Circus Act

Circuses bring many memories, of daredevil acts, fun with the clowns and many more. Over the years, circuses have evolved and adapted. But the heart and spirit remain the same. The circus world has its own terms like “blow off”, “first of may” and many others. Join me on this podcast as I recount some fond circus memories and explore the connections of clowning and the Maverick way of life. 

Transcript

Circus Act

Hello Fellow Mavericks, welcome to another exciting episode of the ‘Ordinary Maverick’ podcast.

When was the last time you watched a circus act? At one time, circuses were quite the thing. I remember as a child going to the circus was the most exciting fun thing to do! The anticipation of going to the circus started the minute we knew that the circus was in town.

Just a few months back, Sanjana and I, saw a big circus tent going up while driving by the freeway. Must say that sight of the large circus tent and the word circus brings many memories to mind. Over the years we’ve watched many circuses in different parts of the world and have seen the evolution of the circus of today. We’ve also read about the challenges with a circus, the concerns with animal welfare, of poor payscales, packing, unpacking, traveling and the problems faced by performers. It’s not an easy life however glamorous it may appear.

Sanjana and I once had the opportunity of going backstage and meeting the artistes after a circus performance. The living conditions in their travel tents was far from ideal and the description of their typical day filled with hours and hours of practice drew gasps of both admiration and concern from all of us. There was also the daily routine of taking care of the animals and making sure there was enough food and water, taking care of their living areas and prepping for the show. And then being on the move from one place to the other constantly. 

Today, with growing awareness of animal welfare concerns, many circuses including the most famous world-renowned Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus have eliminated animal acts from their show. Several countries and locations within countries have banned or restricted the use of wild animals in circuses. However, there are some circuses that still continue to use wild animals and this is something that needs awareness generation in the general public. The World Animal Protection agency has shared concerning evidence of the treatment of animals in circuses, poor living conditions, lack of good nutrition, cruelty in training and many others. It’s time there was a worldwide ban on having animals in circuses.

So, did we go and watch the circus? Well, after seeing the tent, how could we not go, right? Yes, we booked our tickets and off we went on a beautiful Friday evening to watch the circus. As excited as we had been as kids and when we took our kids, ha ha.

As we entered the big circus tent, curiosity about the circus arose. What’s the history? Where did the word come from and other questions. We wouldn’t be Mavericks if the curiosity button didn’t come on, right?

Well, circus comes from the Latin word, ‘circus’ which means ‘ring’ or ‘circle’. The Latin word comes from the Greek word, ‘Kirkos’ which also means ‘circle’ or ‘ring’.  It all started in ancient Rome, where circus were the large, oval shaped enclosures that were used for chariot races and gladiator contests. It was from there that the modern circuses evolved. It was in 1825 that Joshuah Purdy Brown used a large canvas tent for a circus performance. This soon became popular as it allowed circuses to become traveling shows moving from one place to the other with their own tents. The large tent started being referred to as the ‘Big top’.

In fact there are several interesting terms used in the circus world. The Big Top is one of them. Then the ‘artistes’, for all the performers. ‘Blow off’ is the end of a circus performance and the period when the audience is exiting the tent. That’s when the outdoor vendors start getting ready ‘to catch the blow off’. Then there was the ‘first of May’ phrase which designates a brand new employee. This came about because traditionally, circus performers were hired in the beginning of May. Many circuses still call their first year performers as ‘First of Mays’, even though they might have been hired in any month. And there is the circus Gilly – which is a wagon or truck used for hauling circus materials.

There is the ringmaster who is the master of ceremonies that introduces the different acts to the audience. 

Coming back to our circus experience. We say the ‘Cirque du Soleil, a French phrase meaning “circus of the sun” is a modern theatrical performance that emphasizes human artistry, elaborate staging and has a focus on acrobatic and theatrical elements and does not include any animal acts.

Must say we had the most wonderful time. The sheer skill of the artistes, the awe-inspiring trapeze artists, the daredevil acts, and the beautiful, stunning sets, live music and dancing were just fabulous. And of course, there were the clowns. Who did a great job tying the story together as well as keeping the audience engaged throughout the show.

I recall as kids we were both fascinated and a bit scared of clowns. Now I wonder why? Clowns can symbolize both positive and negative things. One can have humor, joy, playfulness with a clown. And one can also have fear, unknown, darker aspects especially when there is that sinister depiction. 

Some people have a fear of clowns and this is a recognized one. It’s called Coulrophobia. It’s when one experiences intense fear and discomfort with clowns. And the opposite, is Coulrophilia where there is an attraction to clowns. Some interesting terms there, right? There’s also the ‘clown alley’ – which is what a group of clowns is called. It comes from the backstage area where clowns would prepare, apply makeup and keep their costumes. Over the years, this has now become the term to use whenever there is a group of clowns regardless of whether they are part of any circus or show.

But there is a deeper side too. Clowns show us how we can get into trouble…many times unknowingly or without meaning to or wanting to…and then also how sometimes we can stumble onto solutions to our problems, They show us how to be aware of ourselves and keep our mind and heart always open to new experiences and also thinking on your feet, to give the right reaction to a situation. There is the saying, Look and one shall discover!.

Fellow Mavericks, central to the Maverick formula is the underlying strength of ‘keep going’, and embodiment of hope even when it seems impossible. That’s what the clown does. It keeps getting up regardless of being beaten down, regardless of the challenges, the threats that come its way. And it does so with a smile and equal enthusiasm each time. 

Each of us has ‘our clown’ in us. We carry resilience, hope, energy and freedom to accept ourselves and to rise and win. We just need to recognize this and keep going.

Clowning also helps us approach life less seriously. There’s a fun aspect to life which is so important to remember. Disasters or things that seem like disasters, eg, an event gone wrong, can seem the most awful thing at the time but then taking a lighter perspective can help in any situation. 

I remember one such event that Sanjana recalls from her childhood. There was a new movie released of the top actors and tickets were hard to get by. An uncle called that he’s got the tickets and they all rushed to the hall with major anticipation and excitement. There he was, standing victoriously with tickets in hand, beaming with a glow of accomplishment. He had bought them from someone selling extras. Everyone screamed with excitement and were all praises for his skill in getting tickets. As they went to enter the hall, the ticket checker stopped them saying these tickets have expired. Apparently, someone had sold yesterday’s show tickets to the uncle and in his eagerness to get the tickets he didn’t check. Huge disappointment at the time. But then, everyone saw the hilarious side and had a great laugh. They did finally watch the movie albeit a few weeks later. 

We also witnessed hope and finding creative solutions   to life during the Covid 19 pandemic. As the world came to a halt, people came up with more and more creative ways of virtual parties, connections and fun. One such virtual party was all about clues and completing tasks and sharing the pictures on a group as evidence. I think we had more fun than an in person party!

So my friends, my fellow Mavericks, if you have a chance, go to the ‘Big tent’ and have a fun time. And do bring   clowning into your lives ever more so often. Your day, your life, your journey will be all the more richer and fuller.

What do you think?  Write your comments, share your feedback at ‘theordinarymaverick@gmail.com’ and follow me on Instagram #theordinarymaverick.  I love hearing from you. 

This is Ajey, signing off and wishing you have an amazing day! Keep well. 

This podcast series was put together as a team effort from the Bhardwaj family.  Concept, design, title, researchers and reviewers: Ajey, Sanjana, Avantika and Niharika Bhardwaj; Script– Sanjana; Cover design – Niharika. All rights reserved.