thejugglepunk

[thejugglepunk]

Francesco Longo Mancini (Italian, 1880-1954) - Harlequin

[thejugglepunk]

Come one, come all!

[thejugglepunk]

I’m working on a post related to animal training right now, and my research path has filled in so much of my understanding of the relationship people have with animals and nature and even colonialism.

It’s been so crazy to me how ubiquitous the association between circus and animal abuse is, and it points to the broader misunderstanding of the circus following its decline in the early 20th century.

Don’t get me wrong— in its time, there was no shortage of circus owners willing to do anything to put an elephant or leopard in their ring. But, most people don’t know that the circus as an art form had been developing for nearly a century before anything more exotic than a canary was trained for performance.

Obviously, climate sensitivity and species’ population decline is a major contributor to many exotic animals being phased out of circus performances. But given the resources needed to properly care for animals like this, most modern circuses forgo animals for financial reasons long before ethical concerns began.

So, I think the clearest reason for this shunning of the circus is the very same reason for its popularity in the U.S.— unabated capitalism. If there was genuine cultural interest in circus as an art form, I don’t think the average American would consider Barnum & Bailey and Ringling Bros. As the be-all-end-all of what circus is.

[thejugglepunk]

Front row tickets were extremely worth it.

[thejugglepunk]

I’m realizing that learning more French would make circus research a lot easier… So, if you are a native French speaker and want to talk with someone about circus, I would love to do some circus-flavored language practice with you!

[thejugglepunk]

I came across something new while fact-checking my post on Beni Hasan that I was surprised I hadn’t heard of before.

Akhnaten is an opera by Philip Glass which ran for the first time in 1984. Its story is centered around the first ruler of the New Kingdom period, Akhenaten, who sought to revolutionize Ancient Egyptian religion by centering Aten as the one true god of the kingdom bestowed to him. He is also notable for being the husband of Nefertiti and mentor of Tutankhamen, both of whom are subjects of major archaeological artifacts.

Now, at this point, I have little reason to care about this show. I don’t really care for opera. But after premiering in several countries, it returned to the UK in 2016 with a new addition: jugglers.

Sean Gandini is one of the greats from the tail end of the revival era of circus and juggling. He started the Gandini Juggling Company to introduce juggling to new art forms and venues— including contemporary dance performances, street festival performances, and operas.

Though I likely will never have the chance to see this show, I have been absolutely enchanted with this clip of the show shared by Gandini.

[thejugglepunk]

Ok I lied I’m gonna keep posting stuff from this circus bc I got so many great shots. I’ve never used tumblr’s gif maker before but I love how this looks

[thejugglepunk]

In Hugo, Oklahoma, there is a section of a cemetery that is call Showmen's Rest. It is reserved for for circus workers and showmen. Technically my great grandfather could be reburied there—he was a long term roustabout and animal handler in the 1930s, when he wasn't playing exhibition baseball games with the likes of Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige. I think he'd probably haunt me if I reburied him in Oklahoma, far from his family plot in Rhode Island.

[thejugglepunk]

An equestrian and his gallant steed… why he in the Black Parade outfit though??

I have one more edit from the Jordan Circus coming soon! It needs some extra context.

[thejugglepunk]

Jordan Circus

Lynden, WA 2025

[thejugglepunk]

I was juggling outside during a break at work, and one of our regulars struck up a conversation with me about the circus.

She went on to describe her audience at one of the first shows ever ran by Cirque du Soleil in the United States back in the 80s.

This was back in 1987, when the Los Angeles Arts Festival invited the young company to perform. In an unexpected turnout for what was an uncertain time for contemporary circuses, tickets sold out weeks in advance. The celebrity and eccentrics of LA showed out in a crowd of 55,000. The show, We Reinvent the Circus went on to play in Santa Monica and San Diego (where my customer attended!), and ultimately proved the company’s ability to sell to an international, commercial audience.

This customer told me that she has seen other Soleil shows since, but that they couldn’t compare to that first show in a tent.

I won’t make any assertions about Cirque du Soleil, as I’ve never actually seen one of their shows— but I will say that I am especially charmed by the success of what was a complete shot-in-the-dark startup that ended up becoming the monolith of circus that it is today.

[thejugglepunk]

Paranormal Cirque III Friday 30 May 2025 Arundel Mills Mall, Parking Lot Hanover, Maryland

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Clowns of the Barnstaple Circus, Devon, England, UK

British vintage postcard

[thejugglepunk]

My sweet fool

[thejugglepunk]

This project has been proving to be an interesting challenge— and has become challenging quicker than I expected. My drive to work on this project comes from two, frankly, opposing desires: to contribute to the legacy and study of the circus as an art form; and to force myself to write.

I’ve disliked the process of writing since grade school. It’s difficult to exactly describe why I dislike it so much, but my suspicion is that my low self esteem gets in the way and hijacks my creative process. As a person who cannot resist the drive to creation, this mental block is a serious problem.

Enter: the Circus. I’ve explained in my pinned post my attraction to the circus, and it truly is one of the most inspiring subjects I have ever engaged with. Something inside of me knows that the circus is the artistic domain that I need to devote myself to. However, as a subject, the circus is unpopular, fraught with controversy, and honestly, kind of elitist.

This is all to say that I really care for this subject, but I’m facing a lot of obstacles along the way, and it’s tricky to deal with on my own. Your support and patience will be invaluable while this project is still young and figuring itself out.

“Loving the circus is like loving a fictional character”— Duncan Wall

[thejugglepunk]

(via HURRY HURRY! STEP RIGHT UP! - Pulp International)