Exploring Circus Culture
THE ASSIGNMENT
Random Circus Facts
Danger in the Circus-PBS Article
The Venue
Origin
Development
Cultural History
The Contemporary Circus
Acts
Animal Acts
The word circus comes from the Latin word meaning circle, or ring
A traditional circus is a trained company of acrobats, animals and clowns that work in unison.
Performers let you know their act is finished with their own special signature, a wink or a hand gesture.
It is harder to get into the Ringling Brothers Clown school than Harvard law school!
The human cannonball travels at warp speeds of 60-70 miles per hour!
For good luck, some performers keep an elephant hair in their pocket, from the tail of the elephant.
There is a New York City Trapeze School.
Whistling backstage is considered bad luck.
Performers NEVER eat peanuts backstage. Bad luck all the way around!
The circus is over 2000 years old.