What Makes a Circus Act Truly Great: Creating Acts That Make Time Stand Still

Episode: What Makes a Circus Act Truly Great

You asked for this episode—and I’ll be honest, it made me nervous to record. Because the moment we start defining “great,” people want to debate it (and they should). Art is subjective.

So instead of declaring a universal truth, I’m sharing patterns I’ve witnessed over time—what consistently shows up in acts that evolve from “good” to unforgettable.

This conversation doesn’t end here.
 I’d love for you to stay in it with me.

If this episode sparked something for you, take a moment to reflect on what you believe makes an act truly great—and how that definition is shaping the work you’re creating right now.

Join the conversation by following @theartistbehindtheart on Instagram, where we continue these discussions and share insights from artists across the industry.

And if this episode resonated, please share it with another artist or creative friend who might need this perspective. These conversations grow stronger when we have them together.

Thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being part of a community that cares deeply about craft, clarity, and intentional creation.

Thanks so much for listening to The Artist Behind the Art.
This podcast exists to support performers in building sustainable, aligned, and castable careers — beyond just the skills.

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If you’re ready to build an act that makes an audience lean in and feel time stand still:

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Until next time — show up big and own the stage.

Transcript

Speaker 2 0:01

Welcome to the Artist Behind the Art, the podcast that lists the curtain on what it takes to thrive as a professional performer. I'm your host, Jennifer Pierce, artist coach, creative strategist, and lifelong advocate for performers who are ready to go from unsure to unforgettable. This is where the gatekeeping ends and your journey to thriving in the industry begins. Let's dive in.

Speaker 0:30

Welcome to the Artist Behind the Art, and today we are talking about what makes a circus act truly great. And this is an episode that someone asked me to make. A long time ago, and I've been excited to make the episode, but also very, very nervous because anytime you start talking about what makes something great, of course it invites a lot of opinions and people start wanting to poke holes in, um, what you think. It wants to be debated, and everyone wants to argue a definition and honestly, that. Makes complete sense because art will always be and should always be in the eye of the beholder. That's, I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it is very important to a, as I share with you what my definition of what makes a circus act truly great that. You let that challenge what you think and that also then helps you challenge what you create. And I think that is something that is, that makes you unique as an artist and it also helps us really appreciate when we see something that is just truly. A beautiful work of art, and I've been part of shows that I didn't love at first, and maybe the music wasn't something that I would've chosen or the context wasn't what I expected. The style is something that I wouldn't have created on my own, but through the process of performing. Them creating within them, refining them. I truly grew to appreciate them deeply and in some cases I, I look back and they are just. Amazing fond memories. And I've also been incredibly privileged to guide artists in creating acts that when brought to me were not necessarily initially something I would've made myself. And those experiences have stretched me in the best way, and it's challenged me to really look at my assumptions. It's expanded my taste and it's reminded me how limiting. It can be to judge a piece of work or an artist alone by the cover. So when I talk about what makes a circus act truly great, I'm not trying to declare a universal truth. I'm sharing patterns that I've witnessed over time, that I've seen through creation, through refinement, through failure, and through acts that have. Been sharpened and developed and come alive because someone was truly invested in creating something that was unique and just had a level of intentionality and clarity beyond the norm. So I want you to keep in mind that for anything to be great, it has to exist first. So allow yourself to create and to have the ideas that are in your mind's eye. Come out, be developed. Let it then be refined, challenge it so every moment can be intentionally crafted. And if you are someone who's creating right now and you're building an act, shaping a concept, remember this is you becoming a version of yourself that is still in progress. So if you are excited to hear what I think truly makes an act. Amazing. This episode is for you. So number one, I think what makes an act truly amazing is when someone can demonstrate mastery beyond technique. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that the skill that the artist is performing needs to be. High level. It just means that the technique is the baseline and mastery is what makes the difference. Because when an artist. Has mastery over something. It also puts the audience member just at ease. We are confident that you on stage are going to nail it, and that also that gives you the ability to do the skill with clarity and with control. And that's something that then just the audience, it's you're able to help them. Escape time, and they lean in because it just, it, it's such at ease and the skill no longer asks for attention. The performer is then free to communicate that skill in any way that they want, and your breath is calm. The timing and how you deliver the skill can be so intentional and the performer is no longer showing the trick. They are truly inhabiting it. So I think that's where, instead of a skill just being something that you learned, it becomes part of your language. And that is definitely I, I think something we should all strive for when we are selecting skills to go into an act. We need to drill those down to where we are able to do them with such just virtuosity that then we can help them go beyond the steps in the sequencing and then we can help them speak. So number two is intentional line and visual harmony. And a great act is where something, if you can take it frame by frame, there's not any broken lines. Anytime that I work with a artist and we're looking at that kind of frame by frame moment, you want to make sure that it is the optimum line for you. But I believe any artist can really refine their ability to make sure that. The line is straight, the energy is directed and that the, from there, if we think of a line, it doesn't go askew unless we are intentionally driving it that way. So I love to think of a sketch artist, and if they were creating something, you would have very visually harmonious lines. And this just helps the. The pathways of how you are moving in between point A and point B to be very intentional. And it also makes for no accidental shapes. There's no in-between moments that are left unconsidered, and it's all about awareness. So I think when you are thinking about. The skills or sequences that you're putting into your act really go through and drill those down and go frame by frame and see where maybe you need to be more intentional and aware of how you're getting from point A to point B. So that intentional line can be something that is truly part of that crafting of that act. So number three, I think this one is so important. This is audience and venue awareness, because an act can be amazing, but if it's not appropriate for the audience, then it's just gonna fall flat and you have to think about. Who is watching the act and how far away are they going to be and what does this venue ask for? Because there's a difference between a venue that asks for more of an up close intimate performance versus something that is. Asking for projection and that energy to really transcend way past where you are standing on stage. So those small rooms, really they reward that subtlety and the really small nuances where large venues demand clarity and scale. And adjusting this doesn't mean that you are diluting what you are bringing to the table as an artist. It just means that you are translating it and giving it really specifics to make sure that. That audience, it really is something that speaks to them. So thinking about the music and the the age of the audience, these are all going to go into the lens that the audience watches you and then receives that and really truly feels like it's something that was meant for them. So the next one is the arc. Of an act and great circus acts take us somewhere. They need to have the peaks and the valleys, and we want to really make sure that when you come onto stage that the entry is very intentional. Instantly, we know that you have command of the stage and what you are about to deliver to us. We want to have that build. We want a suspension and a release that really helps take us on that journey. And one of my favorite aspects of choreography is stillness. I think if there's somewhere where either the music is at a peak and you are still, or there's silence and you are utilizing that in a way that is. Just very awe inspiring. I, I think that is something that, um, if you can find a piece of music that does have an arc, but it has stillness, challenge yourself to take that and really maximize that moment, because those can be some of the most powerful moments that you can ever create on stage. So when you're creating your act, if you start with asking the question. What journey am I taking them on? It's gonna help give you that rough sketch. So where you are starting and where you are taking them on, and how you, that last moment that you leave them with it is truly crafted for that audience. All right, number five, athleticism and artistry, inbalance. And this is where you can have that magic overlap because athleticism impressive artistry alone. Engages. And when we transform those together, that is where the audience forgets the effort and emotion has this, the space to land. And this is something where like I, you you're putting it in the pocket of the music and of just the, the ability to communicate. That moment of time and it really asks for you to really strip away everything that is not necessary and make sure that. That balance of what you are showcasing and how you are communicating it is really very intentional and I think that's where you, you can see an artist that has such command and, and it's just wrapped up in this moment that it really does help. Time stand still. Alright, so one of my favorites. For creating an amazing act is intentionality. In every moment, nothing in a great act is accidental, except in the creation process. I will, I will challenge that because sometimes that's where some magic happens, but every step matters, every transition matters, every pause. And how you. Step out on stage. The pose that you choose to deliver as the, the, basically the book of the cover, that all is the clues that leads the audience to be able to. See and be at rest and go on the journey with you and an audience member. They may not know why something is special, but you have complete command of every second. And if we're creating an act, why would we not want every moment, every transition to be very, very intentional? And other ways to think about the intentionality. It shows up in our costuming, our final image, and in our bow and the, the audience can feel when something is chosen versus when something is filled. So this is really where that good separates the unforgettable. So I want you to challenge for you what is the definition of an amazing act, and I've wrapped my definition of a great act in a little bit of a phrase that I would love to share with you. A truly great act is impactful from the moment it begins where every detail is masterful. Connected, crafted and intentional, and it's where the audience leans in. And whether an act is one that emotionally connects or is a technical and awe-inspiring display of athleticism, an amazing act should leave the audience wanting more help. Time stand still and stay with them long after the final bow. And this is, this is truly, I think, as an artist, what we are after. And the only way for us to accomplish this is to create and to let things exist and to let things fail. Because through failure, it's truly what teaches us what. Is amazing. It, it's what gives us the spark and the direction and the path. So I want to invite you into this conversation and think back to the last time that an act truly took you by surprise. Not just impressed you, but truly stopped you. The kind of moment where it felt like time slowed down or disappeared altogether. What was it about that? Was it the mastery, the ease, the way that the artist held the space before they even moved? Was it the clarity of the idea or that moment that made you laugh unexpectedly or caught you in the throat because it was just such an honest display of emotional, just overwhelm So. Please take the time to define what you believe makes an act truly amazing, not what you think casting wants, not what you think will win a competition. Not what's trending, but what moves you. Because when you take the time to articulate that, you give yourself a lens and a lens shapes every creative choice you make from structure to pacing, to how intentionally you craft each moment. Clarity doesn't limit you, it elevates you. And that's often the difference between an act that's impressive and one that makes the audience lean in and wish it had lasted just a little bit longer.

Speaker 3 17:15

Thank you so much for listening, for showing up, reflecting, and continuing to ask better questions about your work. If you're a circus artist looking for more clarity around your work and how you show up in this industry and you're ready to become more clear in how you present yourself. Castable, my free three day mentorship begins February 16th. We'll be diving into real challenges around act creation, submissions, and positioning, so you can move forward with confidence instead of second guessing Every choice, all sessions will be recorded for those in different time zones. But if you can join live, I truly love the chance to connect with you and support you directly. You can sign up by clicking the link in my Instagram bio at Arete.Act Development. Thank you so much for being here. Remember, you already have what it takes. Now it's time to prove it to yourself. Until next time, show a big and own the stage.