Ringling Bros.
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The Ringlings began what is known today as the "Ringling Bros & Barnum and Bailey Circus" in 1884 with their first performance as the "Yankee Robinson and Ringling Brothers Show" in Baraboo, Wisconsin. (1) Starting as a brass band, their show later rose to fame with the creation of their circus. The brothers gathered inspiration from the "Great Western Shows" they had grown up going to in Wisconsin. (2)
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While the creation of their circus is very similar to that of Barnum’s, the Ringling Bros. owe much of their growing popularity to the Barnum & Bailey show. Once Barnum and Bailey began their European tour in 1897, the Ringling Bros "captured the audiences that Barnum and Bailey had left behind in the United States." (3) The Ringling circus was made most famous by the "elephant ballet" in which thirty-six elephants wore tutus and performed for the audience. (4)
Modern day elephant ballet (2015):
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1. Ann M. Legreid,"Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus" The 1950s in America. Hackensack: Salem, 2005. http://online.salempress.com. (January 4 2017).
2. New York Times (New York City, NY). "The Greatest Show." March 11, 1888, 2. http://hn.bigchalk.com/hnweb/hn/do/document. (January 23, 2017).
3. Cat Rambo. Ringling Bros. Buys Barnum and Bailey Circus. Robert F Gorman, 2007. http://online.salempress.com/article.
4. Ibid, "The 1950s in America".
5. Barnum and Bailey Circus. Photograph. Circuses and Slideshows. 2013. http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/barnumandbaileycircus.html. (April 4, 2017)
6. Ringling Bros. Photograph. Travalanche. December 2, 2013. https://travsd.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/of-ringling-bros-et-al/. (April 4, 2017).
7. "Ringling Bros - Elephant Show." Video file. Posted by Klowns, October 4, 2014. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJVm6yzHuOM. (May 7, 2017).
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