All types of expression associated with the circus are called Circus Arts. It is a show based mainly on three types of acts or artists which are: clowns, acrobats and magicians or illusionists. Of these a great number of categories are derived, previously 5 categories existed that were already mentioned plus the show of phenomena and the acts with animals but these two have been eliminated of scene by the little approval that they have in the last decades.
Clowns
Are the comedians of the circus, those in charge of making the assistants laugh with feats of motor skills, reflexes, among others most clowns base their acts on clumsiness.
Although their main function is to make people laugh, there are also many clowns who base their acts on tragicomedy, performing generally sad acts in order to touch the feelings of the audience.
There are several types of clowns:
Jugglers
A juggler is a person who can execute a large number of pirouettes or exercises with one or more objects depending on the type of juggling that he/she specializes in.
Some of the most common objects in juggling are:
- Balls: This type of juggling is believed to have originated in Egypt as it was used for religious purposes.
- Nails or masses.
- Torches: of Jewish origin, they were used to brighten up wedding parties.
- Machetes: of indigenous origin it was mainly used to demonstrate skill.
- Diabolo: originated in China and spread throughout the world by missionaries who used to travel to China constantly.
Mime
It is based on the expression of an idea or an act based on the movement of the body without the use of dialogue.
Imitator
An imitator can be called a type of mime but is specified only in the bodily reproduction of a specific object or being.
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is an expert in the manipulation of an inanimate character for the reproduction of works or acts in general.
Acrobats
They are the risk-takers of the circus, with those in charge of surprising the public through feats that put physical integrity at risk or require some capacity beyond the ordinary or excessive preparation.
There are several types of acrobats:
Trapeze artists
They are specialists in moving through the air by means of a trapeze which consists of a long and resistant tube or rod held by two ropes hung perpendicularly from above. This type of act is performed with several security parameters such as the mesh and the harness only to guarantee the physical integrity of the artist.
Contortionist
It is based on the manipulation of the body and its extremities is characterized by several movements that manage to take the flexibility of their body beyond what an average person could do most of these are born with this ability of birth others acquire it thanks to many years of training.
Forzudos
They are in charge of astonishing the public with feats of strength that exceed the limits of what is normal they are strong thanks to a great time of training and special diets these beings are not only strong as far as the weight that they can support or to raise but also to the blows that can receive an example of this they are the men cannonball to which they shoot bullets of salvo or rubber to several parts of the body to demonstrate the resistance that they possess.
Balancers
They are the most risky of the circus, most acts are based only on the use of heights and thin objects or require great skill to be manipulated. These artists usually work without any security just to put their lives at risk to ensure a surprising show for the spectator.
Magicians or illusionists
It is the most famous type of circus art in the world and the one that generates the greatest monetary income in this type of art is based mainly on deception or illusion based on tricks or ingenious movements that divert the public’s attention.
Escapists: They base their tricks on escapism, which consists of getting out of a risky and visually impossible situation by means of manipulation and resistance.
Classical magicians: They are the magicians in charge of performing simple and well-known tricks but with a clear execution example taking a rabbit out of the hat or dividing a person in two are the most common magicians in the world and as you can see one of the groups of magicians with more tradition the innovation is very short since most of their tricks are of public domain and not too elaborated.
Street magicians: This type of magician specializes in performing acts in any kind of circumstances. These magicians focus on innovation and their tricks always tend to be much more elaborate, they do not require a specific scenario, on the contrary, their acts usually take place in unexpected places such as a cafeteria, a bar, etc.
Artistic magicians: These magicians require a specific place to set up their show. These magicians are specialized in entertaining a large number of spectators, interacting with the entire environment through hidden doors, floor traps, etc.
The circus apart from being a good method of entertainment is also considered one of the most profitable self-management activities because it has always been characterized by the good reception it has in different parts of the world, the circus has a number of origins which do not have an exact date but it is said that more than 8,000 years ago there is a record of circus activities in the world.
The Freak Show
It was considered a good source of work for people with physical disabilities and was prohibited thanks to the high number of suicides of the actors since they were exposed to various types of abuse only by their genetic malformations, mistreatment of the spectators and even of the owners of the circus is the kind of artists.
Animal tamers
These artists specialized in the domestication of wild animals in order to perform complex tricks as the years went by and the species became extinct, a great number of laws against animal abuse arose, therefore this influenced the tamers since their domestication methods were not very favorable for the animals.
The circus today
Nowadays the circus has increased considerably its exponents since with the arrival of the Internet and other technological means it is much easier to learn and observe this type of acts without leaving the comfort of the home although thanks to this its spectators diminish considerably.
It is one of the few circuses that became famous without the help of wild animals, it is a circus very respected for its wide tradition. Nowadays the circus performers have become independent. It is more common to see their artists succeed separately without the need to be together under a tent.
Although the circus from its beginnings has been something street today is common to observe in the corners or in any place to some exponent of these arts. In spite of the years its function is always the same to entertain and to generate a spectacle for any spectator of any age always making fly the imagination and giving to know the innovation in this type of areas.