Although it is hard to acknowledge, fact remains a fact: circus loses its past popularity.
And as a result - almost empty halls (besides, in the West, even in resort cities, where people go not to look at
arrived circuses' peformances, everything gets another way). Simple today circus have not somethong to
astonish modern "demanding" spectactator. And such situation happens not only in circus.
Why a spectactor need look at dresseurs for, if he he can watch a programm about animals on TV or visit
an exotic country (thank's to a God, now almost everybody has such an opportunity). Besides,
without end we can hear cries about defend of animals, breaking of theit rights. And at last
instead of smiling to each other a person and his partner with a "wool and tail", children see
an "opressed" animal and a dresseur-monster. Why is it necessary for a person to look at a juggler for, if he can
watch fantastic film or may be even to concoct a flash-reel himself or to arrange a fantastic video.
I will not tell about broadcasts created to reveal secrets of tricks here: jugglers all over the world
signed a death verdict for him long ago :)
And it was because of it, circus' owners and artists themselves are to resort to various tricks.
To create light and electronic show, what even specially talented in technic comrades... : ) can not create thenselves.
In one world, here we also have a competition. Good it or bad? I think it is good.It's good when
there are no ungiftful and simple programme, which hides behind the madness of music of light and fireworks.
But for all that, circus lost a lot. Let's look back at several years and look how everything begins.
First there are wondering dust medieval roads minstrels, who were dressed simple clothes, but
they sometimes do such things, not every modern acrobat or joungleur can do. Imagine it? Is it romantic?
It is good that some people in music world began to revive this tradition. Or small family show-boothes,
like, for example, Winner Circus (I hope they still travel somewhere the roads of Belgium...).
Then minstrels start to unite into groups and in this groups, like in every medieval guilds, separated professions appeared,
and because of the necessarity to rule a booth, appeared people, who took the role of director.
Boothes began to grow and because of it they couldn't travel a lot, directors became rich and bought a territory
for building houses to give their performances. Though, not everybody do it of course.
It was an endless road, where the majority saw romantics. Becides, a circus can stay at one place for a long time, without
touring: even the best programmes became dull even for a person, whp is in love with circus.
A necessarity to create new tricks and programmes or to go to another city appeared.
Becides, now, if you walk a sea-front of any resort, Yalta, for example, you will see performances of joungleurs and
dresseurs (last, to tell the truth, more often, show their animals only and allow to photograph with them).
Very often free artists are invited for holidays, in to Palaces of Sport, for birthdays. Almost like in past times.
The difference is that now this artists use more show. More bright costumes. More light and even video effects.
And at last I want to say everybody, who is related to circus, to aim forward, to use all achievements of science and
technic, but no to forget the history of circus. Past and future are together forever! Remember it!
Author - Anastasia Kolodenko, 2007