Circus: an art that paralyzed a whole country

One of the greatest boosts that russian culture history has had was the evolution of circus as an art form. It wasn’t until the 11th century that the russian circus became popular. Performances included juggling, acrobatics, trained animals, illusionists and satirical scenes which formed the basis of clowns we know nowadays. Not everything was perfect at first, clowns were persecuted by ecclesiastical and authorities, not only because they were disgusted by their satirical criticism towards aristocracy but also because they were not considered a form of art at all.

How everything started…

Circus were not official at the beginning. They started as small festivals in Saint Petersburg and later in Moscow. Little by little spreading out around the country. There were many disagreements involved with the circus since it had some shocking elements for the public. For instance, one of the first exhibitions that took place on these fairs, had a fetus preserved in alcohol; which for high society was a despicable display. However for common people it was such a spectacle; going to the festivals was the perfect plan for them at the time. Here’s where organizers of the circus started developing a whole new concept, where physical deformities or different appearance awoke the interest of the audience. What were called monsters for many were icons for others.

Eventually other circus acts were developed and other activities were established. From bearded women and dog men to horseback rides, all these characters were displayed in pavilions of fairs all over the country. By the 18th century official circuses were built, from little halls to big buildings in the islands. They all were filled up with thousands of people who by the time came across Europe. A growing number of european performers were also coming to represent their countries, especially italians.

From the streets to the stages

In 1853 a permanent circus was built on Moscow’s Petrovka Street, made out of wood and without many amenities was rebuilt several times throughout the century. Later on in December 1877, the first stone-built circus venue was inaugurated in Saint Petersburg thanks to the initiative of the Italian rider and tamer Gaetano Ciniselli.

In the 19th century the Imperial Circus opened its doors for a special training of any artist in Saint Petersburg, allowing lots of people to experience the magic of performing. In 1853 began the modern stage of the development of the Russian circus. Nowadays almost all the big cities of Russia have their own permanent circuses, a significant step in the circus’ history.

From revolution to marketing

In 1919, two years after the Bolshevik Revolution, Lunacharsky prepared a report on the reform of the Russian circus. The two most famous Moscow circuses – Salomonsky’s on Tsvetnói Boulevard, and the Nikitin brothers’ on Sadovo-Triumfálnaya Street – were nationalized and renamed the First and Second State Circus. Their programs were changed by government decree. From that moment all circus activity (like almost all culture in general) began to be controlled by the Soviet power. “As long as our people remain ignorant and illiterate, the most important arts for us will be the cinema and the circus.” These words constitute one of Lenin’s most famous quotes, and he said them to the People’s Commissar for Education, while discussing the role of culture in the revolution.Thus, the circus as a very popular art was used as a means of propaganda. For example, during the anti-religious campaign of the 1920s, some circus numbers made fun of the divine office. Also during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) circus artists went on tours to visit the front lines and troops, giving encouragement and hope to the Soviet soldiers.

One of the most famous dynasties of the Russian circus is the Dúrovs, founded by the Anatoli brothers (1865-1916) and Vladimir (1863-1934) Dúrov. Their outstanding element was animal training. In 1910 he bought a house in Moscow, to create a zoological museum and a laboratory for animal psychology, where several scientists worked. Many exotic animals such as elephants, monkeys, and pelicans participated in his circus.

After years of animal practices, a lot of animal lovers spoke up on behalf of animals to defend their rights and claim to stop working with them since it was considered an abuse. A lot of Circus stablishments heard the pettisions and evolved along history, trying to adapt their acts while making them enjoyable for everyone. If you ever want to experience a live show we invite you to check our circus shows from adagio, hand balance and spinning elements to Aerial shows, stilt walkers and jugglers. You won’t want to miss these spectacles!