus: the Truth Behind the Cyr Wheel
This year marks 250 years since the start of modern circus. It was in 1768 that Philip Astley began his
Read more50 Years of Circus Photography – In Pictures
The year 2018 is the 25oth anniversary of the creation of the circus, and Peter Lavery has been photographing behind
Read moreChainsaw Juggling, Human Cannonballs and Coco the Clown! The Astounding 250-Year Story of Circus
When was the first trapeze performance? Who launched ‘the greatest show on Earth’? And which showman was celebrated in song
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Circus History Talk 250 : Dominique Jando Pays Tribute to the 250th Anniversary of Circus with a New Book
Circus Talk is happy to announce a new yearlong series titled Circus History Talk 250, where we will explore the
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The Great Omi
Horace Leonard Ridler (1882-1965) was born in Surrey, South East England. He was the youngest son of an upper-class family
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Almanac: The First Flying Trapeze Act
And now a page from our “Sunday Morning” Almanac: November 12, 1859, 158 years ago today … a day for
Read moreAmazing Photos Emerge of 19th Century Traveling Performers
The collection of over 150 images tells the story of the circus of the great showman ‘Lord’ George Sanger
Read moreThe Juggling Genius of Paul Cinquevalli
As a boy, Emil Otto Paul Braun, born in 1859 in a Prussian (now Polish) village, was renowned for his
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Performers of the Past; A Proud Legacy–Lulu Adams
Lulu Adams was born Louise Craston in 1900 to Joe Craston and Martha Cashmore. Lulu was born into a family
Read moreTribute Concert at Renovated Communist-era Circus Building Features Elation Lighting
Moldova – Elation dealer Eventika Grup SRL of Moldova recently finished an interesting project that the company worked long and
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Bindlestiff Family Circus Talks About the Nouveau Sideshow
The Bindlestiff Family Circus shared their review of the circus panel discussion on the sideshow resurgence and history that took
Read moreCircus250 Pre-Show Behind-the-Scenes Vlog Post on Circus Dairies
Katharine Kavanagh is at it again with another great vlog post on the Circus Diaries Youtibe channel, this one with
Read moreThe Leeds Tragedy which Killed Wife of Britain’s First Black Circus Owner
The mixed race showman of African heritage was the first non-white man to run his own circus, and he often
Read moreTraveling Exhibit in Lincoln Looks at the Height of the Circus Era, When Shows Were the ‘Home of Technological Splendor’
A new circus exhibit in Lincoln, Nebraska hearkens back to the golden era of traveling circus, a history that will
Read moreThis Archive Is Digitizing the History of the Circus
In a bid to preserve circus culture, Illinois State University’s Milner Library is making more than 300 circus route books
Read more15 Phenomenal Female Circus Performers
For many the circus is a place of wonder and fantasy come alive. But for these 15 women, it was
Read moreA Mass Grave Holds These Circus Performers. They’re Buried Together for a Tragic Reason
Showmen’s Rest is a mass burial of clowns, trapeze artists, and other circus performers. The wandering families of entertainers were
Read moreFrance’s First Black Icon Makes Comeback on Stage and Screen
The son of slaves and darling of bourgeois Paris, Rafael Padilla – known as “Chocolat” – has long been forgotten.
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Flesh for Beasts: Circus under an Evil Spell in the Madrid at War
Carne de fieras (Flesh for Beasts) is a 1936 Spanish film in which French animal tamer Georges Marck and dancer
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