In today's society, circus performers have better prospects than other jobs - and you can make a living doing what you love! Where should you sign? If you are developing an artistic talent that you would like to dedicate your life to, your name could be the next big attraction. The best thing is to start immediately, because you have a mad rush ahead of you.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Fine-tune Your Number
Step 1. Start perfecting an art
Circuses feature many different numbers - and this opens up the possibility for many different jobs. In addition, there are circuses of different genres, which creates even more opportunities. To get into a circus, you will need one or more specific arts or skills that a circus might find valuable. This could be aerial cloth, trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, trampoline, acrobatic, diabolo, clown, trampoleria or any other unique and exceptional skill. Most circus work is very strenuous, and you won't be able to learn an art overnight. Preparing for the stage will take dedication, effort and practice.
If performing isn't your thing but you're still in love with the thrill that comes with a circus, there are plenty of circus jobs that don't require acrobatic skills or strenuous physical activity. You could work behind the scenes, with costumes or animals, or take care of the technical organization. However, for the purposes of this article we will focus on circus performers
Step 2. Stay fit and healthy
Many circus acts, even if they seem easy and perfect, often take months of practice and practice before they are performed correctly and before becoming physically safe to perform. If you do aerial acrobatics or something similar, you will need to be very flexible and know how much you can rely on your body. For trapezius and similar numbers, you will need a lot of strength in your upper body to hold up and swing. For the artist, many issues will end with some injury; the stronger your body, the more it can handle.
If you are a clown or a juggler, you will not have to be fit for the marathon, but you will need to be fit enough to move fast or, for example, to keep your arms up and juggle
Step 3. Think about what kind of performance you are interested in
There are artists who don't work for just one circus, but audition to enter a show, like an actor does for different films. They don't need to bond with just one company, but they can still be a part of their shows for a set amount of time. Or, you might be interested in joining an official circus - you will need to always be able to perform and constantly do your best, so that you can stay in your circus. Each topic has its pros and cons - in the end it all comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Do you want to work for something like Cirque du Soleil? Or for something more traditional, like Barnum & Bailey? Would you rather do something on a smaller level, like performing at fairs and festivals? Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But remember that greater performance and glory comes with greater commitment and responsibility
Step 4. Create the basis of a number
Before you start looking for a circus to hire you, you'll need a number to present to your potential employers. Having training in dance, gymnastics or something similar is certainly helpful, but not necessary. This way you have an exercise that you can pull off in the blink of an eye.
Basically, it will become a job. You will need to find an instructor and appropriate equipment (for safety, for example), and set aside time each day to become the best in your field. This has to be a priority if you want to be at the level of a circus
Part 2 of 3: Performing
Step 1. Refine your number
To be able to get noticed by a talent scout and be hired on a team, you will need a number that attracts the right person. Whether you exercise with your brother in the backyard or with your trainer at a top-notch gym, keep exercising. It should be something you can practically do while you sleep, knowing that you won't get hurt and mistakes will be rare.
It has to be perfect so that when they call you you can audition or replace someone with one second's notice. When you get to the circus they might change it based on their judgment, but first you have to get there
Step 2. Prepare a demonstration video
To apply for world-class shows (such as Cirque du Soleil), you will likely need to take a demonstration video that demonstrates your skills. Larger companies often have online submission forms that you can submit at certain times of the year. Show off the best of your number, follow the proper guidelines, and make sure your video looks as professional as possible.
Many circus attractions have agents and work through employment agencies. The more time you spend in the field, the greater your network of acquaintances, making it easier for you to find contacts
Step 3. Consider attending a circus art academy
While they don't get much coverage in the press, there are legal and reputable circus schools out there looking for pupils whose skills they can help hone. If there is one in your area (or even if there isn't), check it out - it's a great way to meet people who are already established in the field.
There are also excellent job prospects. Many schools loudly claim to be able to place 100% (or almost) of their graduates
Step 4. Start with corporate events, private parties, and breakout entertainment at sporting events
Most people don't start playing with the big boys - they give small shows and then get noticed, making a name for themselves. So, take all the opportunities that come your way. Your high school talent contest, dad's business lunch, or the in-time show of the local football team. If you enrich your resume, more people will look at your number and take it seriously.
Tell your friends and family to tell their friends and family about your number. You may find engagements for private parties and local events simply by word of mouth. It is one of the most reliable means of putting yourself on the market and can spread like wildfire
Step 5. Consider long-term exhibits, such as those on a cruise ship
In addition to small, isolated performances like private parties, also think about partially connected ones like those on cruise ships - work for 6-9 months on a show organized by a cruise line and it's done. It's a great stepping stone to one of the big official circuses out there.
Also check out websites like Workaway, which you can join for a period and be a part of the circus in exchange for room and board. It's not very exciting, but it's a step in the right direction
Step 6. Attend circus festivals
Yes, they exist! For example, the American Youth Circus Organization organizes the Youth Circus Festival every year in August. Many people are asked to perform and others are lucky enough to get a spot - you can still present your material and get noticed.
Apply as soon as possible, talk to your instructor, agent or employment agency, and get your name out there. It might cost you a little bit for travel and stuff at first, but it's a small sacrifice that needs to be made to show off
Step 7. Apply to join a circus company
Now that you've consolidated your resume and have a number to rely on, aim for Serie A. Apply for the next variation in Cirque du Soleil or at Barnum & Bailey and prepare for the life of a circus performer. Can you believe you made it?
It will happen that you apply and receive no answers for months. If so, don't give up hope, but keep applying elsewhere. Don't avoid international shows either
Step 8. Live by traveling
The brutal reality that many circus wannabes don't think about is the fact that they will be far from home, having a suitcase as their only residence. Life on stage may be exciting, but life off stage means hotels, vending machines and sleeping in the car. Some find this life fulfilling, but for others it is a real challenge. To make it, you have to be the kind of person who enjoys it in these environments.
It can also be a very lonely life. Sure you'll build your own family in the circus, but the real one could be thousands of miles away. This, of course, depends on your contract. Sign only for a period of time that you know you can manage
Part 3 of 3: Recognizing the Challenges
Step 1. Try to understand what you are getting yourself into
Circus life is not as glamorous as we are led to believe. If you work in a traveling circus, you will have to travel a lot, and you will probably have to do your own makeup and buy or make your own costumes. Working in a circus takes a lot of passion, if only to remain optimistic about the shows.
If you work for a legal and high-volume circus, you will be provided with various things (such as costumes). But if you work on a smaller circuit, there will be expenses that you will have to bear on your own. Consider it the price you pay for doing something you love
Step 2. Be determined
No doubt you will come across people who will say "no" to you. You will be told to give up, people will not hire you, and if you are an artist, you will be hurt or risk being hurt. It is very important that you are able to overcome these walls - or perhaps to pass over them with the trapezoid. If you put in the effort and love to perform, you will find a job that works for you, and you will be able to keep doing it.
Nobody makes it on the first try. You will have to hear a chorus of rejections before you "break through". It may take months, or years, but you have to trust that it will happen sooner or later. If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will
Step 3. Prepare for physical exertion
A circus performer is almost like an athlete - your career will be over long before you feel "old". And, by the time you approach the end of the run, your body will have been squeezed like a lemon. You may be in excellent shape or need two spare knees. It won't be easy, but hopefully the physical stress will pay off.
In fact, basically, your body is your job. If you don't take care of it, you could be out of a show in no time. It is important to sleep, eat well, stay healthy and, above all, avoid the dangers. The last thing you want is to compromise your career because you have made bad decisions
Step 4. Don't do it for the money
How much does circus work pay? Although it varies from circus to circus, it mostly depends on the job, the show and the length of your job. For example, a circus might pay the performers at the end of each week, or (although this is more unusual) at the end of the show. If you are an artist who is hired by temporary circuses, you will usually get paid at the end of the job, but they may decide to pay you weekly or sometimes after each show (although this also happens very rarely). Other than that, it would probably be better if you worked in a circus mainly because you love your job, and then for the money.
Furthermore, each role is paid differently. If you are the last wheel of the wagon, you could earn 300 euros a week; if you are a protagonist like an acrobat or a contortionist, you could make between 40,000 and 70,000 euros per year. And don't forget: accommodation and meals are free. The bonuses keep coming
Advice
- Circus performers have agents, just like actors or models! They can help you find job offers or, in general, organize schedules. It is not necessary, but it is a great help in the search for vacancies in the circus.
- Get ready to perform even every day of the week and rehearse twice as long. A wise thing is to have your own gym or the necessary equipment, especially if you work with trapezius or aerial fabrics, disciplines that require bulky equipment.
- Before auditioning or applying for a job in the circus, you will need to organize a portfolio of your work, highlighting what you can do. Create a number of your own, something circuses have never seen before and will be interested in.
- Read up on circus schools in your area. If none are available, there are always dance and gymnastics companies, which work similarly to the circus and will help you later.
- It is usually wise to come up with a gimmick, something that people have never seen before and that might interest them. Be prepared to adapt, but always give your fingerprint on the number you play.
- Learn More Than One Skill Set: Circus loves performers who can do more than one act, and then you will eventually get paid more.
Warnings
- The work of the circus is very hard and tiring. You will need to take all necessary safety measures during performance and training, as well as warm up and stretch to prevent your muscles from becoming inflamed or tired too easily.
- Some circuses have health insurance for their performers, but it's always best to have your own as well.
- IT WILL TAKE a long time before you are able to acquire the necessary skills. Don't expect to be able to do something overnight. You will probably be very poor at first, but as you practice and learn, you will be able to perfect yourself. Do not give up!
- You will most likely get hurt. You better know right away. Be prepared for a few injuries and be as cautious as possible no matter what you do. Before you audition, understand all the risks involved in your job.
- Many circuses don't hire very young people without parental permission; sometimes they don't under any circumstances. A circus will certainly accept you if you are 18 or older, although there are sometimes exceptions.
