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Circus Ground Acts 

Submitted by Editor on   6/30/2005
Last Modified

CIRCUS GROUND ACTS*


By Joseph W. Rogers, Ph.D.
Member, Education Committee
Circus Fans Association of America


*This is a specially written monograph directed toward the middle school grades, 6—9. Included references encourage adaptation to other grade levels. It is the third in this series distributed by the Education Committee of the Circus Fans Association of America under the auspices of The National Circus Preservation Society. The first in this series was about clowns; the second on aerial acts; a fourth is planned about animal trainers.

The Education Committee Chairman is Mr. Robert Kitchen, 29 Damon Street, Fall River, Massachusetts 02120.

January 1, 1996
CIRCUS GROUND ACTS


Introduction

From your own experience you possess first-hand knowledge of acrobatics. At home on your living room floor, on the dirt of your backyard, or at a nearby playground you have no doubt tried somersaults, cartwheels, or standing on your hands. Perhaps you remember those initial feelings of hanging upside down on a low bar; building a “human pyramid” of kneeling bodies; or perhaps trying to balance yourself on a pair of stilts. Just about everyone tries to juggle something —— balls, rocks, marbles -— as a natural part of just “horsing around;” then varying such tricks with balancing a broomstick on one’s palm, or a feather on the forehead. Unfortunately, many of us never became very good at these tricks --dizziness, modest balancing skills, poor eye—hand coordination. More fortunately, some have gone on to enjoy gymnastic classes with such challenging equipment as a trampoline, the balance beam, and parallel bars. And then there are those particularly talented persons who have developed their exceptional skills through many hours of training and intensive practice to become circus acrobats.


A Short History of Ground Acts

Important archaeological finds, made at the ruins of the palace in the ancient city of Cnossus on the Island of Crete, document the roots of acrobatics at least 2,400 years before Christ! Its excavator Sir Arthur Evans discovered, among other things, an extraordinary wall painting showing Cretian boys and girls engaged in the daring act of “bull leaping.” As the bull charged with lowered head, a leaper would grasp its horns with both hands, then propel himself into a somersault over the animal’s back, alighting on the far side into the catch of a fellow acrobat.

Meanwhile along the Nile river Egyptians were being entertained by roving troupes of contortionists, tumblers, jugglers, and musicians who made their living from gifts of the audience. Unearthed artifacts show performers engaged in ancient gymnastic feats, including building human pyramids and dangerously leaping among sets of upright ground swords.

Acrobatic exhibitions continued to be popular during the reign of the Roman Empire, and after its fall into Middle Ages when roving bands provided simple entertainment during one of the darkest periods of European history. Preserved documents reveal circus-like stunts (such as springboard leaping and diving through a set of hand-held hoops) were performed during the 16th century; rope—walking in the 17th; and trick riding in the 18th. British equestrian Philip Astley, known as the “Father of the Modern Circus,” brought together trick riding, gymnastics, rope walking, clowning, feats of strength, and music to the circus ring in the two decades following its 1768 founding in London.

Although trick riding provided the main linkage between the English circuses and the first American circus staged by a Scottish equestrian John Bill Ricketts on April 3, 1793 in Philadelphia, Ricketts’ shows also included rope walkers, tumblers, and even a clown. During the next two centuries, advances in technology, technique, and style would bring many innovations to circus ground acts such as those described in the following section.


Types of Ground Acts

Although they are performed on the ground or ground—based equipment, excluded here for practical reasons are animal acts, wire acts, and those known as “dare-devil” performances (e.g., human cannonball, sway pole). Each of these categories merits separate chapters. Moreover, space permits only a brief description of a few major ground acts and a simple listing of others.

Juggling This act involves keeping three or more objects in the air at the same time, catching each as it falls then tossing it back into the air. Although balls of all sorts are most common, professionals also use such items as rings, clubs or (bowling-like) pins, fruit, and flaming torches. However, beginners are advised to start with non—rolling objects such as small bean—filled bags. The two most basic routines are called the “shower” with the balls all flowing in the same direction, and the “cascade” which works in a crisscross pattern. Juggling with five or more objects requires both practice and skill, as does “passing” which involves one or more partners in an act.

Perch Act This is any routine in which an acrobat performs in the air on a long pole which is balanced on the body -- head, shoulders, feet, or shoulders —— of a ground person called the “understander.” This act requires a combination of strength, balance, gymnastics, and coordination.

Vaulting This ancient art is the act of acrobatic leaping or jumping by springboard, teeterboard, swinging from a bar, or by being thrown into the air by another gymnast known as a “pitcher” or “swinger.” Vaulting was a part of the early circuses in equestrian acts.

Teeterboard This act employs an easily recognized piece of circus equipment because of its resemblance to a children’s large “seesaw.” While a springboard is attached at an end, the teeterboard has a middle support. This feature allows one or more persons standing on the lower end to be catapulted into the air when one or more partners jump onto the raised end. Its name derives from the board’s flexibility when it bends slightly, “teeters” and springs during this process. As the acrobat flies upward, he or she may perform somersaults, twists, or rolls upon landing. A particularly exciting routine calls for a troupe to build a “five—high” human tower featuring a “top mounter,” perhaps a young boy or girl, at its apex.

Risley Act Supposedly named for a 19th century American, Richard Risley Carlisle, this skill is traceable to Aztec civilization as shown by ancient stone carvings. Basically this act involves one acrobat, lying on his back, foot juggling another person. One person rests on his back on the ground or a supportive cradle, called a “trinka.” The “bottom man,” with his legs held together perpendicular to his waist, balances, twists, twirls, and tosses with his feet a second acrobat, the “top mounter.” In a Risley troupe, an acrobat can be tossed from the feet of one gymnast to another -- a fascinating feat to watch.

Rola Bola In its simplest form, this act requires a cylinder and a board with an acrobat balancing on the board atop the cylinder. This apparatus has two possible motions: rolling side to side with the board parallel to the floor and teetering in seesaw fashion. Some artists build stacks of cylinders and boards, each set crossway to the one below it, then balancing on top of this strange appearing tower. Other variations include juggling, or holding a second acrobat aloft while balancing on the board.

Rolling Globe This act may have either humans or animals, such as bears or seals, balancing atop a large globe usually about 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Performers generally maintain their balance with extended arms, while moving the globe in various directions with their feet. Skilled gymnasts, singly or in teams, may incorporate juggling in their act, or climb and descend variously shaped ramps.

Living Statues Dating back to the last century, this unusual act demands great strength, coordination, team work, and the skills of a body contortionist. At its best, its artistry features slightly clad performers, whose bodies have been painted white, gold, or bronze, who construct in slow motion an assortment of statuesque formations Enhanced by creative lighting, these scenes can be quite remarkable.

Conclusion

The foregoing entries are just a few among many ground acts presented under the big top during America’ s 200—year circus history. Here are some others: trampoline, finger stand, strong man, contortion, stilt walking, jump rope, hula hoop, fire eating, rope spinning, unicycle, bicycle, plate spinning, Russian swing, plus a myriad of variations on each. Circus ground acts lend themselves to all sorts of combinations with costumes, clowning, animals, and other acts particularly juggling. Feats of strength, balance, coordination, alid acrobatics are likely to entertain generations of circus goers yet to come.


A Short Glossary of Acrobatic Terms

Antipodism This is the technical term for foot juggling, described above as the Risley act.

Benders/Posturers While the former are contortionists who bend themselves backwards, the latter lean forward in positioning their bodies. Once more common in side shows than under the big top, contortionists were called by such terms as “Indiarubber men” or some variation of elasticity or animal (e.g., serpent, frog). Either male or female, stiffening muscles lead to declining skills with middle age.

Bottom Man Also called the “understander,” this is the bottom person in an acrobatic troupe —— the one who anchors the base of a human tower or pyramid. Usually his main roles in a gymnastics act are to hoist or pitch other acrobats up into the air, to support them on his head or shoulders, or in a perch act hold the pole on which the mounters perform.

Equilibrist A person skilled in balancing feats such as acrobatics or rope walking.

Mechanic This is a safety device worn by an acrobat, aerialist, or trick rider during practice or performance. It consists of a waist belt connecting the performer to a “lunge rope” attached above and controlled by an assistant who regulates the slack. The idea is to permit artistic freedom while protecting the individual from a dangerous fall in the event of a missed “trick.”

Ring Curb Ordinarily circus ground acts are performed within a ring, 42 feet in diameter, formed by curved wooden curbing about one-foot high. The ground or floor may be covered by a carpet or some other material such as sawdust or tanbark.
Two—high, Three—high, etc. The number used describes the number of layers or stories formed by acrobats in constructing a human tower or pyramid such as during a tetterboard act. The highest person is called a “top mounter.” -


Selected References

Although the few following entries should prove helpful to you, most have been written for adults such as your parents and teachers. Also many, especially older works, may be difficult to locate; thus, you are encouraged to begin any study project with the assistance of your school and city librarians. Most will be glad to help you. If time permits, ask the librarian or a clerk in your local bookstore to check the “circus” and “acrobats” sections of a reference volume entitled Books in Print for additional possibilities.


Books (Adult)

Coxe, Antony Hippisley. A Seat At the Circus, Hamden, Connecticut:
Archon Books, Revised Edition, 1980,

Culhane, John. The American Circus: An Illustrated History, New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, 1990.

Gaona, Tito (with Harry L. Graham). Born to Fly: the Story of Tito Gaona, Los Angeles, CA: Wild Rose, 1984.

Heimel, Paul W. High Wire Angel: The Angel Wallenda Story, Colorado Springs, CO: Piccadilly Books, 1992.

Hoh, Lavahn G. and William H. Rough. Step Right Up! The Adventures of Circus in America, White Hall, VA: Betterway Publications, Inc., 1990.

Morris, Ron. Wallenda: A Biography of Karl Wallenda, Chatham, NY:
Sagarin Press, 1976.

Ogden, Tom. Two Hundred Years of the American Circus: From Aba-Daba to the Zoppe-Zavata Troupe, New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc., 1993.

Pond, Irving K. Big Top Rhythms: A Study in Life and Art, Chicago,
IL: Willett, Clark and Company, 1937,

Books (Youth)

Cushman, Kathleen and Montana Miller. Circus Dreams: the Making of a Circus Artist. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company, 1990. Nonfiction -- High School.

Duncan, Lois (Photographs by Joseph Janney Steinmetz)~ The Circus Comes Home, New York, NY: Doubleday, 1993. Non-fiction -- Middle
School/High School.

Fenner, Mildred Sanderson and Wolcott Fenner (editors). The Circus: Lure and Legend. Englewood, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1970. A
collection of short pieces, both fiction and non-fiction -- Middle School/High School.

Stern, Peter. Whompers and Whammies: The Great Circus War. New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard/William Morrow and Company, 1994. Fiction -- Elementary School.

“How—to” Books: Learning Skills

Bolton, Reg and Jo Hignett. Circus in a Suitcase, Bethel, CT: New Plays Incorporated, 1982.

Cassidy, John, B.C Rimbeaux, and Diane Waller, Juggling for the Complete Klutz, Palo Alto, CA: Klutz Press, 1981 (frequent reprintings).

Wiley, Jack, Basic Circus Skills, Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1974.

Additional Resources

Circus World Museum
Attn. Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center
426 Water Street, Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913

Curator of Circus Collections
Milner Library Special Collections
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois 61761

If you reside in or visit one of the following cities, plan to visit the fine museum or library listed. Their courteous, trained staff will make you feel welcome, and will be glad to answer questions concerning their exhibits, books, and programs.

The Barnum Museum
820 Main Street
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604

The Hertzberg Circus Collection and Museum
210 West Market Street
San Antonio, Texas 78205

The Ringling Museums
P.O. Box 1838
Sarasota, Florida 33578
(Located on Sarasota Bay, this huge complex is easily found.)

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