Circus

A circus is a troupe of performers that presents a varied entertainment program. This can include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze artists, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclists, along with other artists focused on object manipulation and stunts. The term also refers to the performance field, training, and community that has taken different forms over its 250-year modern history.

The modern circus is credited to Philip Astley, born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, though he did not invent the medium. In 1768, Astley, a skilled horse rider, started showing trick riding in an open field called Ha'penny Hatch on the south side of the Thames River in England. By 1770, he hired acrobats, tightrope walkers, jugglers, and a clown to fill gaps between his equestrian acts, accidentally creating the format later called a "circus." Over the next 50 years, performances grew significantly, with large-scale theatrical battle reenactments becoming a major feature. The format where a ringmaster introduces choreographed acts set to music—often called "traditional" or "classical" circus—developed in the late 1800s and was the dominant style until the 1970s.

Venues have also changed since Astley’s time. The earliest modern circuses performed in open-air structures with limited covered seating. From the late 1700s to the late 1800s, custom wooden buildings were built with various seating, a center ring, and sometimes a stage. The large tents known as "big tops" appeared in the mid-1800s as touring circuses replaced fixed venues, and these tents eventually became the most common setting. Today, contemporary circus takes place in tents, theaters, casinos, cruise ships, and open-air spaces. Many performances still use a ring, usually 13 meters (43 feet) in diameter. Astley adopted this size in the late 1700s as the smallest diameter allowing a horse rider to stand upright on a cantering horse while performing tricks.

A shift in form since the late 1970s has revived the circus tradition. Many groups began experimenting with new formats and aesthetics, typically avoiding animals to focus on human artistry. This movement, often called "new circus" or "cirque nouveau," favors a theatrical approach, combining character-driven acts with original music in various styles to tell complex stories or themes. Since the 1990s, a more avant-garde style presenting traditional circus techniques in ways closer to performance art, dance, or visual arts has been called "contemporary circus." This label can cause confusion because "contemporary circus" also means "circus of today." Some commentators now use "21st Century Circus" to cover all current styles. This modern form continues to develop new variations while absorbing skills, techniques, and influences from other art forms and technology. For aesthetic or economic reasons, 21st Century Circus productions are often staged in theaters rather than large outdoor tents.

The word "circus" comes from Latin *circus*, borrowed from Ancient Greek *κίρκος* (kirkos), related to Homeric Greek *κρίκος* (krikos) meaning 'circle, ring'. In his book *De spectaculis*, early Christian writer Tertullian records a common pagan belief that the first circuses were staged by the Greek goddess Circe in honor of her father Helios, the sun god.

The modern idea of a circus is a Big Top with various acts, but its history is more complex. Historians disagree on its origin, and ongoing research continues to revise the history. For many, circus history begins with Philip Astley; for others, it goes back much further, to the Roman Empire. In Ancient Rome, the circus was a roofless arena for horse and chariot races, equestrian shows, staged battles, gladiatorial combat, and displays of trained animals. Roman circuses were similar to Greek hippodromes but served different purposes and differed in design. For naval battle reenactments, the circus was flooded. Roman circus buildings were rectangular with semi-circular ends, not circular. Lower seats were for people of rank, with state boxes for the games' sponsor and friends. The circus was the only public spectacle where men and women were not separated. Circus historian George Speaight stated that these performances took place in arenas called "circuses" by the Romans, but it is a mistake to equate those places or entertainments with the modern circus. Others argue the circus lineage does go back to Roman circuses, and a chronology of circus-related entertainment can be traced from Roman times, continued by the Hippodrome of Constantinople (which operated until the 13th century), through medieval and renaissance jesters and minstrels.