The contemporary circus : art of the spectacular / Ernest Albrecht.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Albrecht, Ernest J., 1937-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Circus.

Physical Description:

xiv, 262 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, [2006]

Summary:

The fun, energy, and hard work integral to the exciting world of the circus is lovingly captured in The Contemporary Circus: Art of the Spectacular, an in-depth look at the creative process of today's circuses. Through numerous personal interviews with directors, designers, composers, and performers, Ernest Albrecht provides a unique perspective of the creation of the most innovative and exciting modern circuses, from the direction, production, and performances to designing the circus and setting it to music. Case studies of specific productions by the Big Apple Circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and Cirque du Soleil illuminate the artistic give-and-take necessary in such a collaborative process, demonstrating that the circus is a true art form. Emcees, animal trainers, dancers, and clowns discuss their individual approaches, and a variety of circuses and schools describe their methods for training circus performers. A collection of thirty beautiful photos will help inspire and enlighten artists and fans alike.

Contents:

Introduction: The Circus as an Art Form ix

Part I The Creative Team

1 The Director and the Creative Process 3

2 Designing the Circus 49

3 Setting the Circus to Music 71

Part II The Collaboration (Case Studies)

4 Ringling's 131st Edition 95

5 O Notes 127

6 The Making of a Major New American Spectacle 143

7 The Big Apple Circus's Clown Around Town 165

Part III The Performers

8 Circus Stars 177

9 Clowns on Clowning 197

10 Training the Artists and Building and Maintaining the Performance 219.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 251-253) and index.

ISBN:

0810857340

OCLC:

70230640

Publisher Number:

9780810857346