Circus is something that we now generally see in movies. At one time it was a popular form of entertainment and a circus in town meant lots of crowds. But how and where did it all start?
The circus probably started in Rome, (though some historians feel that it began in Greece), in the gigantic Circus Maximus.
This was a stadium that was more oval than circular, though the latter is the shape to which the word ‘circus’ refers.
It was used mainly for chariot races, and it was very different from the circus that we know it today.
The modern circus came into being when in 1768, an English trick rider called Philip Astley discovered that because of centrifugal force, it was quite easy to stand on his horse’s back while it galloped around a ring. He began to travel widely in Europe, spreading the idea of a circus and building many himself.
But though circuses began to appear in many countries, they were mainly restricted for over 60 years to equestrian acts. Skill in horsemanship still continues to be the main feature of a circus.
It was not till the early part of the 19th century that Isaac A. Van Amburg introduced wild animal acts into the circus. He is believed to be the first man to put his head in a lion’s mouth. In 1859, Jules Leotard invented the familiar flying trapeze.
Gradually the circus began to include acrobats, sword swallowers, fat ladies, giant dwarfs and, of course, clowns.
Clowns
Thick white paint all over the face, nose like a large red cherry, bright blue eyelids that climb half-way up to the forehead, green, or purple or orange fuzzy hair standing out from the sides… clearly this is the face of a clown.
But did you know that no two clowns can look completely alike!
This is because each clown owns a distinct ‘face’ and no other clown in the world is supposed to copy it!
Tights
All circus performers wear tights, but they came to do so only by accident!
In 1828, Nelson Hower, a bareback rider in a circus, was dressed, as was customary then, in a short jacket, stockings and knee breeches.
One evening, however, Hower’s costume for the performance failed to arrive in time and he was forced to go on with the show wearing only his long underpants.
This turned out to be so comfortable and easy to perform in, that he adopted the tights as part of his circus costume. Soon, he was followed by other circus performers
The circus probably started in Rome, (though some historians feel that it began in Greece), in the gigantic Circus Maximus.
This was a stadium that was more oval than circular, though the latter is the shape to which the word ‘circus’ refers.
It was used mainly for chariot races, and it was very different from the circus that we know it today.
The modern circus came into being when in 1768, an English trick rider called Philip Astley discovered that because of centrifugal force, it was quite easy to stand on his horse’s back while it galloped around a ring. He began to travel widely in Europe, spreading the idea of a circus and building many himself.
But though circuses began to appear in many countries, they were mainly restricted for over 60 years to equestrian acts. Skill in horsemanship still continues to be the main feature of a circus.
It was not till the early part of the 19th century that Isaac A. Van Amburg introduced wild animal acts into the circus. He is believed to be the first man to put his head in a lion’s mouth. In 1859, Jules Leotard invented the familiar flying trapeze.
Gradually the circus began to include acrobats, sword swallowers, fat ladies, giant dwarfs and, of course, clowns.
Clowns
Thick white paint all over the face, nose like a large red cherry, bright blue eyelids that climb half-way up to the forehead, green, or purple or orange fuzzy hair standing out from the sides… clearly this is the face of a clown.
But did you know that no two clowns can look completely alike!
This is because each clown owns a distinct ‘face’ and no other clown in the world is supposed to copy it!
Tights
All circus performers wear tights, but they came to do so only by accident!
In 1828, Nelson Hower, a bareback rider in a circus, was dressed, as was customary then, in a short jacket, stockings and knee breeches.
One evening, however, Hower’s costume for the performance failed to arrive in time and he was forced to go on with the show wearing only his long underpants.
This turned out to be so comfortable and easy to perform in, that he adopted the tights as part of his circus costume. Soon, he was followed by other circus performers
No comments:
Post a Comment