Circopedia - User contributions [en]

Isaakyan Video (1984)

2026-07-22T20:11:29Z

Djando:

Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animal act (excerpts), at the [[Bolshoi Circus]] in Moscow (1984)

{{#ev:vimeo|1212126888|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Stepan Isaakyan]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Isaakyan, Stepan]]

Main Page

2026-07-22T20:10:55Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Isaakyan_Video_(1984)|Stepan Isaakyan]], mixed animal act (1984)
* [[Quincy_and_Rubel_Video_(2026)|Quincy & Rubel]], rola-bola (2026)
* [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Arnautov Troupe]], upright cradle flying act (1984)
* [[Timchenko_Video_(1986)|Vasiliy Timchenko]], sea lion act (1986)
* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single-point trapeze (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Stepan Isaakian Video (1961)

2026-07-22T20:09:25Z

Djando:

Stepan Isaakyan, mixed exotic animals attraction (excerpts), at the [[Circus Nikulin|"Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard"]] in Moscow (1961) — ''Document © Росгоцирк/Circus.doc (Russian State Circus Company) [http://www.circus.ru www.circus.ru]''

{{#ev:vimeo|71687695|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Stepan Isaakyan]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Isaakyan, Stepan]]

Stepan Isaakian Video (1961)

2026-07-22T20:08:50Z

Djando: /* See Also */

Stepan Isaakian, mixed exotic animals attraction (excerpts), at the [[Circus Nikulin|"Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard"]] in Moscow (1961) — ''Document © Росгоцирк/Circus.doc (Russian State Circus Company) [http://www.circus.ru www.circus.ru]''

{{#ev:vimeo|71687695|640|center}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Stepan Isaakyan]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Isaakyan, Stepan]]

Stepan Isaakyan

2026-07-22T20:08:01Z

Djando:

==Animal Trainer==

* Video: [[Stepan_Isaakian_Video_(1961)|Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animals act]], at the "Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard" in Moscow (1961)
* Video: [[Isaakyan_Video_(1984)|Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animals act]], at Mosocow's Bolshoi Circus (1984)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Isaakyan, Stepan]][[Category:Animal Trainers|Isaakyan, Stepan]][[Category:Exotic Animals|Isaakyan, Stepan]]

Stepan Isaakyan

2026-07-22T20:05:59Z

Djando: Djando moved page Stepan Isaakian to Stepan Isaakyan

==Animal Trainer==

* Video: [[Stepan_Isaakian_Video_(1961)|Stepan Isaakian, mixed animals act]], at the "Circus on Tsvetnoi Boulevard" in Moscow (1961)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Isaakian, Stepan]][[Category:Animal Trainers|Isaakian, Stepan]][[Category:Exotic Animals|Isaakian, Stepan]]

Stepan Isaakian

2026-07-22T20:05:59Z

Djando: Djando moved page Stepan Isaakian to Stepan Isaakyan

#REDIRECT [[Stepan Isaakyan]]

Isaakyan Video (1984)

2026-07-22T20:04:49Z

Djando: Created page with "Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animal act, at the Bolshoi Circus in Moscow (1984) {{#ev:vimeo|1212126888|740}} ==See Also== * Biography: Stepan Isaakyan Category:Video A..."

Stepan Isaakyan, mixed animal act, at the [[Bolshoi Circus]] in Moscow (1984)

{{#ev:vimeo|1212126888|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Stepan Isaakyan]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Isaakyan, Stepan]]

File:Gruss, Garde Republicaine.jpg

2026-07-21T19:27:10Z

Djando:

The Garde Républicaine delegation, escorted by Paris's Mounted Police, came to pay tribute to Alexis Gruss, Jr. at his funeral at the Saint-Roch church in Paris (2024) — ''Photo X''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Alexis Gruss, Jr.]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Gruss, Alexis, Jr.]]

File:Stables Alexis Gruss.jpg

2026-07-21T19:23:56Z

Djando:

The imposing stables tent at Cirque Alexis Gruss (2023) — ''Photo © Dominique Jando''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Alexis Gruss, Jr]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Gruss Circus]]

Main Page

2026-07-20T23:53:33Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

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|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Quincy_and_Rubel_Video_(2026)|Quincy & Rubel]], rola-bola (2026)
* [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Arnautov Troupe]], upright cradle flying act (1984)
* [[Timchenko_Video_(1986)|Vasiliy Timchenko]], sea lion act (1986)
* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single-point trapeze (2026)
* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Rubel Medini

2026-07-20T23:52:04Z

Djando: Redirected page to Quincy and Rubel

#REDIRECT: [[Quincy and Rubel]]

[[Category:Artsts and Acts|Medini, Rubel]][[Category:Artists and Acts|Medini, Rubel]][[Category:Rola-Bola|Medini, Rubel]]

Quincy Azzario

2026-07-20T23:49:53Z

Djando: Redirected page to Quincy and Rubel

#REDIRECT: [[Quincy and Rubel]]

[[Category:Artsts and Acts|Azzario, Quincy]][[Category:Artists and Acts|Azzario, Quincy]][[Category:Rola-Bola|Azzario, Quincy]]

Quincy and Rubel

2026-07-20T23:46:38Z

Djando: Created page with "==Rola-Bola== Quincy Azzario & Rubel Medini * Video: Quincy & Rubel, rola-bola, at the Festival International des Artistes de Cirque (2026)..."

==Rola-Bola==

Quincy Azzario & Rubel Medini

* Video: [[Quincy_and_Rubel_Video_(2026)|Quincy & Rubel, rola-bola]], at the Festival International des Artistes de Cirque (2026)

[[Category:Acrobats|Quincy & Rubel]][[Category:Artists and Acts|Quincy & Rubel]][[Category:Rola-Bola|Quincy & Rubel]]

Quincy and Rubel Video (2026)

2026-07-20T23:43:12Z

Djando: Created page with "Quincy Azzario & Rubel Medini, rola-bola, at the 25th Festival International des Artistes de Cirque of Saint-Paul-lès-Dax (2026) — ''Document: Festival Internationa..."

Quincy Azzario & Rubel Medini, rola-bola, at the 25th [[Festival International des Artistes de Cirque]] of Saint-Paul-lès-Dax (2026) — ''Document: Festival International des Artistes de Cirque''

{{#ev:vimeo|1211527624|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Quincy and Rubel]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Quincy & Rubel]]

Main Page

2026-07-20T22:09:55Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Arnautov Troupe]], upright cradle flying act (1984)
* [[Timchenko_Video_(1986)|Vasiliy Timchenko]], sea lion act (1986)
* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single-point trapeze (2026)
* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)
* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Arnautov Troupe

2026-07-20T22:06:48Z

Djando:

==Upright Cradle Flyers==

* Video: [[Arnautov_Video_(c1970)|Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, upright cradle flying act]], in the TV show ''Tous au Cirque'' (c.1970)
* Video: [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, upright cradle flying act]], at Moscow's Bolshoi Circus (1984)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Arnautov Troupe]][[Category:Upright Cradle|Arnautov Troupe]][[Category:Flying Acts|Arnautov Troupe]]

Arnautov Troupe

2026-07-20T22:04:34Z

Djando:

==Upright Cradle Flyers==

* Video: [[Arnautov_Video_(c1970)|Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, upright cradle flying act]], in the TV show ''Tous au Cirque'' (c.1970)
* Video: [[Arnautov_Video_(1984)|Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, ipright cradle flying act]], at Moscow's Bolshoi Circus (1984)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Arnautov Troupe]][[Category:Upright Cradle|Arnautov Troupe]][[Category:Flying Acts|Arnautov Troupe]]

Arnautov Video (1984)

2026-07-20T22:01:55Z

Djando: Created page with "Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, flying upright cradle act, st the Bolshoi Circus in Moscow (1984) {{#ev:vimeo|1211489885|740}} ==See Also== * Biography: Arnautov Troupe..."

Aleksandr Arnautov Troupe, flying upright cradle act, st the [[Bolshoi Circus]] in Moscow (1984)

{{#ev:vimeo|1211489885|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Arnautov Troupe]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Arnautov Troupe]]

Bouglione Family

2026-07-20T20:07:50Z

Djando: Redirected page to The Bouglione Family

#REDIRECT: [[The Bouglione Family]]

Main Page

2026-07-20T19:44:50Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Timchenko_Video_(1986)|Vasiliy Timchenko]], sea lion act (1986)
* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single-point trapeze (2026)
* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)
* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)|The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Vasiliy Timchenko Video (2015)

2026-07-20T19:43:24Z

Djando:

Vasiliy Timchenko, Jr., sea lion act, at [[Circus Nikulin]] in Moscow (2015)

{{#ev:vimeo|132579235|740|center}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Timchenko Family]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Timchenko, Vasiliy]]

Timchenko Family

2026-07-20T19:43:04Z

Djando:

==Sea Lion Trainers==

* Video: [[Timchenko_Video_(1986)|Vasiliy Timchenko, sea lion act]], at the Bolshoi Circus in Moscow (1986)
* Video: [[Vasiliy_Timchenko_Video_(2015)|Vasiliy Timchenko, Jr. sea lions]], at Circus Nikulin (2015)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Timchenko Family]][[Category:Animal Trainers|Timchenko Family]][[Category:Sea Lion Acts|Timchenko Family]]

Timchenko Video (1986)

2026-07-20T19:40:12Z

Djando:

Vasiliy Timchenko, sea lion act, at the [[Bolshoi Circus]] in Moscow (1986)

{{#ev:vimeo|1211475345|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Timchenko Family]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Timchenko, Vasiliy]]

Timchenko Video (1986)

2026-07-20T19:40:00Z

Djando: Created page with "Vasiliy Timchenko, sea lion act, at the CBolshoi Circus in Moscow (1986) {{#ev:vimeo|1211475345|740}} ==See Also== * Biography: Timchenko Family Category:Video A..."

Vasiliy Timchenko, sea lion act, at the [[CBolshoi Circus]] in Moscow (1986)

{{#ev:vimeo|1211475345|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Timchenko Family]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Timchenko, Vasiliy]]

João Godinho

2026-07-12T20:13:30Z

Djando:

==Aerialist==

* Video: [[Godinho_Video_(2025)|João Godinho, single-point trapeze]], at Circus Nikulin in Moscow (2025)
* Video: [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho, single-point trapeze]], at the Festival International des Artistes de Cirque (2026)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Godinho, Joao]][[Category:Aerialists|Godinho, Joao]][[Category:Trapeze|Godinho, Joao]][[Category:Single-Point Trapeze|Godinho, Joao]]

Duo Anastasiya

2026-07-12T20:12:32Z

Djando:

==Aerialists==

Anastasiya Donchanka & Anastasiya Putsiata.

* Video: [[Anastasiya_Video_(2020)|Duo Anastasiya, single-point trapeze]], at the International Circus Festival of Budapest (2020)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Anastasiya Duo]][[Category:Aerialists|Anastasiya Duo]][[Category:Single-Point Trapeze|Anastasiya Duo]]

Category:Single-Point Trapeze

2026-07-12T20:11:31Z

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[[Category:Circus Arts]]

Category:Single Point Trapeze

2026-07-12T20:11:31Z

Djando: Djando moved page Category:Single Point Trapeze to Category:Single-Point Trapeze

#REDIRECT [[:Category:Single-Point Trapeze]]

Arthur Morel-Van Hyfte

2026-07-12T20:11:03Z

Djando:

==Aerialist==

* Video: [[Morel-Van_Hyfte_Video_(2019)|Arthur Morel-Van Hyfte, single-point trapeze]], at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (2019)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Morel-Van Hyfte, Arthur]][[Category:Aerialists|Morel-Van Hyfte, Arthur]][[Category:Trapeze|Morel-Van Hyfte, Arthur]][[Category:Single-Point Trapeze|Morel-Van Hyfte, Arthur]]

João Godinho

2026-07-12T20:10:33Z

Djando:

Duo eMotion

2026-07-12T20:09:58Z

Djando:

==Aerial Dance==

* Video: [[Duo_eMotion_Video_(2014)|Duo eMotion, single-point trapeze]], at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (2014)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Emotion Duo]][[Category:Aerialists|Emotion Duo]][[Category:Single-Point Trapeze|Emotion Duo]]

Daria Bogdanova

2026-07-12T20:09:38Z

Djando:

==Aerialist==

* Video: [[Bogdanova_Video_2011|Daria Bogdanova, single point trapeze]] in rehearsal at the Circus Studio in Moscow (2011)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Bogdanova, Daria]][[Category:Aerialists|Bogdanova, Daria]][[Category:Single-Point Trapeze|Bogdanova, Daria]]

Duo Anastasiya

2026-07-12T20:09:15Z

Djando:

Glossary

2026-07-12T20:07:57Z

Djando: /* D */

[[Image:Zirkus_and_Variete.jpg|right|380px]]
==A==
;adagio:Acrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.
;aerialist:Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.
;aerial hoop:A heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.)
;aerial perch:A hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)
;aerial pole:A Hanging pole (similar to a Chinese pole), used as an aerial apparatus.
;aerial straps:Pair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act.
;antipodist:(French: Antipodiste, Russian: Antipod) Foot juggler.
;attraction:(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance.
;auguste:In a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown.

==B==
;balagan:(Russian) A fairground booth or theater.
;balagans: (Russian) Fairground booths or theaters.
;ballerina on Horseback:Acrobatic and dance figures performed by an equestrienne, often wearing a tutu, standing on the back of a horse.
;bambou:(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch.
;banquette:(French. U.S.: Ring Curb. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring—so called because it is traditionally large enough for someone to sit on it.
;banquine:(French) Acrobatic presentation in which an acrobat performs various acrobatic jumps propelled from a living platform made by the crossed hands of two other acrobats (as in "sauts de banquine" — See also: Basket Acrobatics).
;barrel-jumping:Act in which an acrobat jumps from inside a barrel to inside another barrel, often placed at different levels.
;barrier:(Russian. French: Banquette. U.S.: Ring Curb) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;barrière:(French) The line of uniformed artists and assistants who, in the old equestrian circus, stood at attention at the ring entrance to assist their fellow performers if needed. When seen today, the Barrière is usually made of the Ring Crew.
;bar-to-bar:A flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today.
;basket acrobatics:See Banquine.
;batoude:(French) A long wooden tramplin that acrobats use to jump over other performers, horses, or elephants, notably in the charivari. Also called "grande batoude".
;benefit:Special performance whose entire profit went to a performer; the number of benefits a performer was offered (usually one, but sometimes more for a star performer during a long engagement) was stipulated in his contract. Benefits disappeared in the early twentieth century.
;big top:The circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau)
;bolleadora: A traditional Gaucho weapon made of two weights attached at both ends of a cord, used by Argentinean Bolleadora Dancers.
;boss canvasman:(U.S.) In the traditional American circus, the person in charge of setting up and putting down the tents. Modern usage: Tentmaster.
;bouncing rope:An rope placed between two supports or pedestals, and fastened at one or both ends to a spring or bungee, so that the ropedancer can use the rope as a propelling device.
;bowl pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains piles of bowls on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with pyramids of glasses on trays, and is known as "Glass Pagoda".

==C==
;candy butcher:(American) Concession vendor; so named because one of the first successful concessionaires of the American circus was a former butcher.
;cage act: (English/American) Act performed in a cage, such as lion or tiger acts.
;carpet clown:(English) An Auguste performing short pieces between the acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. See also: Reprise Auguste.
;carrousel:A choreographed equestrian ensemble display, very popular in European court entertainments of the 17th and 18th centuries.
;casse-cou:(French) A front, or forward, somersault.
;catcher: In an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.
;cat trainer:(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc.
;cathedral: A large, all-in-one self-suspended big top (originated in France by Gilbert Gruss in 2009 for the Cirque Arlette Gruss), that contains the foyer, the house, and the backstage area.
;cavalerie:(French) The ensemble of the horses in an equestrian circus; a group of horses presented "at liberty."
;chambrière:(French) Long whip customarily used by Equestrians for the presentation of horses "at liberty."
;cerceau:(French) See Aerial Hoop.
;chapiteau:(French, Russian) A circus tent, or big top.
;charivari:(Italian, French) A joyous acrobatic display, mostly tumbling, originally performed by all the clowns of a circus company as a show opener. (Clowns, until the turn of the twentieth century, were generally gifted tumblers; tumbling was considered an "eccentric," or comedic circus specialty.)
;cigar box:A juggling prop in the form of a cigar box, which was originally made of actual cigar boxes.
;cloud swing:(English, American) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.
;clown alley:(American) In an American circus, the clowns' dressing room (or tent), and by extension, the clown ensemble of a circus.
;clown:Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.
;club:A juggling pin.
;construction: (French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction."
;corde lisse: (French) A vertical rope used in aerial acts, either for the act itself, or to climb up to an apparatus. Called Spanish Web when covered with fabric.
;corde volante: (French) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze. (See also: Cloud Swing.)
;The Courier:An equestrian presentation created by Andrew Ducrow in 1827 as ''The Courier of St. Petersburg'', in which a rider stands on two galloping horses, one foot on each, and allows other horses to pass between his mounts, catching their reins as they pass, eventually holding the reins a group of galloping horses in front of him. (Also known in French as ''La Poste''.)
;cradle:Piece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.)

==D==
;dance trapeze: (See Single-Point Trapeze.)
;djiguit:(Russian — Also: Dzhigit). A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).
;donut:(U.S.) A small, circular cushion, in the form of a doughnut, used for head-balancing tricks, notably for head-to-head balancing.
;double-double:A double somersault combined with a full double twist.
;dzhigit: (Russian — Also: Djiguit) A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).

==E==
;entrée: (French) Clown piece with a dramatic structure, generally in the form of a short story or scene.
;equestrienne:A female equestrian, or horse trainer, horse presenter, or acrobat on horseback.
;en douceur: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a mutual confidence mode, stressing their natural abilities — as opposed to ''en férocité''.
;en férocité: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a confrontational mode, stressing their dangerous nature — as opposed to ''en douceur''.

==F==
;fabric:(See: Tissu)
;flash:In juggling, to flash is the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;flic-flac:A back handspring. (See also: Flip-flap)
;flip-flap:A frequent misspelling of "flic-flac" (back handspring).
;flashing: In juggling, the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;fly-bar:On a flying trapeze rig, the swinging trapeze used by the flyer (as opposed to the trapeze used by the catcher).
;flyer:An acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard).
;flying act:Any aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another.
;flying trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)
;free ladder: Unsupported vertical ladder on which acrobats perform balancing and/or juggling tricks.
;front bender:A contortionist who displays a front flexibility (as opposed to a back flexibility).

==G==
;glass pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains pyramids of glasses on trays on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with piles of bowls, and is known as "Bowl Pagoda".

==H==
;hand-to-hand:An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.
;haute-école:(French) A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (See also: High School)
;heel catch:In a trapeze act, a dive frontward or backward, caught to the trapeze bar by the heels.
;high-school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high wire:A tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.
;hippodrama:Equestrian pantomime, often with a military subject matter, very popular in mid-nineteenth-century urban circuses.
;hoop diving:A Chinese acrobatic specialty involving acrobats performing acrobatic jumps through hoops stacked in a precarious balance above one another.

==I==
;icarism: (French: Jeux Icariens) Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Also: Risley Act)
;icarist:Acrobat who juggle another acrobat with his feet. See Icarism, Risley Act.
;iron jaw: Aerial trick in which a performer hangs from a small apparatus fitting in his/her mouth (a ''mouthpiece'' — French: ''mâchoire'') and hooked to another apparatus or piece of equipment.

==J==
;jockey: Classic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.

==K==
;king pole:(English) The main pole of a circus tent, and the first one erected to pull up the others.
;Koch semaphore:Rotating apparatus originated in the 1940s by the Koch Sisters in Russia, used as a moving high wire.
;Korean cradle:A swinging aerial cradle, attached to two verticals bars functioning like the ropes of a trapeze. It was originated by North Korean flying acts.

==L==
;liberty:"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip.
;longe:(French, Russian) Safety line connected to a performer by a belt, going through a pulley, and held on the other end by an assistant, or a teacher. Also know as a ''mécanique'' (see this word).
;low wire:A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Tight Wire)
;lyra:Aerial apparatus similar to an Aerial Hoop, but in the form of a lyre, or an aerial hoop with a horizontal bar at its top.

==M==
;mâchoire: (French) See: Mouthpiece.
;mécanique:(French) A safety line, or "longe" (see this word), connected to a rotating arm equipped with a pulley and hanging above the ring, originally used for the practice of equestrian acrobatic acts (such as jockey acts).
;Monsieur Loyal: (French) The régisseur or presenter of the show in a French circus. So called because of the many members of the Loyal family who occupied this position brilliantly in Parisian circuses.
;mouthpiece: Small apparatus fitting in a performer's mouth, used to hang from another apparatus (see: Iron Jaw).

==P==
;pancake throw:In juggling, a figure in which a juggling ring is thrown in a way that makes it flip over its own axis rather than spinning around it, much like a pancake on a pan.
;panneau:(French) A flat, padded saddle used by ballerinas on horseback.
;pantomime:A circus play, not necessarily mute, with a dramatic story-line (a regular feature in 18th and 19th century circus performances).
;pedagogue:(Russian, from the French) A teacher in a Russian circus school.
;perch-pole:Long perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures.
;pirouette:(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc.
;planche:(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;plange:(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;porté-lancé: (French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porter-lancer'')
;porter-lancer:(French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porté-lancé'')
;producing clown:(American) In the traditional American circus, the head of Clown Alley, who imagines and produces gags for the other clowns in the show.

==Q==
;quad:A quadruple somersault.
;quarterpole: (American) A support pole placed midway between the main poles and the sidewall of a circus tent.

==R==
;regisseur:(German, from the French: Régisseur) In Russia, the equivalent of a theatrical director in the circus.
;régisseur: (French) The stage (or ring) manager—and sometimes Ringmaster—in a French circus. (See also: Monsieur Loyal)
;reprise:(French) Short piece performed by clowns between acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. (See also: Carpet Clown)
;requisit:(German, Russian) All props needed for a Circus act; used internationally mostly for props needed for a cage act, such as stools, etc.
;rig:(American) The rigged apparatus used to perform an aerial act, especially a flying act.
;ring curb:(American. French: Banquette. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;ringmaster: (American, English) The name given today to the old position of Equestrian Director, and by extension, to the presenter of the show.
;ringmistress: Feminine form of ringmaster.
;Risley act:Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.)
;rola-bola:A board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks.
;Roman games:(French: Jeux Romains — See: Roman Riding.)
;Roman rding:Various equestrian exercises presented while riding standing on two horses, one foot on each.
;Roman rings:A pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.
;rosinback:(American) Name given to horses used by bareback riders, or defining bareback riders' act. (From the resin—misspelled ''rosin''—applied on the horse back, or back cover, to provide the rider with a sticky footing.)
;roue Cyr:(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr.
;Russian barre:Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole.
;Russian swing:Giant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net.

==S==
;short-distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.
;sidewall:The canvas wall at the periphery of a circus tent.
;silks:(See: Tissu)
;single-point trapeze: (also: Dance Trapeze) A trapeze of which the ropes are joined at the topmto form a triangle suspended to a single point.
;slack wire:A Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks.
;spanish web:A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.
;strap act:Aerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.)
;swaypole:A high, flexible vertical pole (originally made of a single piece of wood, and today of fiberglass) atop of which an acrobat performs various balancing tricks.
;swinging poles:Suspended poles with a small platform at their base, used in the same way as a Russian swing.

==T==
;tcheco:(Europe) A tent crew or circus worker. Before WWII, the best of them usually came from the Bohemia region in Czechoslovakia. (Somtimes spelled "Tcheko")
;teeterboard:A seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air.
;tentmaster:The person in charge of setting up and putting down a circus tent. (See also: Boss Canvasman)
;thrill act: A spectacular act that focuses on the display of danger, whether real or staged.
;tight wire: A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire)
;tightwire:See Tight Wire.
;tissu:(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks)
;top mounter:In an acrobatic or balancing act, the performer who holds the top position (on a human column, for instance).
;trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.
;trinka:A small, especially designed pedestal on which foot jugglers and icarists lie down to perform their act.

==U==
;under-stander:In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").

==V==
;varieté:(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s.

==W==
;Washington trapeze:(orig.: "trapèze à la Washington" – French) A heavy trapeze with a flat bar, on which an aerialist performs balancing tricks. Originated by the American aerialist H. R. Keyes Washington (1838-1882).

Glossary

2026-07-12T20:07:37Z

Djando: /* D */

[[Image:Zirkus_and_Variete.jpg|right|380px]]
==A==
;adagio:Acrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.
;aerialist:Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.
;aerial hoop:A heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.)
;aerial perch:A hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)
;aerial pole:A Hanging pole (similar to a Chinese pole), used as an aerial apparatus.
;aerial straps:Pair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act.
;antipodist:(French: Antipodiste, Russian: Antipod) Foot juggler.
;attraction:(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance.
;auguste:In a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown.

==B==
;balagan:(Russian) A fairground booth or theater.
;balagans: (Russian) Fairground booths or theaters.
;ballerina on Horseback:Acrobatic and dance figures performed by an equestrienne, often wearing a tutu, standing on the back of a horse.
;bambou:(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch.
;banquette:(French. U.S.: Ring Curb. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring—so called because it is traditionally large enough for someone to sit on it.
;banquine:(French) Acrobatic presentation in which an acrobat performs various acrobatic jumps propelled from a living platform made by the crossed hands of two other acrobats (as in "sauts de banquine" — See also: Basket Acrobatics).
;barrel-jumping:Act in which an acrobat jumps from inside a barrel to inside another barrel, often placed at different levels.
;barrier:(Russian. French: Banquette. U.S.: Ring Curb) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;barrière:(French) The line of uniformed artists and assistants who, in the old equestrian circus, stood at attention at the ring entrance to assist their fellow performers if needed. When seen today, the Barrière is usually made of the Ring Crew.
;bar-to-bar:A flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today.
;basket acrobatics:See Banquine.
;batoude:(French) A long wooden tramplin that acrobats use to jump over other performers, horses, or elephants, notably in the charivari. Also called "grande batoude".
;benefit:Special performance whose entire profit went to a performer; the number of benefits a performer was offered (usually one, but sometimes more for a star performer during a long engagement) was stipulated in his contract. Benefits disappeared in the early twentieth century.
;big top:The circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau)
;bolleadora: A traditional Gaucho weapon made of two weights attached at both ends of a cord, used by Argentinean Bolleadora Dancers.
;boss canvasman:(U.S.) In the traditional American circus, the person in charge of setting up and putting down the tents. Modern usage: Tentmaster.
;bouncing rope:An rope placed between two supports or pedestals, and fastened at one or both ends to a spring or bungee, so that the ropedancer can use the rope as a propelling device.
;bowl pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains piles of bowls on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with pyramids of glasses on trays, and is known as "Glass Pagoda".

==C==
;candy butcher:(American) Concession vendor; so named because one of the first successful concessionaires of the American circus was a former butcher.
;cage act: (English/American) Act performed in a cage, such as lion or tiger acts.
;carpet clown:(English) An Auguste performing short pieces between the acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. See also: Reprise Auguste.
;carrousel:A choreographed equestrian ensemble display, very popular in European court entertainments of the 17th and 18th centuries.
;casse-cou:(French) A front, or forward, somersault.
;catcher: In an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.
;cat trainer:(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc.
;cathedral: A large, all-in-one self-suspended big top (originated in France by Gilbert Gruss in 2009 for the Cirque Arlette Gruss), that contains the foyer, the house, and the backstage area.
;cavalerie:(French) The ensemble of the horses in an equestrian circus; a group of horses presented "at liberty."
;chambrière:(French) Long whip customarily used by Equestrians for the presentation of horses "at liberty."
;cerceau:(French) See Aerial Hoop.
;chapiteau:(French, Russian) A circus tent, or big top.
;charivari:(Italian, French) A joyous acrobatic display, mostly tumbling, originally performed by all the clowns of a circus company as a show opener. (Clowns, until the turn of the twentieth century, were generally gifted tumblers; tumbling was considered an "eccentric," or comedic circus specialty.)
;cigar box:A juggling prop in the form of a cigar box, which was originally made of actual cigar boxes.
;cloud swing:(English, American) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.
;clown alley:(American) In an American circus, the clowns' dressing room (or tent), and by extension, the clown ensemble of a circus.
;clown:Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.
;club:A juggling pin.
;construction: (French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction."
;corde lisse: (French) A vertical rope used in aerial acts, either for the act itself, or to climb up to an apparatus. Called Spanish Web when covered with fabric.
;corde volante: (French) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze. (See also: Cloud Swing.)
;The Courier:An equestrian presentation created by Andrew Ducrow in 1827 as ''The Courier of St. Petersburg'', in which a rider stands on two galloping horses, one foot on each, and allows other horses to pass between his mounts, catching their reins as they pass, eventually holding the reins a group of galloping horses in front of him. (Also known in French as ''La Poste''.)
;cradle:Piece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.)

==D==
;dance trapeze: See Single-Point Trapeze.
;djiguit:(Russian — Also: Dzhigit). A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).
;donut:(U.S.) A small, circular cushion, in the form of a doughnut, used for head-balancing tricks, notably for head-to-head balancing.
;double-double:A double somersault combined with a full double twist.
;dzhigit: (Russian — Also: Djiguit) A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).

==E==
;entrée: (French) Clown piece with a dramatic structure, generally in the form of a short story or scene.
;equestrienne:A female equestrian, or horse trainer, horse presenter, or acrobat on horseback.
;en douceur: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a mutual confidence mode, stressing their natural abilities — as opposed to ''en férocité''.
;en férocité: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a confrontational mode, stressing their dangerous nature — as opposed to ''en douceur''.

==F==
;fabric:(See: Tissu)
;flash:In juggling, to flash is the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;flic-flac:A back handspring. (See also: Flip-flap)
;flip-flap:A frequent misspelling of "flic-flac" (back handspring).
;flashing: In juggling, the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;fly-bar:On a flying trapeze rig, the swinging trapeze used by the flyer (as opposed to the trapeze used by the catcher).
;flyer:An acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard).
;flying act:Any aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another.
;flying trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)
;free ladder: Unsupported vertical ladder on which acrobats perform balancing and/or juggling tricks.
;front bender:A contortionist who displays a front flexibility (as opposed to a back flexibility).

==G==
;glass pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains pyramids of glasses on trays on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with piles of bowls, and is known as "Bowl Pagoda".

==H==
;hand-to-hand:An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.
;haute-école:(French) A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (See also: High School)
;heel catch:In a trapeze act, a dive frontward or backward, caught to the trapeze bar by the heels.
;high-school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high wire:A tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.
;hippodrama:Equestrian pantomime, often with a military subject matter, very popular in mid-nineteenth-century urban circuses.
;hoop diving:A Chinese acrobatic specialty involving acrobats performing acrobatic jumps through hoops stacked in a precarious balance above one another.

==I==
;icarism: (French: Jeux Icariens) Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Also: Risley Act)
;icarist:Acrobat who juggle another acrobat with his feet. See Icarism, Risley Act.
;iron jaw: Aerial trick in which a performer hangs from a small apparatus fitting in his/her mouth (a ''mouthpiece'' — French: ''mâchoire'') and hooked to another apparatus or piece of equipment.

==J==
;jockey: Classic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.

==K==
;king pole:(English) The main pole of a circus tent, and the first one erected to pull up the others.
;Koch semaphore:Rotating apparatus originated in the 1940s by the Koch Sisters in Russia, used as a moving high wire.
;Korean cradle:A swinging aerial cradle, attached to two verticals bars functioning like the ropes of a trapeze. It was originated by North Korean flying acts.

==L==
;liberty:"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip.
;longe:(French, Russian) Safety line connected to a performer by a belt, going through a pulley, and held on the other end by an assistant, or a teacher. Also know as a ''mécanique'' (see this word).
;low wire:A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Tight Wire)
;lyra:Aerial apparatus similar to an Aerial Hoop, but in the form of a lyre, or an aerial hoop with a horizontal bar at its top.

==M==
;mâchoire: (French) See: Mouthpiece.
;mécanique:(French) A safety line, or "longe" (see this word), connected to a rotating arm equipped with a pulley and hanging above the ring, originally used for the practice of equestrian acrobatic acts (such as jockey acts).
;Monsieur Loyal: (French) The régisseur or presenter of the show in a French circus. So called because of the many members of the Loyal family who occupied this position brilliantly in Parisian circuses.
;mouthpiece: Small apparatus fitting in a performer's mouth, used to hang from another apparatus (see: Iron Jaw).

==P==
;pancake throw:In juggling, a figure in which a juggling ring is thrown in a way that makes it flip over its own axis rather than spinning around it, much like a pancake on a pan.
;panneau:(French) A flat, padded saddle used by ballerinas on horseback.
;pantomime:A circus play, not necessarily mute, with a dramatic story-line (a regular feature in 18th and 19th century circus performances).
;pedagogue:(Russian, from the French) A teacher in a Russian circus school.
;perch-pole:Long perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures.
;pirouette:(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc.
;planche:(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;plange:(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;porté-lancé: (French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porter-lancer'')
;porter-lancer:(French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porté-lancé'')
;producing clown:(American) In the traditional American circus, the head of Clown Alley, who imagines and produces gags for the other clowns in the show.

==Q==
;quad:A quadruple somersault.
;quarterpole: (American) A support pole placed midway between the main poles and the sidewall of a circus tent.

==R==
;regisseur:(German, from the French: Régisseur) In Russia, the equivalent of a theatrical director in the circus.
;régisseur: (French) The stage (or ring) manager—and sometimes Ringmaster—in a French circus. (See also: Monsieur Loyal)
;reprise:(French) Short piece performed by clowns between acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. (See also: Carpet Clown)
;requisit:(German, Russian) All props needed for a Circus act; used internationally mostly for props needed for a cage act, such as stools, etc.
;rig:(American) The rigged apparatus used to perform an aerial act, especially a flying act.
;ring curb:(American. French: Banquette. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;ringmaster: (American, English) The name given today to the old position of Equestrian Director, and by extension, to the presenter of the show.
;ringmistress: Feminine form of ringmaster.
;Risley act:Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.)
;rola-bola:A board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks.
;Roman games:(French: Jeux Romains — See: Roman Riding.)
;Roman rding:Various equestrian exercises presented while riding standing on two horses, one foot on each.
;Roman rings:A pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.
;rosinback:(American) Name given to horses used by bareback riders, or defining bareback riders' act. (From the resin—misspelled ''rosin''—applied on the horse back, or back cover, to provide the rider with a sticky footing.)
;roue Cyr:(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr.
;Russian barre:Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole.
;Russian swing:Giant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net.

==S==
;short-distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.
;sidewall:The canvas wall at the periphery of a circus tent.
;silks:(See: Tissu)
;single-point trapeze: (also: Dance Trapeze) A trapeze of which the ropes are joined at the topmto form a triangle suspended to a single point.
;slack wire:A Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks.
;spanish web:A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.
;strap act:Aerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.)
;swaypole:A high, flexible vertical pole (originally made of a single piece of wood, and today of fiberglass) atop of which an acrobat performs various balancing tricks.
;swinging poles:Suspended poles with a small platform at their base, used in the same way as a Russian swing.

==T==
;tcheco:(Europe) A tent crew or circus worker. Before WWII, the best of them usually came from the Bohemia region in Czechoslovakia. (Somtimes spelled "Tcheko")
;teeterboard:A seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air.
;tentmaster:The person in charge of setting up and putting down a circus tent. (See also: Boss Canvasman)
;thrill act: A spectacular act that focuses on the display of danger, whether real or staged.
;tight wire: A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire)
;tightwire:See Tight Wire.
;tissu:(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks)
;top mounter:In an acrobatic or balancing act, the performer who holds the top position (on a human column, for instance).
;trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.
;trinka:A small, especially designed pedestal on which foot jugglers and icarists lie down to perform their act.

==U==
;under-stander:In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").

==V==
;varieté:(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s.

==W==
;Washington trapeze:(orig.: "trapèze à la Washington" – French) A heavy trapeze with a flat bar, on which an aerialist performs balancing tricks. Originated by the American aerialist H. R. Keyes Washington (1838-1882).

Glossary

2026-07-12T20:06:24Z

Djando: /* S */

[[Image:Zirkus_and_Variete.jpg|right|380px]]
==A==
;adagio:Acrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.
;aerialist:Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.
;aerial hoop:A heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.)
;aerial perch:A hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)
;aerial pole:A Hanging pole (similar to a Chinese pole), used as an aerial apparatus.
;aerial straps:Pair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act.
;antipodist:(French: Antipodiste, Russian: Antipod) Foot juggler.
;attraction:(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance.
;auguste:In a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown.

==B==
;balagan:(Russian) A fairground booth or theater.
;balagans: (Russian) Fairground booths or theaters.
;ballerina on Horseback:Acrobatic and dance figures performed by an equestrienne, often wearing a tutu, standing on the back of a horse.
;bambou:(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch.
;banquette:(French. U.S.: Ring Curb. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring—so called because it is traditionally large enough for someone to sit on it.
;banquine:(French) Acrobatic presentation in which an acrobat performs various acrobatic jumps propelled from a living platform made by the crossed hands of two other acrobats (as in "sauts de banquine" — See also: Basket Acrobatics).
;barrel-jumping:Act in which an acrobat jumps from inside a barrel to inside another barrel, often placed at different levels.
;barrier:(Russian. French: Banquette. U.S.: Ring Curb) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;barrière:(French) The line of uniformed artists and assistants who, in the old equestrian circus, stood at attention at the ring entrance to assist their fellow performers if needed. When seen today, the Barrière is usually made of the Ring Crew.
;bar-to-bar:A flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today.
;basket acrobatics:See Banquine.
;batoude:(French) A long wooden tramplin that acrobats use to jump over other performers, horses, or elephants, notably in the charivari. Also called "grande batoude".
;benefit:Special performance whose entire profit went to a performer; the number of benefits a performer was offered (usually one, but sometimes more for a star performer during a long engagement) was stipulated in his contract. Benefits disappeared in the early twentieth century.
;big top:The circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau)
;bolleadora: A traditional Gaucho weapon made of two weights attached at both ends of a cord, used by Argentinean Bolleadora Dancers.
;boss canvasman:(U.S.) In the traditional American circus, the person in charge of setting up and putting down the tents. Modern usage: Tentmaster.
;bouncing rope:An rope placed between two supports or pedestals, and fastened at one or both ends to a spring or bungee, so that the ropedancer can use the rope as a propelling device.
;bowl pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains piles of bowls on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with pyramids of glasses on trays, and is known as "Glass Pagoda".

==C==
;candy butcher:(American) Concession vendor; so named because one of the first successful concessionaires of the American circus was a former butcher.
;cage act: (English/American) Act performed in a cage, such as lion or tiger acts.
;carpet clown:(English) An Auguste performing short pieces between the acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. See also: Reprise Auguste.
;carrousel:A choreographed equestrian ensemble display, very popular in European court entertainments of the 17th and 18th centuries.
;casse-cou:(French) A front, or forward, somersault.
;catcher: In an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.
;cat trainer:(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc.
;cathedral: A large, all-in-one self-suspended big top (originated in France by Gilbert Gruss in 2009 for the Cirque Arlette Gruss), that contains the foyer, the house, and the backstage area.
;cavalerie:(French) The ensemble of the horses in an equestrian circus; a group of horses presented "at liberty."
;chambrière:(French) Long whip customarily used by Equestrians for the presentation of horses "at liberty."
;cerceau:(French) See Aerial Hoop.
;chapiteau:(French, Russian) A circus tent, or big top.
;charivari:(Italian, French) A joyous acrobatic display, mostly tumbling, originally performed by all the clowns of a circus company as a show opener. (Clowns, until the turn of the twentieth century, were generally gifted tumblers; tumbling was considered an "eccentric," or comedic circus specialty.)
;cigar box:A juggling prop in the form of a cigar box, which was originally made of actual cigar boxes.
;cloud swing:(English, American) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.
;clown alley:(American) In an American circus, the clowns' dressing room (or tent), and by extension, the clown ensemble of a circus.
;clown:Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.
;club:A juggling pin.
;construction: (French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction."
;corde lisse: (French) A vertical rope used in aerial acts, either for the act itself, or to climb up to an apparatus. Called Spanish Web when covered with fabric.
;corde volante: (French) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze. (See also: Cloud Swing.)
;The Courier:An equestrian presentation created by Andrew Ducrow in 1827 as ''The Courier of St. Petersburg'', in which a rider stands on two galloping horses, one foot on each, and allows other horses to pass between his mounts, catching their reins as they pass, eventually holding the reins a group of galloping horses in front of him. (Also known in French as ''La Poste''.)
;cradle:Piece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.)

==D==
;djiguit:(Russian — Also: Dzhigit). A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).
;donut:(U.S.) A small, circular cushion, in the form of a doughnut, used for head-balancing tricks, notably for head-to-head balancing.
;double-double:A double somersault combined with a full double twist.
;dzhigit: (Russian — Also: Djiguit) A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).

==E==
;entrée: (French) Clown piece with a dramatic structure, generally in the form of a short story or scene.
;equestrienne:A female equestrian, or horse trainer, horse presenter, or acrobat on horseback.
;en douceur: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a mutual confidence mode, stressing their natural abilities — as opposed to ''en férocité''.
;en férocité: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a confrontational mode, stressing their dangerous nature — as opposed to ''en douceur''.

==F==
;fabric:(See: Tissu)
;flash:In juggling, to flash is the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;flic-flac:A back handspring. (See also: Flip-flap)
;flip-flap:A frequent misspelling of "flic-flac" (back handspring).
;flashing: In juggling, the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;fly-bar:On a flying trapeze rig, the swinging trapeze used by the flyer (as opposed to the trapeze used by the catcher).
;flyer:An acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard).
;flying act:Any aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another.
;flying trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)
;free ladder: Unsupported vertical ladder on which acrobats perform balancing and/or juggling tricks.
;front bender:A contortionist who displays a front flexibility (as opposed to a back flexibility).

==G==
;glass pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains pyramids of glasses on trays on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with piles of bowls, and is known as "Bowl Pagoda".

==H==
;hand-to-hand:An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.
;haute-école:(French) A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (See also: High School)
;heel catch:In a trapeze act, a dive frontward or backward, caught to the trapeze bar by the heels.
;high-school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high wire:A tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.
;hippodrama:Equestrian pantomime, often with a military subject matter, very popular in mid-nineteenth-century urban circuses.
;hoop diving:A Chinese acrobatic specialty involving acrobats performing acrobatic jumps through hoops stacked in a precarious balance above one another.

==I==
;icarism: (French: Jeux Icariens) Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Also: Risley Act)
;icarist:Acrobat who juggle another acrobat with his feet. See Icarism, Risley Act.
;iron jaw: Aerial trick in which a performer hangs from a small apparatus fitting in his/her mouth (a ''mouthpiece'' — French: ''mâchoire'') and hooked to another apparatus or piece of equipment.

==J==
;jockey: Classic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.

==K==
;king pole:(English) The main pole of a circus tent, and the first one erected to pull up the others.
;Koch semaphore:Rotating apparatus originated in the 1940s by the Koch Sisters in Russia, used as a moving high wire.
;Korean cradle:A swinging aerial cradle, attached to two verticals bars functioning like the ropes of a trapeze. It was originated by North Korean flying acts.

==L==
;liberty:"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip.
;longe:(French, Russian) Safety line connected to a performer by a belt, going through a pulley, and held on the other end by an assistant, or a teacher. Also know as a ''mécanique'' (see this word).
;low wire:A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Tight Wire)
;lyra:Aerial apparatus similar to an Aerial Hoop, but in the form of a lyre, or an aerial hoop with a horizontal bar at its top.

==M==
;mâchoire: (French) See: Mouthpiece.
;mécanique:(French) A safety line, or "longe" (see this word), connected to a rotating arm equipped with a pulley and hanging above the ring, originally used for the practice of equestrian acrobatic acts (such as jockey acts).
;Monsieur Loyal: (French) The régisseur or presenter of the show in a French circus. So called because of the many members of the Loyal family who occupied this position brilliantly in Parisian circuses.
;mouthpiece: Small apparatus fitting in a performer's mouth, used to hang from another apparatus (see: Iron Jaw).

==P==
;pancake throw:In juggling, a figure in which a juggling ring is thrown in a way that makes it flip over its own axis rather than spinning around it, much like a pancake on a pan.
;panneau:(French) A flat, padded saddle used by ballerinas on horseback.
;pantomime:A circus play, not necessarily mute, with a dramatic story-line (a regular feature in 18th and 19th century circus performances).
;pedagogue:(Russian, from the French) A teacher in a Russian circus school.
;perch-pole:Long perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures.
;pirouette:(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc.
;planche:(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;plange:(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;porté-lancé: (French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porter-lancer'')
;porter-lancer:(French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porté-lancé'')
;producing clown:(American) In the traditional American circus, the head of Clown Alley, who imagines and produces gags for the other clowns in the show.

==Q==
;quad:A quadruple somersault.
;quarterpole: (American) A support pole placed midway between the main poles and the sidewall of a circus tent.

==R==
;regisseur:(German, from the French: Régisseur) In Russia, the equivalent of a theatrical director in the circus.
;régisseur: (French) The stage (or ring) manager—and sometimes Ringmaster—in a French circus. (See also: Monsieur Loyal)
;reprise:(French) Short piece performed by clowns between acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. (See also: Carpet Clown)
;requisit:(German, Russian) All props needed for a Circus act; used internationally mostly for props needed for a cage act, such as stools, etc.
;rig:(American) The rigged apparatus used to perform an aerial act, especially a flying act.
;ring curb:(American. French: Banquette. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;ringmaster: (American, English) The name given today to the old position of Equestrian Director, and by extension, to the presenter of the show.
;ringmistress: Feminine form of ringmaster.
;Risley act:Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.)
;rola-bola:A board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks.
;Roman games:(French: Jeux Romains — See: Roman Riding.)
;Roman rding:Various equestrian exercises presented while riding standing on two horses, one foot on each.
;Roman rings:A pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.
;rosinback:(American) Name given to horses used by bareback riders, or defining bareback riders' act. (From the resin—misspelled ''rosin''—applied on the horse back, or back cover, to provide the rider with a sticky footing.)
;roue Cyr:(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr.
;Russian barre:Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole.
;Russian swing:Giant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net.

==S==
;short-distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.
;sidewall:The canvas wall at the periphery of a circus tent.
;silks:(See: Tissu)
;single-point trapeze: (also: Dance Trapeze) A trapeze of which the ropes are joined at the topmto form a triangle suspended to a single point.
;slack wire:A Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks.
;spanish web:A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.
;strap act:Aerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.)
;swaypole:A high, flexible vertical pole (originally made of a single piece of wood, and today of fiberglass) atop of which an acrobat performs various balancing tricks.
;swinging poles:Suspended poles with a small platform at their base, used in the same way as a Russian swing.

==T==
;tcheco:(Europe) A tent crew or circus worker. Before WWII, the best of them usually came from the Bohemia region in Czechoslovakia. (Somtimes spelled "Tcheko")
;teeterboard:A seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air.
;tentmaster:The person in charge of setting up and putting down a circus tent. (See also: Boss Canvasman)
;thrill act: A spectacular act that focuses on the display of danger, whether real or staged.
;tight wire: A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire)
;tightwire:See Tight Wire.
;tissu:(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks)
;top mounter:In an acrobatic or balancing act, the performer who holds the top position (on a human column, for instance).
;trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.
;trinka:A small, especially designed pedestal on which foot jugglers and icarists lie down to perform their act.

==U==
;under-stander:In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").

==V==
;varieté:(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s.

==W==
;Washington trapeze:(orig.: "trapèze à la Washington" – French) A heavy trapeze with a flat bar, on which an aerialist performs balancing tricks. Originated by the American aerialist H. R. Keyes Washington (1838-1882).

Glossary

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[[Image:Zirkus_and_Variete.jpg|right|380px]]
==A==
;adagio:Acrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.
;aerialist:Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.
;aerial hoop:A heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.)
;aerial perch:A hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)
;aerial pole:A Hanging pole (similar to a Chinese pole), used as an aerial apparatus.
;aerial straps:Pair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act.
;antipodist:(French: Antipodiste, Russian: Antipod) Foot juggler.
;attraction:(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance.
;auguste:In a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown.

==B==
;balagan:(Russian) A fairground booth or theater.
;balagans: (Russian) Fairground booths or theaters.
;ballerina on Horseback:Acrobatic and dance figures performed by an equestrienne, often wearing a tutu, standing on the back of a horse.
;bambou:(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch.
;banquette:(French. U.S.: Ring Curb. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring—so called because it is traditionally large enough for someone to sit on it.
;banquine:(French) Acrobatic presentation in which an acrobat performs various acrobatic jumps propelled from a living platform made by the crossed hands of two other acrobats (as in "sauts de banquine" — See also: Basket Acrobatics).
;barrel-jumping:Act in which an acrobat jumps from inside a barrel to inside another barrel, often placed at different levels.
;barrier:(Russian. French: Banquette. U.S.: Ring Curb) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;barrière:(French) The line of uniformed artists and assistants who, in the old equestrian circus, stood at attention at the ring entrance to assist their fellow performers if needed. When seen today, the Barrière is usually made of the Ring Crew.
;bar-to-bar:A flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today.
;basket acrobatics:See Banquine.
;batoude:(French) A long wooden tramplin that acrobats use to jump over other performers, horses, or elephants, notably in the charivari. Also called "grande batoude".
;benefit:Special performance whose entire profit went to a performer; the number of benefits a performer was offered (usually one, but sometimes more for a star performer during a long engagement) was stipulated in his contract. Benefits disappeared in the early twentieth century.
;big top:The circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau)
;bolleadora: A traditional Gaucho weapon made of two weights attached at both ends of a cord, used by Argentinean Bolleadora Dancers.
;boss canvasman:(U.S.) In the traditional American circus, the person in charge of setting up and putting down the tents. Modern usage: Tentmaster.
;bouncing rope:An rope placed between two supports or pedestals, and fastened at one or both ends to a spring or bungee, so that the ropedancer can use the rope as a propelling device.
;bowl pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains piles of bowls on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with pyramids of glasses on trays, and is known as "Glass Pagoda".

==C==
;candy butcher:(American) Concession vendor; so named because one of the first successful concessionaires of the American circus was a former butcher.
;cage act: (English/American) Act performed in a cage, such as lion or tiger acts.
;carpet clown:(English) An Auguste performing short pieces between the acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. See also: Reprise Auguste.
;carrousel:A choreographed equestrian ensemble display, very popular in European court entertainments of the 17th and 18th centuries.
;casse-cou:(French) A front, or forward, somersault.
;catcher: In an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.
;cat trainer:(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc.
;cathedral: A large, all-in-one self-suspended big top (originated in France by Gilbert Gruss in 2009 for the Cirque Arlette Gruss), that contains the foyer, the house, and the backstage area.
;cavalerie:(French) The ensemble of the horses in an equestrian circus; a group of horses presented "at liberty."
;chambrière:(French) Long whip customarily used by Equestrians for the presentation of horses "at liberty."
;cerceau:(French) See Aerial Hoop.
;chapiteau:(French, Russian) A circus tent, or big top.
;charivari:(Italian, French) A joyous acrobatic display, mostly tumbling, originally performed by all the clowns of a circus company as a show opener. (Clowns, until the turn of the twentieth century, were generally gifted tumblers; tumbling was considered an "eccentric," or comedic circus specialty.)
;cigar box:A juggling prop in the form of a cigar box, which was originally made of actual cigar boxes.
;cloud swing:(English, American) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.
;clown alley:(American) In an American circus, the clowns' dressing room (or tent), and by extension, the clown ensemble of a circus.
;clown:Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.
;club:A juggling pin.
;construction: (French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction."
;corde lisse: (French) A vertical rope used in aerial acts, either for the act itself, or to climb up to an apparatus. Called Spanish Web when covered with fabric.
;corde volante: (French) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze. (See also: Cloud Swing.)
;The Courier:An equestrian presentation created by Andrew Ducrow in 1827 as ''The Courier of St. Petersburg'', in which a rider stands on two galloping horses, one foot on each, and allows other horses to pass between his mounts, catching their reins as they pass, eventually holding the reins a group of galloping horses in front of him. (Also known in French as ''La Poste''.)
;cradle:Piece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.)

==D==
;djiguit:(Russian — Also: Dzhigit). A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).
;donut:(U.S.) A small, circular cushion, in the form of a doughnut, used for head-balancing tricks, notably for head-to-head balancing.
;double-double:A double somersault combined with a full double twist.
;dzhigit: (Russian — Also: Djiguit) A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).

==E==
;entrée: (French) Clown piece with a dramatic structure, generally in the form of a short story or scene.
;equestrienne:A female equestrian, or horse trainer, horse presenter, or acrobat on horseback.
;en douceur: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a mutual confidence mode, stressing their natural abilities — as opposed to ''en férocité''.
;en férocité: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a confrontational mode, stressing their dangerous nature — as opposed to ''en douceur''.

==F==
;fabric:(See: Tissu)
;flash:In juggling, to flash is the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;flic-flac:A back handspring. (See also: Flip-flap)
;flip-flap:A frequent misspelling of "flic-flac" (back handspring).
;flashing: In juggling, the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;fly-bar:On a flying trapeze rig, the swinging trapeze used by the flyer (as opposed to the trapeze used by the catcher).
;flyer:An acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard).
;flying act:Any aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another.
;flying trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)
;free ladder: Unsupported vertical ladder on which acrobats perform balancing and/or juggling tricks.
;front bender:A contortionist who displays a front flexibility (as opposed to a back flexibility).

==G==
;glass pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains pyramids of glasses on trays on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with piles of bowls, and is known as "Bowl Pagoda".

==H==
;hand-to-hand:An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.
;haute-école:(French) A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (See also: High School)
;heel catch:In a trapeze act, a dive frontward or backward, caught to the trapeze bar by the heels.
;high-school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high wire:A tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.
;hippodrama:Equestrian pantomime, often with a military subject matter, very popular in mid-nineteenth-century urban circuses.
;hoop diving:A Chinese acrobatic specialty involving acrobats performing acrobatic jumps through hoops stacked in a precarious balance above one another.

==I==
;icarism: (French: Jeux Icariens) Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Also: Risley Act)
;icarist:Acrobat who juggle another acrobat with his feet. See Icarism, Risley Act.
;iron jaw: Aerial trick in which a performer hangs from a small apparatus fitting in his/her mouth (a ''mouthpiece'' — French: ''mâchoire'') and hooked to another apparatus or piece of equipment.

==J==
;jockey: Classic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.

==K==
;king pole:(English) The main pole of a circus tent, and the first one erected to pull up the others.
;Koch semaphore:Rotating apparatus originated in the 1940s by the Koch Sisters in Russia, used as a moving high wire.
;Korean cradle:A swinging aerial cradle, attached to two verticals bars functioning like the ropes of a trapeze. It was originated by North Korean flying acts.

==L==
;liberty:"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip.
;longe:(French, Russian) Safety line connected to a performer by a belt, going through a pulley, and held on the other end by an assistant, or a teacher. Also know as a ''mécanique'' (see this word).
;low wire:A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Tight Wire)
;lyra:Aerial apparatus similar to an Aerial Hoop, but in the form of a lyre, or an aerial hoop with a horizontal bar at its top.

==M==
;mâchoire: (French) See: Mouthpiece.
;mécanique:(French) A safety line, or "longe" (see this word), connected to a rotating arm equipped with a pulley and hanging above the ring, originally used for the practice of equestrian acrobatic acts (such as jockey acts).
;Monsieur Loyal: (French) The régisseur or presenter of the show in a French circus. So called because of the many members of the Loyal family who occupied this position brilliantly in Parisian circuses.
;mouthpiece: Small apparatus fitting in a performer's mouth, used to hang from another apparatus (see: Iron Jaw).

==P==
;pancake throw:In juggling, a figure in which a juggling ring is thrown in a way that makes it flip over its own axis rather than spinning around it, much like a pancake on a pan.
;panneau:(French) A flat, padded saddle used by ballerinas on horseback.
;pantomime:A circus play, not necessarily mute, with a dramatic story-line (a regular feature in 18th and 19th century circus performances).
;pedagogue:(Russian, from the French) A teacher in a Russian circus school.
;perch-pole:Long perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures.
;pirouette:(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc.
;planche:(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;plange:(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;porté-lancé: (French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porter-lancer'')
;porter-lancer:(French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porté-lancé'')
;producing clown:(American) In the traditional American circus, the head of Clown Alley, who imagines and produces gags for the other clowns in the show.

==Q==
;quad:A quadruple somersault.
;quarterpole: (American) A support pole placed midway between the main poles and the sidewall of a circus tent.

==R==
;regisseur:(German, from the French: Régisseur) In Russia, the equivalent of a theatrical director in the circus.
;régisseur: (French) The stage (or ring) manager—and sometimes Ringmaster—in a French circus. (See also: Monsieur Loyal)
;reprise:(French) Short piece performed by clowns between acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. (See also: Carpet Clown)
;requisit:(German, Russian) All props needed for a Circus act; used internationally mostly for props needed for a cage act, such as stools, etc.
;rig:(American) The rigged apparatus used to perform an aerial act, especially a flying act.
;ring curb:(American. French: Banquette. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;ringmaster: (American, English) The name given today to the old position of Equestrian Director, and by extension, to the presenter of the show.
;ringmistress: Feminine form of ringmaster.
;Risley act:Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.)
;rola-bola:A board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks.
;Roman games:(French: Jeux Romains — See: Roman Riding.)
;Roman rding:Various equestrian exercises presented while riding standing on two horses, one foot on each.
;Roman rings:A pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.
;rosinback:(American) Name given to horses used by bareback riders, or defining bareback riders' act. (From the resin—misspelled ''rosin''—applied on the horse back, or back cover, to provide the rider with a sticky footing.)
;roue Cyr:(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr.
;Russian barre:Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole.
;Russian swing:Giant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net.

==S==
;short-distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.
;sidewall:The canvas wall at the periphery of a circus tent.
;silks:(See: Tissu)
;single-point trapeze: (also: Dance Trapeze), a trapeze of which the ropes are joined at the topmto form a triangle suspended to a single point.
;slack wire:A Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks.
;spanish web:A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.
;strap act:Aerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.)
;swaypole:A high, flexible vertical pole (originally made of a single piece of wood, and today of fiberglass) atop of which an acrobat performs various balancing tricks.
;swinging poles:Suspended poles with a small platform at their base, used in the same way as a Russian swing.

==T==
;tcheco:(Europe) A tent crew or circus worker. Before WWII, the best of them usually came from the Bohemia region in Czechoslovakia. (Somtimes spelled "Tcheko")
;teeterboard:A seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air.
;tentmaster:The person in charge of setting up and putting down a circus tent. (See also: Boss Canvasman)
;thrill act: A spectacular act that focuses on the display of danger, whether real or staged.
;tight wire: A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire)
;tightwire:See Tight Wire.
;tissu:(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks)
;top mounter:In an acrobatic or balancing act, the performer who holds the top position (on a human column, for instance).
;trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.
;trinka:A small, especially designed pedestal on which foot jugglers and icarists lie down to perform their act.

==U==
;under-stander:In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").

==V==
;varieté:(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s.

==W==
;Washington trapeze:(orig.: "trapèze à la Washington" – French) A heavy trapeze with a flat bar, on which an aerialist performs balancing tricks. Originated by the American aerialist H. R. Keyes Washington (1838-1882).

Glossary

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[[Image:Zirkus_and_Variete.jpg|right|380px]]
==A==
;adagio:Acrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.
;aerialist:Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.
;aerial hoop:A heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.)
;aerial perch:A hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. (French: Bambou - Russian: Bambuk)
;aerial pole:A Hanging pole (similar to a Chinese pole), used as an aerial apparatus.
;aerial straps:Pair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act.
;antipodist:(French: Antipodiste, Russian: Antipod) Foot juggler.
;attraction:(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance.
;auguste:In a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown.

==B==
;balagan:(Russian) A fairground booth or theater.
;balagans: (Russian) Fairground booths or theaters.
;ballerina on Horseback:Acrobatic and dance figures performed by an equestrienne, often wearing a tutu, standing on the back of a horse.
;bambou:(French - Russian: Bambuk) Aerial apparatus, generally a hanging perch, from where the performers hang with the help of hand or ankle loops. See also: Aerial perch.
;banquette:(French. U.S.: Ring Curb. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring—so called because it is traditionally large enough for someone to sit on it.
;banquine:(French) Acrobatic presentation in which an acrobat performs various acrobatic jumps propelled from a living platform made by the crossed hands of two other acrobats (as in "sauts de banquine" — See also: Basket Acrobatics).
;barrel-jumping:Act in which an acrobat jumps from inside a barrel to inside another barrel, often placed at different levels.
;barrier:(Russian. French: Banquette. U.S.: Ring Curb) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;barrière:(French) The line of uniformed artists and assistants who, in the old equestrian circus, stood at attention at the ring entrance to assist their fellow performers if needed. When seen today, the Barrière is usually made of the Ring Crew.
;bar-to-bar:A flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today.
;basket acrobatics:See Banquine.
;batoude:(French) A long wooden tramplin that acrobats use to jump over other performers, horses, or elephants, notably in the charivari. Also called "grande batoude".
;benefit:Special performance whose entire profit went to a performer; the number of benefits a performer was offered (usually one, but sometimes more for a star performer during a long engagement) was stipulated in his contract. Benefits disappeared in the early twentieth century.
;big top:The circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau)
;bolleadora: A traditional Gaucho weapon made of two weights attached at both ends of a cord, used by Argentinean Bolleadora Dancers.
;boss canvasman:(U.S.) In the traditional American circus, the person in charge of setting up and putting down the tents. Modern usage: Tentmaster.
;bouncing rope:An rope placed between two supports or pedestals, and fastened at one or both ends to a spring or bungee, so that the ropedancer can use the rope as a propelling device.
;bowl pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains piles of bowls on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with pyramids of glasses on trays, and is known as "Glass Pagoda".

==C==
;candy butcher:(American) Concession vendor; so named because one of the first successful concessionaires of the American circus was a former butcher.
;cage act: (English/American) Act performed in a cage, such as lion or tiger acts.
;carpet clown:(English) An Auguste performing short pieces between the acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. See also: Reprise Auguste.
;carrousel:A choreographed equestrian ensemble display, very popular in European court entertainments of the 17th and 18th centuries.
;casse-cou:(French) A front, or forward, somersault.
;catcher: In an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.
;cat trainer:(English/American) An trainer or presenter of wild cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, etc.
;cathedral: A large, all-in-one self-suspended big top (originated in France by Gilbert Gruss in 2009 for the Cirque Arlette Gruss), that contains the foyer, the house, and the backstage area.
;cavalerie:(French) The ensemble of the horses in an equestrian circus; a group of horses presented "at liberty."
;chambrière:(French) Long whip customarily used by Equestrians for the presentation of horses "at liberty."
;cerceau:(French) See Aerial Hoop.
;chapiteau:(French, Russian) A circus tent, or big top.
;charivari:(Italian, French) A joyous acrobatic display, mostly tumbling, originally performed by all the clowns of a circus company as a show opener. (Clowns, until the turn of the twentieth century, were generally gifted tumblers; tumbling was considered an "eccentric," or comedic circus specialty.)
;cigar box:A juggling prop in the form of a cigar box, which was originally made of actual cigar boxes.
;cloud swing:(English, American) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.
;clown alley:(American) In an American circus, the clowns' dressing room (or tent), and by extension, the clown ensemble of a circus.
;clown:Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.
;club:A juggling pin.
;construction: (French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction."
;corde lisse: (French) A vertical rope used in aerial acts, either for the act itself, or to climb up to an apparatus. Called Spanish Web when covered with fabric.
;corde volante: (French) The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze. (See also: Cloud Swing.)
;The Courier:An equestrian presentation created by Andrew Ducrow in 1827 as ''The Courier of St. Petersburg'', in which a rider stands on two galloping horses, one foot on each, and allows other horses to pass between his mounts, catching their reins as they pass, eventually holding the reins a group of galloping horses in front of him. (Also known in French as ''La Poste''.)
;cradle:Piece of apparatus (generally aerial) composed of two horizontal parallel bars in which a catcher locks his legs to be in position of catching a flyer. (Variant: Korean Cradle.)

==D==
;djiguit:(Russian — Also: Dzhigit). A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).
;donut:(U.S.) A small, circular cushion, in the form of a doughnut, used for head-balancing tricks, notably for head-to-head balancing.
;double-double:A double somersault combined with a full double twist.
;dzhigit: (Russian — Also: Djiguit) A skilled horseman from the Caucasus; by extension, a trick rider (sometimes called a Cossack).

==E==
;entrée: (French) Clown piece with a dramatic structure, generally in the form of a short story or scene.
;equestrienne:A female equestrian, or horse trainer, horse presenter, or acrobat on horseback.
;en douceur: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a mutual confidence mode, stressing their natural abilities — as opposed to ''en férocité''.
;en férocité: (French) In a cage act, the presentation of big cats in a confrontational mode, stressing their dangerous nature — as opposed to ''en douceur''.

==F==
;fabric:(See: Tissu)
;flash:In juggling, to flash is the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;flic-flac:A back handspring. (See also: Flip-flap)
;flip-flap:A frequent misspelling of "flic-flac" (back handspring).
;flashing: In juggling, the act of juggling objects in a move that is sustained for only a very short time.
;fly-bar:On a flying trapeze rig, the swinging trapeze used by the flyer (as opposed to the trapeze used by the catcher).
;flyer:An acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard).
;flying act:Any aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another.
;flying trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)
;free ladder: Unsupported vertical ladder on which acrobats perform balancing and/or juggling tricks.
;front bender:A contortionist who displays a front flexibility (as opposed to a back flexibility).

==G==
;glass pagoda:A Chinese hand balancing and contortion act, in which the performer maintains pyramids of glasses on trays on her/his head, feet, and/or free hand. The same is also performed with piles of bowls, and is known as "Bowl Pagoda".

==H==
;hand-to-hand:An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.
;haute-école:(French) A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (See also: High School)
;heel catch:In a trapeze act, a dive frontward or backward, caught to the trapeze bar by the heels.
;high-school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high school: A display of equestrian dressage by a rider mounting a horse and leading it into classic moves and steps. (From the French: Haute école)
;high wire:A tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.
;hippodrama:Equestrian pantomime, often with a military subject matter, very popular in mid-nineteenth-century urban circuses.
;hoop diving:A Chinese acrobatic specialty involving acrobats performing acrobatic jumps through hoops stacked in a precarious balance above one another.

==I==
;icarism: (French: Jeux Icariens) Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Also: Risley Act)
;icarist:Acrobat who juggle another acrobat with his feet. See Icarism, Risley Act.
;iron jaw: Aerial trick in which a performer hangs from a small apparatus fitting in his/her mouth (a ''mouthpiece'' — French: ''mâchoire'') and hooked to another apparatus or piece of equipment.

==J==
;jockey: Classic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.

==K==
;king pole:(English) The main pole of a circus tent, and the first one erected to pull up the others.
;Koch semaphore:Rotating apparatus originated in the 1940s by the Koch Sisters in Russia, used as a moving high wire.
;Korean cradle:A swinging aerial cradle, attached to two verticals bars functioning like the ropes of a trapeze. It was originated by North Korean flying acts.

==L==
;liberty:"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip.
;longe:(French, Russian) Safety line connected to a performer by a belt, going through a pulley, and held on the other end by an assistant, or a teacher. Also know as a ''mécanique'' (see this word).
;low wire:A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Tight Wire)
;lyra:Aerial apparatus similar to an Aerial Hoop, but in the form of a lyre, or an aerial hoop with a horizontal bar at its top.

==M==
;mâchoire: (French) See: Mouthpiece.
;mécanique:(French) A safety line, or "longe" (see this word), connected to a rotating arm equipped with a pulley and hanging above the ring, originally used for the practice of equestrian acrobatic acts (such as jockey acts).
;Monsieur Loyal: (French) The régisseur or presenter of the show in a French circus. So called because of the many members of the Loyal family who occupied this position brilliantly in Parisian circuses.
;mouthpiece: Small apparatus fitting in a performer's mouth, used to hang from another apparatus (see: Iron Jaw).

==P==
;pancake throw:In juggling, a figure in which a juggling ring is thrown in a way that makes it flip over its own axis rather than spinning around it, much like a pancake on a pan.
;panneau:(French) A flat, padded saddle used by ballerinas on horseback.
;pantomime:A circus play, not necessarily mute, with a dramatic story-line (a regular feature in 18th and 19th century circus performances).
;pedagogue:(Russian, from the French) A teacher in a Russian circus school.
;perch-pole:Long perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures.
;pirouette:(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc.
;planche:(French) Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;plange:(American, From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.
;porté-lancé: (French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porter-lancer'')
;porter-lancer:(French) An acrobatic presentation consisting of acrobatic jumps performed by an acrobat propelled by two or more acrobats from one to another. (Also spelled ''porté-lancé'')
;producing clown:(American) In the traditional American circus, the head of Clown Alley, who imagines and produces gags for the other clowns in the show.

==Q==
;quad:A quadruple somersault.
;quarterpole: (American) A support pole placed midway between the main poles and the sidewall of a circus tent.

==R==
;regisseur:(German, from the French: Régisseur) In Russia, the equivalent of a theatrical director in the circus.
;régisseur: (French) The stage (or ring) manager—and sometimes Ringmaster—in a French circus. (See also: Monsieur Loyal)
;reprise:(French) Short piece performed by clowns between acts during prop changes or equipment rigging. (See also: Carpet Clown)
;requisit:(German, Russian) All props needed for a Circus act; used internationally mostly for props needed for a cage act, such as stools, etc.
;rig:(American) The rigged apparatus used to perform an aerial act, especially a flying act.
;ring curb:(American. French: Banquette. Russian: Barrier) The circular barrier that defines the ring, and separates it from the audience.
;ringmaster: (American, English) The name given today to the old position of Equestrian Director, and by extension, to the presenter of the show.
;ringmistress: Feminine form of ringmaster.
;Risley act:Act performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.)
;rola-bola:A board balancing on one or more cylinders piled on each other, and on which an acrobat stands performing juggling or acrobatic tricks.
;Roman games:(French: Jeux Romains — See: Roman Riding.)
;Roman rding:Various equestrian exercises presented while riding standing on two horses, one foot on each.
;Roman rings:A pair of small wooden or metallic rings hanging from ropes or straps, used by circus aerialists as well as competition gymnasts.
;rosinback:(American) Name given to horses used by bareback riders, or defining bareback riders' act. (From the resin—misspelled ''rosin''—applied on the horse back, or back cover, to provide the rider with a sticky footing.)
;roue Cyr:(French) A large metallic hoop used like a German Wheel, developed by the Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr.
;Russian barre:Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the pole.
;Russian swing:Giant swing used to propel flyers into acrobatic figures onto the shoulders of a catcher, on a crash mat, or into a net.

==S==
;short-distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.
;sidewall:The canvas wall at the periphery of a circus tent.
;silks:(See: Tissu)
;single-point trapeze (also: Dance Trapeze), a trapeze of which the ropes are joined at the topmto form a triangle suspended to a single point.
;slack wire:A Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks.
;spanish web:A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.
;strap act:Aerial act performed hanging from a pair of fabric or leather straps. (See Aerial Straps.)
;swaypole:A high, flexible vertical pole (originally made of a single piece of wood, and today of fiberglass) atop of which an acrobat performs various balancing tricks.
;swinging poles:Suspended poles with a small platform at their base, used in the same way as a Russian swing.

==T==
;tcheco:(Europe) A tent crew or circus worker. Before WWII, the best of them usually came from the Bohemia region in Czechoslovakia. (Somtimes spelled "Tcheko")
;teeterboard:A seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air.
;tentmaster:The person in charge of setting up and putting down a circus tent. (See also: Boss Canvasman)
;thrill act: A spectacular act that focuses on the display of danger, whether real or staged.
;tight wire: A tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire)
;tightwire:See Tight Wire.
;tissu:(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks)
;top mounter:In an acrobatic or balancing act, the performer who holds the top position (on a human column, for instance).
;trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.
;trinka:A small, especially designed pedestal on which foot jugglers and icarists lie down to perform their act.

==U==
;under-stander:In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").

==V==
;varieté:(German, from the French: ''variété'') A German variety show whose acts are mostly circus acts, performed in a cabaret atmosphere. Very popular in Germany before WWII, Varieté shows have experienced a renaissance since the 1980s.

==W==
;Washington trapeze:(orig.: "trapèze à la Washington" – French) A heavy trapeze with a flat bar, on which an aerialist performs balancing tricks. Originated by the American aerialist H. R. Keyes Washington (1838-1882).

Main Page

2026-07-12T20:01:37Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

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|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single-point trapeze (2026)
* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)
* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)|The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)
* [[Naraieva_Video_(2026)|Vladyslava Naraieva]], hand balancer (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Main Page

2026-07-12T20:01:13Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Godinho_Video_(2026)|João Godinho]], single point trapeze (2026)
* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)
* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)|The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)
* [[Naraieva_Video_(2026)|Vladyslava Naraieva]], hand balancer (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

João Godinho

2026-07-12T19:59:56Z

Djando:

Godinho Video (2026)

2026-07-12T19:58:16Z

Djando: Created page with "João Godinho, single-point trapeze, at the 25th Festival International des Artistes de Cirque of Saint-Paul-lès-Dax (2026) — ''Document: Festival International des..."

João Godinho, single-point trapeze, at the 25th [[Festival International des Artistes de Cirque]] of Saint-Paul-lès-Dax (2026) — ''Document: Festival International des Artistes de Cirque''

{{#ev:vimeo|1209310435|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[João Godinho]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Godinho, Joao]]

Main Page

2026-07-10T23:27:55Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe]], Russian swing and trained bears (1983)
* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)|The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)
* [[Naraieva_Video_(2026)|Vladyslava Naraieva]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Lothara_Bros._Video_(1983)|Lothara Brothers]], high wire (1983)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Venedikt Belyakov

2026-07-10T23:26:35Z

Djando:

==Acrobat==

* Video: [[Belyakov_Video_(1953)|Belyakov Troupe, Russian swing]], from the Russian movie ''Ring Of The braves''(1953)
* Video: [[Belyakov_Video_(1983)|Belyakov Troupe, bears and Russian swing]], at the Old Circus in Moscow (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Belyakov, Venedikt]][[Category:Acrobats|Belyakov, Venedikt]][[Category:Russian Swing|Belyakov, Venedikt]][[Category:Animal Trainers|Belyakov, Venedikt]][[Category:Bear Acts|Belyakov, Venedikt]]

Belyakov Video (1983)

2026-07-10T23:24:19Z

Djando: Created page with "Belyakov Troupe, trained bears and Russian swing, at the Old Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard in Moscow (1983) {{#ev:vimeo|1208950112|740}} ==See Also== * Bi..."

Belyakov Troupe, trained bears and Russian swing, at the [[Circus Nikulin|Old Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard]] in Moscow (1983)

{{#ev:vimeo|1208950112|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Venedikt Belyakov]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Belyakov Troupe]]

Main Page

2026-07-10T22:23:12Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)|The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)
* [[Naraieva_Video_(2026)|Vladyslava Naraieva]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Lothara_Bros._Video_(1983)|Lothara Brothers]], high wire (1983)
* [[Dunai_Troupe_Video_(1983)|The Dunaïs]], jugglers on horseback (1983)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Main Page

2026-07-10T22:22:51Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>

|}
|}

==In The Spotlight==

===DAVID BALDING===
[[File:Balding_and_Flora_(2000).jpg|right|300px]]
Ivor David Balding (1939-2014) was born March 3, 1939 in Manhattan, and grew up in a horse farm in Camden, South Carolina. His father was the famous British polo player Ivor G. Balding (1909-2005), who, along with his brothers Barney and Gerald, played polo in the United States throughout the 1930's at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island, then the national center of the sport. Ivor G. Balding subsequently went on to work at the C.V. Whitney Farm in Old Westbury, New York, before becoming manager of the Whitney Farm in Lexington, where he raised and trained racing-horses.

In Britain, Ivor David Balding’s grandfather had sold horses to various circuses in his time, and David himself was introduced to the circus and theater worlds through his father’s connections. He began his show business career as stage manager at the Westport Country Playhouse for legendary Broadway actress Eva Le Gallienne (1899-1991). Le Gallienne, who had performed in her youth as an equestrienne at the illustrious Cirque Medrano in Paris, gave David an introduction to the Fratellini family, who helped him land a job as spotlight operator at the famous Parisian circus. There, David had an invaluable initiation into the circus world.

Back to the U.S., David Balding worked for Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, and then founded the New Theatre in New York. During his tenure there, he produced 21 plays, including ''The Knack'', ''The Ginger Man'', ''Scuba Duba'', ''Steambath'', ''The Man in the Glass Booth'', and ''Lenny''. His productions were nominated for two Tony Awards and won five Obie Awards.

The vagaries of theater production, however, forced him to change course, and David went to work for CBS Sports in Europe, where his attraction to the circus only grew bigger. This led him to conceive and co-produce the ''Circus World Championships'': Held annually in London from 1976 to 1986, this circus competition was broadcast on the BBC (with network specials for both CBS and NBC) and became quite an event in the European circus world. While in England, Balding also managed Jimmy Chipperfield's Circus World.... ([[Ivor David Balding|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat
* [[James Clowney]], acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Annas_Video_(2026)The Annas]], aerial pole (2026)
* [[Naraieva_Video_(2026)|Vladyslava Naraieva]], hand balancer (2026)
* [[Lothara_Bros._Video_(1983)|Lothara Brothers]], high wire (1983)
* [[Dunai_Troupe_Video_(1983)|The Dunaïs]], jugglers on horseback (1983)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)
* [[BAC_Blumberg_Video_(1977)|''For A Moment You Fly'']], The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Assia Perris

2026-07-10T22:20:45Z

Djando: Created page with "==Hand Balancer== * Video: Amanda Perris, hand balancer, at Paris's Cirque d'Hiver (2026) Perris, AssiaCategory..."

==Hand Balancer==

* Video: [[Assia_Perris_Video_(2026)|Amanda Perris, hand balancer]], at Paris's Cirque d'Hiver (2026)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Perris, Assia]][[Category:Acrobats|Perris, Assia]][[Category:Hand Balancers|Perris, Assia]]

Assia Perris Video (2026)

2026-07-10T22:16:58Z

Djando: Created page with "Assia Perris, hand balancer, in the Cirque d'Hiver-Bouglione production of ''Tempo'' (2026) {{#ev:vimeo|1208669678|740}} ==See Also== * Biography: Assia Perris Ca..."

Assia Perris, hand balancer, in the [[Cirque d'Hiver]]-Bouglione production of ''Tempo'' (2026)
{{#ev:vimeo|1208669678|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Assia Perris]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Perris, Assia]]