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Jakarta Post

Come one, come all! the circus is back in town

Wed, October 10, 2018   /   06:11 pm
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    Steady: A circus performer show cases his balancing skills in the rolla bolla act. JP/Vellen Augustine

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    Good times: Two acrobatic clowns have the doubly difficult task of impressing the audience and them laugh. JP/Vellen Augustine

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    Manliest man: An acrobat plays a character who claims he is so strong that he can beat a polar bear. JP/Vellen Augustine

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    Don't try this: The crazy globe features two motorcyclists riding at high speed inside an iron sphere. JP/Vellen Augustine

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    Upside down: A performer hangs upside down while spinning a hula hoop with her leg. JP/Vellen Augustine

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    Bowing out: Performers from the Great British Circus thank the audience at the end of the show. JP/Vellen Augustine

Vellen Augustine

Live shows such as those performed at the circus have been losing their appeal in recent years due to rapid technological developments in the entertainment industry, which allows people to entertain themselves from the comforts of their own couch.

Derived from the Latin word circulus, which means a round acrobatic arena, the circus was initially created as a wild animal hunt not intended for public roadshows.

However, people began to view trophy hunting in a negative light, thus ways were sought to keep the circus animals alive by training them in various skills.

Philip Astley, an 18th century Englishman called the father of the modern circus, was credited with innovating these shows by introducing clowns, daring stunts and other such feats that continue to be creatively modified to this day.

Today, the circus also features thrilling and extreme acrobatics executed by professional performers.

After the years-long decline in popularity of circus fairs in Jakarta, last year’s box-office movie The Greatest Showman has reignited interest and prompted event organizers to take advantage of the momentum by organizing a modern circus show in the capital city.

The latest international circus took place at Summarecon Mall Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta from Aug. 24 to Sept. 23.

Produced by the Great British Circus, the show featured musical performances combined with traditional circus exploits and attractive lighting in a stunning extravaganza that entertained people of all ages.

The various highlights of the Great British Circus include a trapeze act, the wheel of stunts (spinning on two iron wheels at high speed), crazy globe (motorcycling within a huge globe), hair aerial (where the performer swings by the hair), hula aerial (the performer is suspended from the ceiling while dancing with a hula hoop) and rolla bolla (the performer balances on a board and cylinder).

Tickets for the two-hour show range between Rp 100,000 (US$6.70) and Rp 300,000 in price.