SUMMARY:

In this article, circus is treated outside the context of art. It is understood as a nomadic-type cultural phenomenon. On the one hand, circus nomadism is a transgression of spatial, ethnic, national, and social borders as well as the borders of meanings. On the other hand, circus nomadism presupposes a fundamental plasticity and changeability of the very subject and of his roles: in cultural terms, a circus actor functions not only as an artist but also as an image of a live, constantly transforming and recording structure, a sign of a potential code that enables permanent metamorphoses of a human being and his environment. In addition, a circus is a transmedial art that enables constant translation from one system of signs into another and is capable of representing different media.