The digital revolution of the circus, a cross-border performing art
- Ethan 劉呈顥
- May 1
- 5 min read
What is a circus?
Circus is a performing art that consists of various forms such as acrobatics, magic, clowns, and animal performances.
Circuses usually perform in a circular or oval arena with stands for spectators to watch.
圖片來源：GQ
Image source: GQ
The origin of the circus can be traced back to ancient Rome, when circuses mainly featured animal performances.
As time went by, the content of the circus gradually became richer, and performances such as acrobatics, magic, and clowns gradually became an important part of the circus.
Modern circuses are generally divided into two types: traditional circus and modern circus.
Traditional circuses mainly feature animal performances, while modern circuses focus more on acrobatics, magic, clowns and other performances.
History of the circus
The origin of the modern circus is attributed to Philip Astley.
He was originally a cavalry officer, and after retiring he established the first modern amphitheatre in London in 1768 for demonstrations of equestrian skills.
Astley discovered that during the break between equestrian performances, the audience would become extremely bored while waiting for the next performance.
To solve this problem, he began to join the clown show to entertain the audience during the off-season.
The humor and funny performance of the clown quickly won the love of the audience.
Image source: People's Daily Online
As Astley became more famous and wealthy, he began to wonder how he could bring some novelty to his performances to expand his influence.
He began to hire other equestrians, musicians, jugglers, tumblers, tightrope walkers, and dancing dogs to enrich the circus's performances.
Through constant innovation and development, Astley's Circus gradually became a popular form of entertainment.
He is also known as the father of modern circus.
Circus Controversy
Animal performances in circus history were initially dominated by equestrianism, but later performances with elephants and large cats were also introduced.
Different circuses may use different kinds of animals, including lions, tigers, leopards, and elephants.。
Image source: VOGUE
Animals first appeared in circuses, usually as part of zoos, to showcase rare wild creatures.
Animals of all kinds have been used in performances throughout history, and in the early 18th century exotic animals were shipped to North America for display in zoos, which became a popular form of entertainment.
However, over time, some animal rights groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), began to raise concerns about the treatment of animals in circuses.
They point out that to train these animals, circuses often use cruel, inhumane and extremely painful methods, such as beatings and physical abuse.
Furthermore, the animals’ right to freedom is violated as they are kept in cages that are too small and have little opportunity to roam outside their enclosures.
In past circus performances, there have even been cases where animals tried to escape because they did not want to perform on stage.
Overall, the treatment of animals in circuses has sparked widespread controversy, with animal rights groups highlighting the importance of animal welfare.
This has prompted some circuses to begin looking for more humane and animal-friendly performance methods to reduce psychological and physical stress on animals.
Virtual Circus
Advances in technology and a focus on animal welfare have changed the landscape of traditional circuses.
In the past, circus performances have often relied on real animals to achieve spectacular visuals, but this has also raised concerns about the treatment of animals.
Therefore, the famous German circus Circus Roncalli has taken practical actions to prevent animals from being harmed through its "zero animal harm" performances. It is also the world's first circus without real animals performing.
Image source: OPIUM
Circus Roncalli was founded in 1976 and, like other circuses, has always used animal performances to attract audiences.
But with the growing calls for animal protection and the emergence of high technology.
In 2018, the director of Circus Roncalli decided to use the power of high technology to put into action a "zero animal harm" performance.
Image source: ppaper.net
Tigers, but still an amazing show of animals to see.
This transformation not only improves animal welfare, it also sends an important message to the world:
Technology and entertainment can coexist,
Circus Roncalli, a well-known German circus, has successfully introduced 3D holographic projection technology into their performances.
Audiences no longer see real elephants and respect the ecological balance and the rights of animals.
This innovation has also encouraged other circuses and the entertainment industry to think about how to provide unforgettable performance experiences while protecting animals.
It shows how technological advances and society’s concern for animal welfare can work together to drive the development of the entertainment industry.
The Circus Enters the Metaverse
In addition, Germany's Circus Roncalli uses holographic projection to create a different experience for circus performances.
Open Circus also brings circus performances into the metaverse.
Image source: The Sandbox Medium
Open Circus was created by Madona, Stéphanie and Victoria Bouglione, heiress to the Buglio Winter Circus.
Open Circus honors the rich history and tradition of the circus, blending traditional circus arts with modern innovations.
It will present mesmerizing performances in the Metaverse, allowing players to embark on an exciting adventure to explore the open circus world.
Open Circus’ circus experience features three tents.
Each tent offers a different way to enjoy the circus and performances, as well as gaining insight into the history and evolution of circus arts.
Why did the circus build its experience at The Sandbox?
There are three reasons for nspace analysis:
1. Expand your audience:
The Sandbox is a global platform.
In 2022, Alpha Season 3 offered 90 game experiences and attracted 17 million visits from world-renowned brands.
Image source: Blockworks
This means Open Circus can bring their circus performances to a wider audience.
2. Improve interactivity:
The Sandbox is a social platform where players can play games, create content, and participate in events together.
During the May season of The Sandbox this year, there was a live broadcast on The Sandbox’s YT, where the two of them played and challenged levels together in Meloverse.
From nspace’s perspective, in addition to watching circus performances, the Open Circus tent also allows users to become performers.
For example: When the audience steps into the tent, their entrance is the rope of the aerialist.
This way, the audience can experience the circus from the performers’ perspective and participate in it in an immersive way.
Or it allows users to bring their own animal companions to the circus and complete a series of action challenges in the middle of the circus.
Once completed, their performance will be presented in snapshots, which can become unique NFTs.
These NFTs are not just records, but can also be used as tickets or discount coupons to watch the next actual circus performance.
Let Web3 build a bridge between the virtual and real worlds, bringing new opportunities and possibilities to the circus industry.
Conclusion
As a pioneer of the Metaverse, The Sandbox hopes to allow more players, creators, brands, and IP celebrities to join the Metaverse in the future and use the power of Web3 to provide education, social experiences, and activities.
As more and more people join The Sandbox, the platform’s global influence will continue to expand, bringing a brighter future for virtual creation and the development of virtual worlds.
If you are a brand that wants to expand into the global market, create brand voice and value, and combine online and offline marketing to create unlimited possibilities, you can contact nspace fan page.
nspace is a company that specializes in creating Web3 experiences for brands. We provide land sales/leasing and asset construction for The Sandbox, as well as marketing and planning for brands and products.
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