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City Research Online City, University of London Institutional Repository Citation: Sorzano, O. (2018). Circus between centre and periphery: the recognition of the form in 21st century Britain and Colombia. (Unpublished Doctoral thesis, City, University of London) This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/21141/ Link to published version: Copyright: City Research Online aims to make research outputs of City, University of London available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the author(s) and/or copyright holders. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to. Reuse: Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge. Provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. City Research Online: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/ [email protected] CIRCUS BETWEEN CENTRE AND PERIPHERY: THE RECOGNITION OF THE FORM IN 21st CENTURY BRITAIN AND COLOMBIA Olga Lucía Sorzano Montaña Thesis submitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Policy and Management CITY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON School of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology Centre for Culture and Creative Industries July 2018 Table of Contents List of Illustrations 7 Acknowledgements 9 Abstract 10 1. Circus Between Centre and Periphery 12 Background Research and Theoretical Approach 14 Circus Definitions and Transformations 20 Modern Circus and the Myth of its Origins 22 Historical Construction of Modern Circus 27 From Antiquity to Modern Times: ‘The Circus is Born’ 28 Great Circus Moments: Britain, France and the USA 33 Modern Circus and the Emergence of the Performing Art 37 The Decline of Modern Circus 45 From Modern Circus to Contemporary Circus 48 Towards Renewed Definitions of Circus 56 The Invisible Sides of the Story and the Limitations of Future Analysis 59 2. Methodology 69 Non-Methodical Research 70 Research Design and Area of Analysis 71 !2 Cultural Studies as a Methodology and Theoretical Approach 73 Methods 75 Fieldwork 81 Previous Engagement with Circus 82 Pilot: From London to Blackpool - The Fieldwork Starts 85 Research Topics and Questions 91 Snowball Sampling 91 Interviews: People as Evidence 96 Circus Conferences 100 Ethics 102 3. Circus Literature 104 Literature in Britain and its Central Role in the Analysis of Circus 105 Literature in Colombia 110 Circus as a Marginal Subject of Study 115 Circus According to Whom? 121 Circus Representations in Search of Recognition 123 Circus Classified as Popular Entertainment and Popular Culture 124 Animal Rights Campaigns and the Decline of Circus in Britain 127 Circus Studies 131 Contribution of this Research to Circus Literature 133 !3 Circus Forms in Colombia in the 19th Century 137 The Consolidation of Traditional Circus in the 20th Century in Colombia 147 4. Circus in Colombia and Britain as Cases of Study 151 Why Circus? 151 Why Colombia and Britain? 155 Colombian Context: Diverse Populations Divided into Two Nations 160 Shamanism: A Pre-Colombian Heritage Marginalised in the Construction of Modern Societies 170 Colombian and British Relationship 175 5. Circus Recognition and its Contemporary Peripheries 179 “Colombia: A Circus Power” 179 Contemporary Circus in Colombia: A ‘Literate Power’ 185 Colombian Circus Peripheries in Search of Renewed Narratives 189 Circus at the Traffic Lights in Bogotá 192 Social Circus and the Streets: A Meeting Point in Colombia’s Circus Practice 197 The Turn of the 21st Century and the Recognition of Circus in Britain 199 Circus 250: Britain Celebrates the Invention of Circus in London 204 Circus Challenges in Britain: Recognition and Cultural Distrust 207 Contemporary Circus in Britain: A ‘Funny Business’ 209 Circus and Cultural Policies: A Place where Colombia and Britain meet 214 What is Circus? A Global Approach 219 !4 6. The Role of Colombia and South America in the Emergence of Social Circus 231 Definitions of Social Circus and the History of the Term 233 The First International Round Table of Circus and Social Work, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France, 2002 235 Circus in Latin America: An Alternative View 239 A Gap between Terminologies and Aims: From Professionalisation and Social Transformation to Intervention for At-Risk Groups 245 Social circus: A Hybrid 246 Implications of the ‘Social Circus’ Narrative in Colombia and Britain 249 Social Circus in Colombia 249 Social Circus in Britain 252 Social and Community Circus in the Recognition of Circus as Art 255 Is Social Circus the Other of Professional Circus? 263 7. Conclusion and Further Discussion in the Recognition of Circus in the 21st Century 267 Modern Circus: The Emergence of Circus as a Performing Art? 270 Contemporary Circus: The Emergence of Circus as High Art? 274 The Turn of the 21st Century: The Recognition of Circus in Britain and Colombia 278 The Turn of the 19th and 21st Centuries and the Emergence of Circus as Art 288 Contribution to the Academy and to Circus Practitioners 291 Recognition and Formalisation Versus Marginal Circus 303 !5 Towards a Global Definition of Circus 306 Annexes 306 Questions That Informed the Data Collection 310 Fieldwork: List of Organisations, Interviewees and Main Academic Conferences 312 Bibliography 319 !6 List of Illustrations fig. 1.1: Centre and Periphery Dialectics 18 fig. 1.2: Interior and Exterior views of Astley’s Amphitheatre in London, 1777 24 fig. 1.3: Mrs Hughes, one of the many Invisible Characters 26 fig. 1.4: Interior of Astley’s Amphitheatre 31 fig. 1.5: “Circus-type” Acts in Non-Western Societies and Pre-modern Times 36 fig. 1.6: “Circus-type” Acts in Pre-Columbian Mexico 37 fig. 1.7: Astley’s Royal Amphitheatre Mid-19th Century Performance of Richard the VIII 44 fig. 1.8: Modern circus - Horse-riding Acts and Ballet Come Together 45 fig. 1.9: Roman Statue of a “Negro Juggler” believed to come from Thebes and Itinerant Artists of the European Fairgrounds (“Saltimbanques”) in 1749 63 fig. 1.10: Times of Rejection and Recognition of Circus Artist in Western history, from Roman Times to the 20th Century 64 fig. 2.1: Research Map. Theory and Methods 81 fig. 3.1: Theatre Company Bronner Cardella Performing in Bogotá in 1863-1864 140 fig. 3.2: Circo Bernabó Performance in Bogotá in the 19th Century 141 fig. 3.3: Circo Bernabo in Caracas – El Federalisata Newspaper 4 142 fig. 3.4: Former Plaza de la Concepcion during its Demolition, 1953 144 fig. 3.5: Prohibition of Circus at the Pan-American Games in Cali, 1972 149 fig. 5.1: El Tiempo (2012a). El Tiempo (2012b). Published 9th February 2012 180 !7 fig. 5.2: Montercermundo’s personal archives. France (2014), Argentina (1990s), Bogotá (2017) 192 fig. 5.3: Circus at the Traffic Lights. Bogotá 193 fig. 5.4: Performers at the Traffic Lights 1 195 fig. 5.5: Fundacion Recuperarte's Logo. Performer at the Traffic Lights 2 197 fig. 6.1: First International Round Table of Circus and Social Work, France, 2002 237 fig. 6.2: First Latin American Summit of Social Circus, Chile, 1998 240 fig. 6.3: Circo Para Todos and Circolombia Performances & International Contests 252 fig. 7.1: Circus on the Roads of Colombia 287 fig. 7.2: Circus Between Centre and Periphery: The Internal Margins of Circus 290 !8 Acknowledgements I thank the circus practitioners interviewed for this research, as you are the real authors of this thesis. Thank you for your testimonies, your kindness and for opening your world and sharing your experiences, ideas and concerns. Especially to Circo Para Todos and Circolombia for bringing me closer to circus and inspiring this academic project. I hope this document will contribute to further understanding of circus and the development of the circus practice. A very special thanks to the fantastic people that very generously offered their support and dedicate their time and energy to finalise this research: R.M. Sanchez-Camus, Felipe Alvarez, Silvia Sorzano, George Graham, Luciana Riso, Mary Kuper, Neil Hart, Domenico Sergi, Vegard Olsen, Nydia Pineda, Gina Blackhart, Maria P. Muñoz, Veronica Simson and Lucas Guingue. Without their support, comments and last minute help this research would not be possible. To my supervisor Professor Toby Miller for widening the academic perspectives allowing me to approach this research in a global way. Colciencias for funding the project and the staff at City University for the assistance provided. To my family, Pepe Grillo, ’Rosita' and all my friends who accompanied me over the process. !9 Abstract The turn of the 21st century arguably marked the point when circus gained recognition by cultural establishments in Britain and Colombia. Issues of identity and recognition were becoming central questions in the analysis of a practice regarded as marginal or lowbrow. This thesis addresses such questions by comparing circus movements in Britain and Colombia. The aim is to investigate global power structures that operate behind the current process of recognition. The analysis is conducted within the disciplines of cultural studies and circus studies. It follows mixed methods of research that include multi-sited ethnography, semi-structured interviews, textual analysis, archival research and political economy. Interviews were conducted with over 60 circus artists, arts administrators, and policy-makers; they enquire into the factors behind recognition and the distinctive character of the form. The research finds the internal peripheries of circus and a divided practice which is split into differentiated movements such as ‘traditional’, ‘contemporary’ or ‘social’ circus. While contemporary circus gains recognition as art, traditional circus is regarded as entertainment and social circus as therapy or social work.