Soviet Circus popular at home

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32521, 3 February 1971, Page 17

Soviet Circus popular at home

The Soviet Circus is considered to be second only to the cinema in popularity at home. Last year one in every four persons attended one or other of the 70 circuses which exist in the Soviet Union. The largest circus is in Moscow, which, with seating for 3000 is also the world’s largest. So that more people will be able to attend live performances in preference to watching the circus on television a circus building programme involving 50 new permanent circus buildings has been under way in the Soviet Union in th past two years. To obtain the best possible acts for all these circuses there exists the 45-year-old Soviet State School of Circus and Variety Arts. The school has a staff of 130 experienced instructors and is well equipped. On the academic side there is a museum, a library and a study room. Equipping the library posed an unusual problem as very little had previously been written on circus history and techniques so that special text-

books on all aspects of the circus had to be written. Other facilities include rehearsal areas, classrooms for theoretical and practical lessons, riding halls, and a hostel for boarders. Performances are given in a mai.i circus area built to standard specifications. Each year the school admits about 50 from the 3000 or so candidates who apply. On graduation a student receives two certificates—one for his professional qualifications and the other for secondary education. Performers are actively encouraged to develop new acts and a postgraduate school of circus acts exists in Moscow. Today more than 25. circus performers, including Oleg Popov, hold the title of People’s Artistes of the U.S.S.R., while about 100 are Merited Artistes of Union or Autonomous Republics. Circus performances have been a favourite entertainment at Russian fairs and playgrounds since ancient times. The first permanent circus was opened in Moscow in 1764.