Smithsonian program shows behind-the-scenes work of running a circus
Three-day free event at Arts and Industries Building features performers and staff from Florida-based Circus Arts Conservatory
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is presenting three days of free programming over Labor Day weekend showing the work involved in running a circus.
The program, called “Artistry, Education, and Labor of Circus Arts,” is held at the Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall. It is presented by the Smithsonian and the Circus Arts Conservatory, based in Sarasota, Florida.
More than 55 people came from the Conservatory for the event, according to CEO and President Jennifer Mitchell.
“It’s a privilege and an honor to showcase circus here in our Nation’s Capital,” Mitchell said.
The event includes performances such as juggling, aerial acts, and displays of flexibility. Backstage areas are left open and in view of the audience so guests can see the staff working.
“The circus is not merely just performance. There are so many parts that make up the circus, and we’re here to celebrate every single aspect of that,” said Betty Aquino of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Visitors can learn more about the work behind each part of the circus, including hand-crafted costumes and an interactive physics lesson explaining the science behind performances.
“We’re showcasing the behind the scenes of the performance, the people who actually present and produce the circus arts, who use it as a craft for their lifetime career. And you get to have a different purview than just being an observer here,” Mitchell said.
Aquino said circus is one of America’s oldest and most celebrated forms of entertainment, steeped in rich history and culture.
“There are traditions and rituals when it comes to performance, there are traditional traditions and rituals in the way our stagehands behave with one another. So all of that makes up folklife,” Aquino said.
The program is taking place at the Smithsonian Institution’s Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall from September 5 - 7. Events are free and open to the public.
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