Behind the mask. A Traditional Circus in Times of Change

Abstract

This thesis is describing the life of the circus community, considered to be a specific type of group recognized by a traveling way of life, behavioural signs, different values, or cultural practices etc. This research is based mainly on participant observation with and without a camera following a small, traditional family from a Czech circus, consisting of 16 members founded in 2010. In this paper, I am discussing their position in today’s society, their perception of themselves being different compared to the Others, as well as their relationship towards the circus animals, which is a resonant subject for a discussion nowadays. In this study, I am also trying to investigate the possible connection between the circus community and the Romani ethnic group, finding interesting similarities in the form of lifestyle, values and language, but unable to show a definite link. Moreover, I am focusing on the circus and it’s functioning under the wave of globalization, as the new wave of entertainment in the 21st century is affecting their existence. Based on what I found from my fieldwork, the circus, along with its traditions, seems to be in a time of change, facing a more and more uncertain future mainly related to these two factors.