What are the characteristics of contemporary circus? In what way does contemporary circus differ from theatre, dance, and performance? Where do hybrid forms exist? Where are there observable commonalities? Despite the diversity of contemporary circus performances, are there generalisable characteristics that unite the performances? What potential do these questions have for dramaturgical practice?

Readings of the Contemporary Circus adapts a cultural-semiotic approach to analyze contemporary circus performances. It offers the first comprehensive documentation and interpretation of the artform based on semiotic reading theories of cultural, literature, theatre, and dance studies. The volume thereby provides a dramaturgy of contemporary circus, which reveals its generalizable characteristics, fundamental techniques and structures, and the effects they produce. At the same time, theories and methods are modified and further developed regarding the characteristics of the circus.

Dissertation
Universität Münster
Université Paul Valéry Montpellier III
The German Academic Scholarship Foundation
Young Researcher Prize of the German Association of Semiotics

You can order the German book here.
The English translation of the book will be published with Routledge in summer 2024.