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She was an inapproachable Amazon of the realms of space beneath the canvas,
high above the crowd,
whose lust for her was transformed into awe.
—Thomas Mann
I have always been a romantic, one of those people who believes that a woman
in pink circus tights contains all the secrets of the universe.
—Tom Robbins
There are girls in feathered costumes who spin at various heights, suspended by ribbons
that they can manipulate. Marionettes that control their own strings.
― Erin Morgenstern |
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Some critics have accused the circus of decadence, and certainly exhibitionism existed.
But while some people scorned performers, most envied their strength, skill, and freedom.
With few exceptions, performers dressed in scantier clothes than would be accepted outside. It was generally understood that long skirts were impractical for circus acts, but scantier clothes were also just accepted as part of the glamour.
Few men were daring enough to take on these strong women, and the circus women were indifferent to the towner men's ogling.
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Yes, that is Marilyn on the white elephant in this Weegee photo.
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Jackie Kennedy Onassis at 14 predicted that she would be a circus queen and marry a man on a flying trapeze. |
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