Readings of Contemporary Circus

''A welcome addition to the rich paradigm of circus research to which Dr. Franziska Trapp had already significantly contributed through organizing ground-breaking conferences on circus studies, in which her scholarly leadership achieved a powerful synergy, bringing together academic researchers and circus artists. In this innovative book, based on hands-on research and precise analyses, she explores, with theoretical and methodological virtuosity, the artistic creativity of contemporary acrobatic performances emancipated from the historical constraints of the traditional circus. It is a first and highly successful attempt to engage the challenging complexity of the contemporary acrobatic circus and to elaborate a persuasive semiotics and poetics of this new, emergent genre.'' Prof. Dr. Paul Bouissac, Emeritus at the University of Toronto ''This book sets new standards for our understanding and interpretation of circus performances. It is an essential resource for students and scholars alike interested in the emerging discipline of circus studies. No one working in the field will be able to ignore this work in the future. It is remarkable.'' Prof. Dr. Erika Fischer-Lichte, Professor of Theatre Studies and the Director of the International Research Center 'Interweaving Performance Cultures' at Freie Universität Berlin. ''Combining insights of cultural semiotics, dramaturgy and performance analysis Readings of contemporary circus will prove to be a landmark study within the emerging new field of circus studies. Through careful case study analyses Franziska Trapp’s book offers an innovative perspective on the thriving field of contemporary circus. Travelling between disciplines, people and environments, the book provides new insights in the different ways circus artist represent the world of today, deploying the language of circus as a complex and poetic means to challenge our perspective as a spectator.'' Prof. Dr. Karel Vanhaesebrouck, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) ''This substantial book sets out to engage with essential questions about circus as it perceptively explains processes of reading performance and ‘methodological density’. In delving into a range of possible theoretical interpretations of well-chosen examples of contemporary circus and the significance of context, the discussion illuminates cultural meaning. This timely publication offers a valuable precedent for the study of circus.'' Peta Tait, Theatre Scholar, La Trobe University Melbourne, Australia