The New American Circus

The New American Circus PDF Author: Ernest J. Albrecht
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813013640
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
In the 1970s a group of men and women with few ties to the circus emerged from the counterculture revolution and took to the streets, where they discovered how to entertain an audience. At a time when the Big Top was beset by shabby excess, escalating costs, and competition from movies and TV, the young performers dedicated themselves to skill and intimacy, beginning the movement Ernest Albrecht describes as the "new American circus", a reinvention of the circus as an authentic form of art. The first - and most radical - aspect of this movement was its revival of the traditions of the great one-ring shows of Europe and Russia. Focusing on artistry, not spectacle, the new American circus incorporated such allied arts as music and dance and embraced a notion of ensemble that was compatible with the communal ethic of the seventies. Working from interviews and other primary sources, Albrecht traces this history to the present (including current controversies over animal performers and efforts to secure subsidies), sketching the leading players in the new circus and profiling the shows they founded.

The New American Circus

The New American Circus PDF Author: Ernest J. Albrecht
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813013640
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
In the 1970s a group of men and women with few ties to the circus emerged from the counterculture revolution and took to the streets, where they discovered how to entertain an audience. At a time when the Big Top was beset by shabby excess, escalating costs, and competition from movies and TV, the young performers dedicated themselves to skill and intimacy, beginning the movement Ernest Albrecht describes as the "new American circus", a reinvention of the circus as an authentic form of art. The first - and most radical - aspect of this movement was its revival of the traditions of the great one-ring shows of Europe and Russia. Focusing on artistry, not spectacle, the new American circus incorporated such allied arts as music and dance and embraced a notion of ensemble that was compatible with the communal ethic of the seventies. Working from interviews and other primary sources, Albrecht traces this history to the present (including current controversies over animal performers and efforts to secure subsidies), sketching the leading players in the new circus and profiling the shows they founded.

Fall of the Big Top

Fall of the Big Top PDF Author: David Lewis Hammarstrom
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786431695
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Once an eagerly awaited spectacle, the traveling circus--that miracle of red wagons, trumpeting elephants and spangled trapeze artists that slipped into town at dawn and disappeared by midnight--has all but vanished from the American landscape. This work explores circus history from 1793 to the present and addresses the forces of modern culture (such as the popularity of Cirque du Soleil, and pressure from the animal rights movement) that are pushing big top shows toward what the author calls "circus ballet." Numerous photographs and in-depth interviews conducted with show owners, performers and directors enrich the narrative. Overall, the book reveals a sobering contrast between circuses of yesterday and today, even as it honors the outstanding performers who created, and have sustained, the enduring appeal of the circus.

The American Circus

The American Circus PDF Author: Susan Weber
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300185393
Category : Circus
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
A showcase of the "golden age" of the circus in America

Women of the American Circus, 1880-1940

Women of the American Circus, 1880-1940 PDF Author: Katherine H. Adams
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786472286
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
During the years 1880 to 1940, the glory days of the American circus, a third to a half of the cast members were women--a large group of very visible American workers whose story needs telling. This book, using sources such as diaries, autobiographies, newspaper accounts, films, posters, and route books, first considers the popular media's presentation of these performers as unnatural and scandalous--as well as romantic and thrilling. Next are the stories told by circus women, which contradict and complicate other versions of their lives. Across America in those years an array of acts featured women, such as tableaux, freak shows, girlie shows, tiger acts, and aerial performances, all involving special skills and all detailed here. The book offers a unique and fascinating view of not just the circus but of what it meant to be an American woman at work.

The Amazing American Circus Poster

The Amazing American Circus Poster PDF Author: Kristin L. Spangenberg
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780931537387
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
"The Amazing American Circus Poster: The Strobridge Lithographing Company is published to accompany the exhibition "The Amazing American Circus Poster: The Strobridge Lithographing Company," held at the Cincinnati Art Museum from February 26 to July 10, 2011, and The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art from September 17, 2011, to January 29, 2012."

Two Hundred Years of the American Circus

Two Hundred Years of the American Circus PDF Author: Tom Ogden
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780816026111
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 402

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Book Description
Identifies circus performers, famous acts, and animal stars, explains circus terms, and provides summaries of movies, television shows, and musicals featuring the circus

Fall of the Big Top

Fall of the Big Top PDF Author: David Lewis Hammarstrom
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476608350
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
Once an eagerly awaited spectacle, the traveling circus—that miracle of red wagons, trumpeting elephants and spangled trapeze artists that slipped into town at dawn and disappeared by midnight—has all but vanished from the American landscape. This work explores circus history from 1793 to the present and addresses the forces of modern culture (such as the popularity of Cirque du Soleil, and pressure from the animal rights movement) that are pushing big top shows toward what the author calls “circus ballet.” Numerous photographs and in-depth interviews conducted with show owners, performers and directors enrich the narrative. Overall, the book reveals a sobering contrast between circuses of yesterday and today, even as it honors the outstanding performers who created, and have sustained, the enduring appeal of the circus.

American Circus

American Circus PDF Author: John Culhane
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 9780805004243
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 504

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Book Description
Traces the development of the circus in America since 1786, and looks at major circuses and their most prominent acts

The Contemporary Circus

The Contemporary Circus PDF Author: Ernest Albrecht
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 1461706548
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 294

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Book Description
The fun, energy, and hard work integral to the exciting world of the circus is lovingly captured in The Contemporary Circus: Art of the Spectacular, an in depth look at the creative process of today's circuses. Through numerous personal interviews with directors, designers, composers and performers, author Ernest Albrecht provides a unique inside view of the journey through which the most innovative and exciting modern circuses are produced, from the director and production team to the performers, and from designing the circus to setting it to music. Case studies of specific productions by the Big Apple Circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and Cirque du Soleil illuminate the artistic give-and-take necessary in such a collaborative process, proving the circus a true art form, one as artistic as theatre or dance. A variety of performers such as animal trainers, dancers, and clowns discuss their approach to their individual specialties, and the text concludes with an examination of the world's circuses and schools and their methods for training circus artists. A full photo spread of 30 beautiful photos will help inspire and enlighten artists and fans alike.

Traveling Showmen

Traveling Showmen PDF Author: Stuart Thayer
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780963601919
Category : Circus
Languages : en
Pages : 135

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Book Description