About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherScarecrow Press, Incorporated

ISBN-100810857340

ISBN-139780810857346

eBay Product ID (ePID)54033798

Product Key Features

Book TitleContemporary Circus : Art of the Spectacular

Number of Pages292 Pages

LanguageEnglish

TopicCircus

Publication Year2006

IllustratorYes

GenrePerforming Arts

AuthorErnest Albrecht

FormatPerfect

Dimensions

Item Height1.1 in

Item Weight17.8 Oz

Item Length8.8 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2006-020841

Dewey Edition22

TitleLeadingThe

Reviews...provides unprecedented scholarly analysis....Short of being invited into the inner circle of circus leadership, there is no better way to appreciate what it takes to produce contemporary circus., An incisive look at todays circuses, this book reveals the hard work and planning behind such shows as Cirque du Soleil. From costumers to choreographers, performers to stagehands, this book is facinating., Ernest Albrecht's new book is itself a spectacular journey into the processes, aesthetic and commercial, that go into the big-ticket Big Tops of the twenty-first century....Undergraduates will appreciate its easy-to-follow logic and clarity; graduates and scholars will enjoy its depth and richness of information., "...exhaustive, meticulous, illuminating...highly readable and entertaining...both uplifting and educational." -- King Pole "This penetrating analysis of the contemporary circus is highly recommended for all comprehensive collections and for the serious student of the circus." -- Circus Report "A couple of monkeys and a clown car no longer does a circus make. Now audiences, designers, owners and performers expect the circuses they watch and perform to bend the quality and quantity of space and time, seek out the truths behind fantasy and reality, and hit an emotional and even spiritual spot unreachable by any other art form. Albrecht, a specialist whose credits include a quarterly journal devoted to the circus arts, augments his case studies of productions of leading circuses, including detailed descriptions of the collaborative and individual creative work involved, with commentary pitched to the fascinations of the audience. Commentators include directors, clowns, acrobats, musicians, animal trainers, and dancers as well as instructors in schools for all the above." -- Reference and Research Book News "...an all-access behind-the-scenes view of circus productions....a mine of ideas...fascinating reading...." -- Kaskade "...an important addition to circus literature. Recommended." -- Choice Reviews "...provides unprecedented scholarly analysis....Short of being invited into the inner circle of circus leadership, there is no better way to appreciate what it takes to produce contemporary circus." -- White Tops "Ernest Albrecht's new book is itself a spectacular journey into the processes, aesthetic and commercial, that go into the big-ticket Big Tops of the twenty-first century....Undergraduates will appreciate its easy-to-follow logic and clarity; graduates and scholars will enjoy its depth and richness of information." --May 2008, Volume 24/2, Ntq Cambridge University Press Journals "An incisive look at todays circuses, this book reveals the hard work and planning behind such shows as Cirque du Soleil. From costumers to choreographers, performers to stagehands, this book is facinating." -- Teacher Librarian, A couple of monkeys and a clown car no longer does a circus make. Now audiences, designers, owners and performers expect the circuses they watch and perform to bend the quality and quantity of space and time, seek out the truths behind fantasy and reality, and hit an emotional and even spiritual spot unreachable by any other art form. Albrecht, a specialist whose credits include a quarterly journal devoted to the circus arts, augments his case studies of productions of leading circuses, including detailed descriptions of the collaborative and individual creative work involved, with commentary pitched to the fascinations of the audience. Commentators include directors, clowns, acrobats, musicians, animal trainers, and dancers as well as instructors in schools for all the above., ...an all-access behind-the-scenes view of circus productions....a mine of ideas...fascinating reading...., This penetrating analysis of the contemporary circus is highly recommended for all comprehensive collections and for the serious student of the circus., ...exhaustive, meticulous, illuminating...highly readable and entertaining...both uplifting and educational.

Dewey Decimal791.3

Table Of ContentPart 1 Acknowledgments Part 2 Introduction: The Circus as an Art Form Part 3 Part I. The Creative Team Chapter 4 1 The Director and the Creative Process Chapter 5 2 Designing the Circus Chapter 6 3 Setting the Circus to Music Part 7 Part II. The COllaboration (Case Studies) Chapter 8 4 Ringling's 131st Edition Chapter 9 5 O Notes Chapter 10 6 The Making of a Major New American Spectacle Chapter 11 7 The Big Apple Circus's Clown Around Town Part 12 Part III. The Performers Chapter 13 8 Circus Sets Chapter 14 9 Clowns on Clowning Chapter 15 10 Training the Artists and Building and Maintaining the Performance Part 16 Bibliography Part 17 Index Part 18 About the Author

SynopsisThe fun, energy, and hard work integral to the exciting world of the circus is lovingly captured in The Contemporary Circus: Art of the Spectacular, an in depth look at the creative process of today's circuses. Through numerous personal interviews with directors, designers, composers and performers, author Ernest Albrecht provides a unique inside view of the journey through which the most innovative and exciting modern circuses are produced, from the director and production team to the performers, and from designing the circus to setting it to music. Case studies of specific productions by the Big Apple Circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and Cirque du Soleil illuminate the artistic give-and-take necessary in such a collaborative process, proving the circus a true art form, one as artistic as theatre or dance. A variety of performers such as animal trainers, dancers, and clowns discuss their approach to their individual specialties, and the text concludes with an examination of the world's circuses and schools and their methods for training circus artists. A full photo spread of 30 beautiful photos will help inspire and enlighten artists and fans alike., Creating the Contemporary Circus is an examination and analysis of the creative process whereby such circuses as Cirque du Soleil, the Big Apple Circus and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey develop their productions., The fun, energy, and hard work integral to the exciting world of the circus is lovingly captured in The Contemporary Circus: Art of the Spectacular , an in depth look at the creative process of today's circuses. Through numerous personal interviews with directors, designers, composers and performers, author Ernest Albrecht provides a unique inside view of the journey through which the most innovative and exciting modern circuses are produced, from the director and production team to the performers, and from designing the circus to setting it to music. Case studies of specific productions by the Big Apple Circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and Cirque du Soleil illuminate the artistic give-and-take necessary in such a collaborative process, proving the circus a true art form, one as artistic as theatre or dance. A variety of performers such as animal trainers, dancers, and clowns discuss their approach to their individual specialties, and the text concludes with an examination of the world's circuses and schools and their methods for training circus artists. A full photo spread of 30 beautiful photos will help inspire and enlighten artists and fans alike.

LC Classification NumberGV1801.A43 2006