Enormous!

I had no idea that circuses were so large at one point!  

There were companies that were, of course, very small and struggled intensely to survive.  On the other hand, there were circus's that were MASSIVE.  

As the popularity of the new grandeur circus grew, it transformed this type of entertainment from a primitive but unique art into an adventurous and massive bravura.  

Originally in Britan, the performances of the large circus groups place in wooden arenas, as unto any other show.  However, this provided inconvenient and could only seat a small number of audience members, which equals little money. This issue eventually lead to the development of the "pavilion" or what is now known as a canvas tent.  This allowed the circus to become a massive transferable community that intertwined with the expansion of steam locomotion.  

"There are a great many people who believe that a circus cannot be a real circus unless it be seen under canvas, with dirt rings and the sawdust smell that goes with it." (Ringling, Circus Annual Ringling Bros 1901).   

The traditional and most commonly recognized tent is called the 'big top' and was generally constructed out of lightweight canvas, rings, ropes, and tall tree trunks and posts.  It consisted of three center rings, four stages, all of which were surrounded by a hippodrome track, accompanied by adjoining dressing rooms.  

The Thing that blew my kind: the circus was usually set up on a lot ranging near nine acres of land with more than twenty tents needed for functionality such as:

         -lifestyles and housing

         -logistics

         -expenses and technology         

         -capitals

         -museums

         -dressing rooms

         -local hotels

         -stables

         -automotive shops

          -And even the extensive incorporation of menageries - a display of exotic 

                   animals      

Another example of such enormity is the well-recognized Americanized circus, Barnum & Bailey.  It traveled across the Atlantic to Europe and toured there for six years.                                  

It's gargantuan size actually shocked me!  The circus was so massive that it took several of the largest ships; only one of those vessels "ferried twenty-six elephants, hundreds of horses and ponies, seals, lions, leopards, deer, cattle, yak, zebus, tigers, camels, the Chimpanzee Johanna, two hundred and twenty-four workmen, thirty performers, and scores of agents and managers. The opening extravaganza alone utilized over one thousand performers.  

It's fascinating how enthrall end the public became with the entire spectacle of the evolving  the monstrous, migratory, and methodical living entity of the circus, including the setup and take down, not just the show. Photographers and reporters alike were also present to document the hundreds, thousands, of spectators crowded together to watch as tents were set up, equipment unloaded, strange animals in cages, and more. As the showmen realized what a hit the before and after was, they began to charge a small fee to those who wanted to witness the final teardown accompanied by an exclusive final performance selection.

The set up, show, and break down often lasted only a day!!

 



s.

Phillip Astley

Huh, how interesting!  So it turns out that Philip Astley from Europe is technically the 'father of the circus'.  Granted, acrobatic and trick arts were around long before hand, but apparently he was the one who revolutionized the art and turned it into a spectacular.  He was mostly known for his horse riding - at one point he was able to ride the horse by standing on it's back while playing an instrument! Yeah, that's tricky!

I find it interesting that he wasn't particularly an artistic person, however it was his drive and determination and his incredible business skills that made his dreams so successful.
It all started when Astley was a little boy and he would sit on the wooden fences just outside his house, fascinated by traveling bands of wagons of tinkers and performers.  This of course sparked his need for adventure and an insatiable wanderlust.  His time spent by the fences also sparked one additional curiosity: his passion and love for horses.
As he grew older, he eventually enlisted in the military and worked exclusively breaking and training horses.  

It wasn't until he later that he was fascinated by a street performing doing tricks with a horse.
This is the part that changed everything.  He took that fascination and made it his own, training with others and developing new tricks and feats of his own.  Eventually enabling him to create entire shows based on horsemanship, humor, and adventure and his own school.  This led him to build multiple theaters, and establish many performing troupes - those of which traveled vastly and adventure.
At first, it was only himself performing little acts of his own.  he then proceeded to employ a clown, and a family of acrobats.  This was only the very beginning of the circus legacy and the tone that would be set.   He founded four circuses, the Royal Amphitheater, nineteen circus buildings, and also laid the foundation for the traditional use of red and gold circus colors, the music, the dimensions, and the smell of sawdust at the circus.  

Phillip Astley opened the door for elaborate growth within this thriving new art form, and over numerous years many since him have revolutionized the way the world viewed theatrical oddities.


Phillip Astley.  Source: http://www.circopedia.org/Philip_Astley

 

Origins

As it turns out, what modern day society knows as the circus, did not just simply have an early history.  Like most artistic forms of expression and entertainment, its roots lie deep within ancient histories and cultures.
One of the first recorded histories containing mention of any sort of official circus arts was that of Ancient Egypt.  They utilized specialized trained dancers in the form of acrobatics and contortion-ism. In Ancient Greece, acrobatics and circus arts were also a major part of the cultures, first beginning with bull/chariot racing in arenas. ACROBAT originates from the two Greek words "acros" and "bat" or in other words - high walking.  They used four different words for their to describe their 'rope-walkers'. Oribat-rope dancer, Nuerobat-rope is set a great heights, Schoenobat-flies down the rope, and the Acrobat-acrobatics on rope. And the earliest acrobatic troupes have roots from China, during the time of the Han Dynasty.  From that point on, it took flight and evolved into the many different forms of the modern day circus.
Several more examples include but most definitely are not limited to:
From the Hopi native tribe celebrating the coyote trickster reveling in deviance; ‘ball dancers’, acrobats, and contortionists in ancient Egypt; flaming hoop dancers and rope walkers in Greece; histrones and baladins from Russia;  traveling wagon performers, mimicry, and the Festival of Fools in Europe; tumblers and troupes in Asia; wire-walkers in the Mediterranean; cacophonous display of grotesque human distortion; to the modern-day brilliance of extreme talent, diligence, and training.



















Image of Egyptian female jugglers.  Source: NYU - http://maisonfrancaise.as.nyu.edu/object/lmf-13-circus.html


Images of musicians and artists of Egypt.  Source: http://panhistoria.com/www/AncientEgyptianVirtualTemple/music.html



Egyptain contortionist talent. Source: https://blausternschlonge.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/egyptian-orobouros.jpg

Dancing by young females in Egypt.  Source: http://www.m.touregypt.net/featurestories/dance.htm




Ancient Greek and Roman Acrobats  Source: http://www.blondinmemorialtrust.com/funambulus


Etching of Greek 'bull jumping'   Source: Granciso de Goya








Greek dancers.  Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17289/17289-h/17289-h.htm
















Roman Dancers.  Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17289/17289-h/17289-h.htm