Always-evolving circus still a crowd pleaser

Circus people hate the currently ubiquitous use of the word “circus” to mean “chaos,” as in “the circus in Washington.”

It is therefore somewhat ironic that circus folks took over Washington, D.C.’s National Mall in early July — not by way of protest, but rather celebration as part of the Smithsonian’s 50th annual Folklife Festival. Several tents were erected on the National Mall, including the Big Top from Sarasota’s Circus Arts Conservatory, a juggling tent, clown tent and cookhouse tent.

A highlight of the Independence Day parade was the fully restored 1902 Two Hemispheres bandwagon built for Barnum & Bailey, pulled by eight Clydesdale horses (not the original 40, but still an impressive sight).

The flags of many countries, including Canada, were proudly displayed on this wagon, and I had the pleasure (as an active member of the Circus Historical Society) of representing Canada as I waved to the crowd from the wagon.

The largest American circus, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, held its final performances in May following 146 years of continuous operation. This has led many people to erroneously believe that the circus is dead.

In fact, although one circus has ended its run, there remain more than 30 active professional North American circuses, plus Cirque du Soleil’s many performing units (including seven in Las Vegas).

Interest in the circus has never been higher. Where there were three circus schools in North America 15 years ago, today there are more than 300. One of the most prominent is the National Circus School in Montreal, although others are larger, such as Circus Juventas (sometimes called the “youth Cirque du Soleil”) based in St Paul, Minn., which has more than 1,000 students.

Circus is the most underrated art form in North America. It is older than literature, and enjoys an audience broader than (for example) opera and the symphony in terms of the ages, ethnicity, languages and economic status of the audience. It provides the unique experience of allowing audiences to experience the artistry of performers doing extraordinary things, extending the notion of the capabilities of human beings.

Circus is an immersive experience characterized by artistic excellence, en- ergy, beauty, laughter and pageantry. At the “Circus Town Hall” hosted recently by the National Endowment for the Arts, one presenter offered the opinion that the circus can even help us to overcome our addiction to iPhones and similar devices.

No art form stays the same. The circus has always changed and adapted. For example, the introduction of wild animals to the circus was originally a response to the fact that conservative people in the 19th century would not take the family to see a performance but would happily pay for the educational purposes of seeing a menagerie.

Although modern animal training methods are humane, public perception arising from past abuses and heavy lobbying by animal-rights groups have led several contemporary circuses to focus exclusively on human performers, or to go back to the roots of the circus which showcased horses and dogs but not wild animals.

The circus arts are increasingly being utilized as a tool for social change, involving marginalized citizens, such as disadvantaged youth, disabled people and residents of prisons, nursing homes and hospitals.

At recent circus performances in Washington, the ringmasters provided special emphasis on the fact that the talented circus performers came from many countries, including Cuba, China and Russia.

In the circus, the watchword is not so much “tolerance” as “respect” and “unification” through talent, performance and shared experience.

Further evidence that the circus is evolving rather than dying can be found in the enthusiastic public response to circus festivals, such as July’s Montreal Cirque Festival, and the parental and public support of well-established youth circuses where the performers are kids and teens, such as Sailor Circus and Circus Juventas.

An example of the evolution of the circus through increasing musical and ethnic diversity is the renowned hip-hop-infused UniverSoul Circus, founded by Cedric Walker, who received his showbiz training working with the Commodores and the Jackson Five.

Next year will mark the 250th anniversary of the modern circus, traced back to Philip Astley in 1768 London.

Astley’s shows included trick riding, acrobats, jugglers, clowns, music and the newly introduced (and still utilized) 42foot ring.

Ringling is unfortunately now sawdust (and a museum in Sarasota), but we can clearly see the resurgence and evolution of the circus, a worldwide force for entertainment and social change more popular and dynamic than ever.