The Circus Learning about the circus Thinking Development

The Circus

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 1. Began in ancient Rome -Battles, juggling & races 1. -Ringed designs 2. Began in ancient Rome 1. Battles, & races Circles &juggling circuses -Ringmaster 2. Ringed designs -Circle the globe -Performances in rings Some historians reckon that, just like Greek performances, Roman circuses would entertain audiences with staged battles, juggling and horse races. 2. Naturally, both modern and ancient circuses are based on ringed designs whose audiences gather around central performances. 3. Circus mystique -Mischief & superstition -Spectacle & magic -Danger & adrenaline Fact: The English word ‘circus’ comes from Latin, but its real root is the Greek work ‘kirkos’, which means circle.

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 1. Began in ancient Rome -Battles, juggling & races 1. -Ringed designs 1. Ringmaster 2. & Circle the globe 2. Circles circuses Circles & circuses -Ringmaster 3. Performances in rings -Circle the globe -Performances in rings 3. Circus mystique -Mischief & superstition -Spectacle & magic -Danger & adrenaline The person who conducts a circus performance is called the ringmaster. 2. Because circuses travel, they can be said to circle the globe. 3. Within the rings of a circus, lions, bears, and elephants and many other exotic animals perform exciting and often dangerous stunts.

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 1. Began in ancient Rome 1. -Battles, juggling & races -Ringed designs 1. Mischief & superstition 2. Circles & circuses 2. Spectacle & Circus mystique -Ringmaster magic -Circle the globe 3. Danger & -Performances in rings adrenaline Ancient mischief and superstition are alive in circuses. They remind one of what can be done with a little imagination and a lot of practice and money. 2. You see, the circus is all about spectacle and magic. If its players and conductors can put on a good show, they can transport their audience into a new world. 3. Circus mystique 3. -Mischief & superstition -Spectacle & magic -Danger & adrenaline Circus acts retain all the danger and adrenaline necessary to hook audiences.

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 4. Shows are out of this world -Outcasts 1. Sometimes, they are cruel. Some employ outcasts, people -Unnatural acts by animals 1. Outcasts Shows are out 5. of this world who can’t find other work because of the way they look. 2. Unnatural Different typesacts 2. Often, animals are forced to by animals -Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus perform unnatural acts such as walking on their hind legs and -Canada’s Cirque du Soleil jumping through fire. 6. Everything real life is not Fact: The word ‘circus’ also refers to -Real people & real animals pandemonium and chaos. -Magic happens

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 4. Shows are out of this world 1. It is one of the largest -Outcasts performances in North America. -Unnatural acts by animals It was made famous in the late 1. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & 5. Different types Bailey’s Circus 1880 s because of the elephant ‘Columbia’, which is said to be the first baby elephant to be born in the United States. -Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus 2. Canada’s Cirque -Canada’s Cirque du Soleil 2. It’s a visual tour de force. It has du Soleil. survived the onslaught of television and the Internet by notoffering uniquely beautiful performances. 6. Everything real life is -Real people & real animals -Magic happens

Learning about the circus Thinking Development 4. Shows are out of this world -Outcasts -Unnatural acts by animals 1. Real people and real 1. Real people & animals that train for Everything real life real animals years, perform for their 5. Different types is not audiences. -Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus 2. Magic happens -Canada’s Cirque du Soleil 6. Everything real life is not -Real people & real animals -Magic happens 2. They make the magic happen.