A circus is a traveling event that amuses audiences through acrobatics, juggling, trapeze, tightrope walking, and many other shows. While performers play an essential part in the circus, a variety of other professionals are working to produce exciting shows and create a profitable circus. If you want to pursue a career in the performing arts, consider learning about the different opportunities you could pursue within the circus. This article will explain what jobs in circuses are and the necessary skills that circus workers need, and present ten jobs with their median salaries and responsibilities.
What are the circus jobs?
Circus jobs include all jobs that permit circuses to perform and provide entertainment to viewers. These include jobs requiring performance, like an acrobat, juggler dancer, aerialist clown, ringmaster, or tightrope walker, as a supporting role. Supporting roles aid in the performance and may include positions such as artistic director, hair and makeup stylist, lighting technician, costume designer, stagehand, and set designer. Circuses also employ marketing specialists as well as transportation staff, employees of the talent acquisition department, merchandisers, and booking agents.
Skills for circus employees
The skills required by circus workers vary based on their role within the company. These are a few of the most essential skills required by performers and other support staff:
The skills required by circus performers
These are the essential techniques that circus performers must master:
- Expertise Experience: One of the most essential skills circus performers requires is the ability to master their specific act. This can include a variety of specific skills like dancing, juggling, acrobatics, trapeze work, or tightrope walking.
- Dedication: Circus performers often spend much time trying to perfect their performances before performing. Dedication can assist them in committing to enhancing their abilities and ensuring that they perform their act flawlessly when performing on the stage.
- Fitness: Many circus performances require performers to be of high physical fitness. This is crucial for trapeze artists, acrobats, tightrope walkers, divers, and contortionists.
- Collaboration: Most circus shows are collaborative and may contain dozens of performers synchronizing with each other. Collaborating with other artists can assist these professionals in achieving the director’s vision and keeping one another secure.
- The circus industry is always searching for new and innovative acts to create distinctive shows. Thinking creatively allows performers to improve their shows and differentiate them from others in their areas of expertise.
- Performance: Alongside technical expertise, Many circuses demand that their performers be skilled in acting and presenting. This helps them to enhance the quality of their performance for the spectators.
- Timeliness Performers in the circus are typically accountable for attending rehearsals regularly and arriving at the right time to prepare for their performances. The ability to keep track of time can assist them in completing the tasks they have to complete and assist their colleagues and directors.
The skills required by circus staff
These are essential qualities for employees in support roles in a circus.
- The art of vision. Many circuses put on unique shows each year, with unique themes and diverse shows. The artistic vision of artists can assist stage managers, directors, and show creators in creating engaging experiences that keep attracting audiences’ attention.
- The management of time The circuses frequently move between cities and run on strict schedules. Time management can assist circus managers and logistic staff in setting up, taking down, and ensuring timely transportation for equipment and personnel.
- Teamwork Collaboration: The circus support personnel assist in coordinating the operation of their show and supervise performers or other staff members. Working with other professionals is a great way to help the staff and managers create successful shows that comprise hundreds or even dozens of performers.
- Business understanding: Business savvy is a crucial ability for professionals working in the field of circus management. It helps them create budgets, design a successful business model and boost the efficiency of their operation.
- Marketing skills: Circuses typically employ marketing professionals to develop advertisements that draw audiences to various venues. An extensive knowledge of online-based and traditional strategies for advertising is typically essential for these professionals.
- Design: The majority of circuses need large-scale design and production operations, which include costuming and lighting, hair makeup as well as set design, as well as sound engineering. The ability to design and think creatively is essential for employees in these fields.
- Responsibility: Cirque shows often include numerous acts that could cause danger to performers when safety measures are not followed. A sense of accountability will ensure that the support staff maintains the safety of their colleagues when they perform and practice.
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Different types of jobs available in the circus
Here is the list of 10 circus jobs available for you to look into. To view the most current Indeed salary, follow these links:
StagehandAverage national salary: $36,613 annually
The primary duties of stagehands: They are accountable for setting and set adjustments during live shows. They are usually responsible for setting up sets before and after the show, disassembling them, and transporting sets between performances. In shows, stagehands usually change sets between shows, supply props, support performers offstage, and put together special effects. Their other responsibilities may include checking equipment, ensuring security measures are in place, and cleaning and taking care of the backstage space. For circuses, these professionals usually handle equipment such as trapezes, trampolines, stunt equipment, and trapezes and are usually in charge of ensuring safety at performances.
Audio technician
The national average salary is $37,713 per annum.
The primary duties of a sound technician are: Sound technicians are professionals who build sound systems to suit different kinds of performances. In circuses, they are typically responsible for the audio and the sound used to accompany different performances. They typically put up sound and speaker systems in the performance spaces, test their functionality, work with performers, directors, and lighting specialists, and remove audio equipment once the show ends. Sound technicians can also help with issues with audio quality, attach microphones to performers and offer safe transportation for audio equipment and speakers. Equipment. They typically require formal education in acoustics as well as electronic technology.
Stage Manager
The national average salary is $43,723 a year.
Stage managers’ primary responsibilities are supervising stage productions throughout rehearsals and live performances. They are often cooperative, and they work with stagehands, directors, audio technicians, performers, and lighting specialists to develop productions that align with the artistic director’s vision. Stage managers instruct performers and stagehands, organize rehearsals, direct stage and prop construction, ensure the safety of crew members, and identify any mistakes in rehearsals or performances. Stage managers typically need a solid ability to manage time, organizational skills, and excellent leadership and communication skills to complete their job.
Dancer
Average national salary: $45 532 per annum
Principal duties: Dancers are skilled in a variety of styles of dance in order to delight the audience. Many circuses employ dancers as distinct performers or backup performers in acrobatics and aerial, juggling, or other performances. Dancers spend most of their time studying and practicing complicated choreography with other performers and working out to prevent injury and remain healthy. Dancers must also work with hair, makeup, and costumes to prepare for live performances. Some dancers may require training in acting, singing, or acrobatics.
Hairstylist
Average national salary: 50,630 dollars per year
The hairstylists’ primary duties are professionals with a creative flair that cut, style, and trim hair to suit customers or performers. In a circus environment, hairstylists often work with stylists, wardrobe designers, and artistic directors to create hairstyles that can enhance the appearance of performers in performances. Hairstylists frequently meet performers to review their needs and devise strategies to meet the director’s requirements. Before performances, they assist every performer in finishing their rehearsals. This could include styling and styling the hair, fixing the wigs and trimming hair, coloring it, and helping with costumes. After the show is completed, They often assist actors in re-style their hair and removing their costumes.
Agent for booking
The national average salary is $51,511 per annum.
The primary responsibilities of booking agents are organizing and managing shows for theatre productions, performers, musicians, comedians, speakers, dancers, and more. Many circuses use booking agents to assist them in identifying suitable venues. Their responsibilities include
- identifying possible venues and contacting venue managers for contract negotiations,
- arranging details like show time and date, and
- cooperating with event planners and directors.
They also assist managers to develop touring schedules, organize accommodations and food for performers or help in the promotion of their clients. They typically require strong communication abilities, a knack for managing time, and the capability to remain well-organized.
Technician in lighting
The national average salary is $57,878/year.
Principal duties: Lighting technicians are responsible for lighting effects in theater shows. A lot of circuses have lighting technicians to create spotlights and elaborate lighting effects that are colored to their productions. Lighting technicians are accountable for determining the needs of a show in conjunction with stage managers and directors, installing lighting fixtures, and preparing a schedule that is a perfect match for various performances while also attending rehearsals. They also install lighting systems before performances, remove them after shows are over, move lighting equipment between venues, and ensure safety measures in the vicinity of high-voltage electrical systems.
Artiste in Makeup
Average national salary: $63,336 per annum
The primary duties are: Makeup artists are professionals with a flair for creativity who apply body paint and makeup on performers prior to performances. Cirque shows often feature elaborate costumes. Many circuses have makeup artists on staff to create unique prosthetics for their actors. Makeup artists work with directors and costume designers to develop ideas and later work with the performers for makeup application for rehearsals for dress and live shows. They require expertise to design designs that are sturdy enough to be worn on stage and can complement the lighting in the show. After shows, makeup artists usually assist the performers in removing their makeup and prosthetics.
Performer
The national average salary is $64,118 for the year.
Principal duties: Circuses employ many performers, and their tasks differ based on their expertise. Some familiar circus performers are clowns, aerialists, jugglers, unicycles, tightrope walkers and dancers, and acrobats. They include divers, plate spinners, fire breathers, and poi swingers. They are accountable for regularly practicing their acts, keeping their bodies in good health, working in conjunction with the other artists, receiving instructions from stage directors and managers, observing safety rules, making rehearsals, and preparing for their performances. They are also required to participate in fittings for costumes, meet with hairstylists, makeup artists, and makeup artists, and develop new shows.
Talent acquisition manager
The national average salary is $66,542 a year.
The primary responsibilities of talent acquisition managers are to provide their employers with a workforce of skilled employees. Specific circus organizations employ talent acquisition specialists to assist them in finding the right performers and helpers. They usually work with directors to decide the needs of the circus, go over audiotapes of auditions, bring applicants to live auditions, and organize open auditions. They also search for new performers or connect with them via the Internet and in person. Talent acquisition managers can also assist in interviewing new employees, going over applications, negotiating contracts, taking on new employees, and creating plans for retention and recruitment strategies within their businesses.
Marketing director
Average national salary: 78,000403 dollars per year
Principal responsibilities: Marketing directors aim to improve the visibility and profits of their organizations through advertisements. Many circus companies employ marketers to manage their marketing campaigns and improve their brand’s visibility. They work alongside social media managers, copywriters, and graphic designers to develop advertising campaigns and keep track of their marketing results to pinpoint success and problems, as well as develop budgets for marketing and develop long-term strategies for marketing. Marketing managers usually require much experience in advertising, a thorough understanding of analytics, creativity, business acumen, and a thorough understanding of paid and social media advertisements.