Traditions in the history of the Russian circus as a subject of scientific research

This study presents an art historical analysis of circus arts traditions as a contemporary Russian cultural phenomenon. The scientific novelty of the work lies in its qualitatively new findings in the study of circus arts facts, specifically the search for priorities in the scale and significance of the contribution of Russian and Western circus troupes to the overall development of circus arts, a holistic and systemic analysis of the essence and specificity of circus forms, and a reconstruction of the evolution of circus arts from the perspective of the multivariate nature of its artistic forms. Technical capabilities allow for the incorporation of new artistic techniques into contemporary forms of variety and circus arts. Sound amplification and sound synthesis equipment are capable of achieving expressive and unconventional musical and lighting effects, while spatial sets, the use of cinema, and, more recently, the use of neural networks, make modern circus acts exceptionally impressive. A new direction for merging circus and theater is the use of circusinspired skills in dramatic performances. The use of folklore and ethnographic material in circus arts has become relevant. The Russian circus is a unique phenomenon: while circuses in other countries often bear the imprint of a distinctly monoethnic culture, the Russian circus not only exhibits but also creates such a circus repertoire. From this perspective, the ideology of a multinational state has proven fruitful. One of the most important trends in the development of the Russian circus during the Soviet era was an appeal to Russia's national cultures, vividly embodied in circus arts.