Pros
- Getting to be in the circus - Actually getting paid to juggle, make balloon animals, paint faces, etc.
Cons
- Non-competes. Expect to get a lecture when you start, and for this to be aggressively enforced. You will not be allowed to busk or display your skills outside of Cincinnati Circus-approved venues, and you will not be allowed to associate with anyone they perceive as a "competitor." I actually tried to volunteer at an after-school circus program for children, and the organizers would not let me, for fear that Cincy Circus management would come after them. - Pay is extremely low, and work requires intense training, but practices are unpaid. For reference, a stilting balloon artist would be expected to make over $100-200 BEFORE tips. Cincinnati Circus pays $16 an hour for the same gig. - They don't actually teach you much. You will have access to cool equipment and props, such as the Wheel of Death, stilts, tightwire, etc. (which is very cool), but training is unstructured and unprofessional. Performers will show you their tricks--some will occasionally actually show you how to DO the trick--but for the most part, expect to have to teach yourself the vast majority of what you'll learn. - Equipment is ramshackle and unsafe. Despite being informed of safety issues, management does nothing. Serious injuries are commonplace, but nothing changes. And all facilities and equipment are disgustingly filthy. - Management plays favorites. If they like you, you're in for a decent time. If they don't, they will actively block you from getting gigs. - Management is vindictive. If you ever find a new job, expect them to attempt to cut you off from the other performers, threaten you, and accuse you of stealing and lying. They view you as their property, and when you leave, they feel inherently cheated. - Management is never forthright about major changes in the company. Is it being sold? Will there be shows available to qualified performers? Will the frequently-promised fixes and new equipment ever be available? There is always a roundabout explanation from management about why a sudden change is made or a promise isn't kept, but the truth is never clear.