Juggling circus economics

Big top business is under pressure, but modern industry models are helping some Kiwi companies survive.

When the American Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced it was to shut earlier this week, it seemed the final death knell for circus.

The 146-year-old US circus, which only stopped using animals in performances last year, could no longer attract the audiences it needed to turn a profit.

But while the greatest show on earth is no longer going to tour towns in the most prosperous nation on earth, little New Zealand can boast a commercially viable circus industry, holding its own after a renaissance in 2008 and 2009.

The two biggest touring circuses, Zirka, founded in 2008 by the Chinese-New Zealand, three generation circus family Hou, and Circus Aotearoa, also founded in 2008 by the Gordon circus family, both remain economically viable, with two very different business models.

Coinciding with their genesis was an explosion of circus skills training organisations, such as Dust Palace in Auckland, formed in 2009, and the Silver Circle community circus, formed in 2008.

While the idea of running away to join the circus is no longer current, the young can horrify their parents by signing up to do a two-year Bachelor of Performing Arts (Circus Arts and Physical Theatre) with the Institute of Canterbury, though some aspiring Kiwi circus artistes head to Australia’s National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne, Australia.

The Wellington Circus Trust, whose head trainer is Rosalie Ducharme, ex Cirque du Soleil, was formed as a charitable trust, in 2008, though there was a set-back when the Circo-Arts programme from the Christchurch Polytechnic shut in 2011 following the loss of its building after the earthquakes. A new circus school is being formed in the city.

Circus has always been a family business, and survives only because of the passion of individuals who love the life.

Hamilton resident Jeni Hou coowns Zirka, which draws heavily on the Chinese tradition of circuses in which her family is steeped.

Her father and siblings are Chinese circus royalty, but Hou, who was trained as a magician, was formally educated to go into circus management, and came to New Zealand to do a masters degree. She settled here, landing a job in academia, but says: ‘‘There was something missing in my life.’’

There was no question what it was.

‘‘I grew up in the circus. It’s in my blood. My whole passion is still for the circus business.’’

When came an opportunity to