The Death of One of the Oldest Shows on Earth - 1

Rebecca Ostroff of the Kelly Miller Circus is one of the few aerialists who can perform “iron jaw” today, a painful and dangerous art. Acrobatics and balancing acts have been recorded as early as 2500 B.C.E in Egypt.

Clowns entertain children on their way into the Cole Bros. Circus in Forked River, New Jersey. Clowns were a hallmark of 19th-century one-ring circuses and often excited spectators with songs, monologues, and even the occasional Shakespearean quote. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited the show several times for failure to meet federal standards established in the Animal Welfare Act. In January 2017, the USDA deleted its database of animal abuse records.

Each morning dozens of locals watch one of three elephants at the Kelly Miller Circus hoist up the big top's tent. Most one-ring circuses change cities each day, rarely staying in town more than 24 hours. Animal welfare experts agree that the methods used to capture and train elephants are inhumane.

A cotton candy-colored poodle is ready to perform at the Cole Bros. Circus in Forked River, New Jersey. Dogs were one of the earliest animals to be featured in the circus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited the show several times for failure to meet federal standards established in the Animal Welfare Act. In January 2017, the USDA deleted its database of animal abuse records.

Workers from the Cole Bros. Circus rush to take down the big top as a storm hits in Forked River, New Jersey. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited the show several times for failure to meet federal standards established in the Animal Welfare Act. In January 2017, the USDA deleted its database of animal abuse records.