One ring circus

Two small town traveling circuses

Top: In 1982 China, people in Mao-era blue and grey uniforms gathered to watch a circus of mostly of jugglers and acrobats. There was also a panda that rode a tricycle, which I’ll post when I find a good pairing for it.

Below: This cheerful contortionist was part of a tiny traveling circus—a vestige of an era before mass entertainment. The troupe showed up in 2015 at a barebones Vermont auditorium that served as a hockey rink in winter. The trapeze artist sold popcorn during intermission. And after her performance, the trick pony rider retired to a corner to nurse her newborn baby.

The animals included of a couple of placid camels, a lethargic boa constrictor, and some horses. It was a relief not to see the sorrowful plight of performing big cats and elephants (or pandas).

A few years after the circus was long gone, the rink became the source of one of Vermont’s earliest large Covid-19 outbreaks after (it is believed in town) one person who knew he had been exposed to the virus, lied about it and played hockey. More than 120 people were infected.

Some entertainments are better than others.

And below: details from large murals in Coney Island advertising featured sideshows including Madame Twisto, a female contortionist.