Career profile · SOC ESC-02A3F226

circus artist

Circus artists develop original performance pieces showcasing great artistic and performing skills, emotive depth and artistic proposals for the general public. Alone, or collectively, they may perform one or more traditional or original circus disciplines, which are usually based on physical capabilities such as strength, balance, agility, flexibility, ability and coordination of body parts, and combined with performance disciplines such as dance, theatre, mime etc. The physical nature of the exercises performed often includes a certain level of risk for the performer.

circus artist circus artists develop original performance pieces showcasing great artistic and performing skills, emotive depth and artistic proposals for the general public. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include circus aesthetics, circus vocabulary, circus dramaturgy, perform live, manage feedback.

AI exposure
5.0/10
automation risk

Pay in India (occupation group)

Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only circus artist, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.

Urban India
₹42,717 a month
Rural India
₹30,424 a month
All India
₹38,466 a month

Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report

Top skills

circus aesthetics circus vocabulary circus dramaturgy perform live manage feedback apply company policies follow time cues check the production schedule practice circus disciplines develop an artistic framework

Knowledge you'll build

  • Fine Arts
  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Mathematics
  • Transportation
  • Psychology
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Therapy and Counseling

What you'd actually do

  • Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
  • Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
  • Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
  • Coordinate dancing with that of partners or dance ensembles.
  • Develop self-understanding of physical capabilities and limitations, and choose dance styles accordingly.
  • Perform classical, modern, or acrobatic dances in productions, expressing stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies.

Tools & technology you'd use

Adobe Photoshop hot Facebook hot Microsoft Office software hot Microsoft Outlook hot Apple Final Cut Pro Choreography software LinkedIn Pinterest Samba Social media sites Web browser software YouTube

Frequently asked questions

What does circus artist do?

Circus artists develop original performance pieces showcasing great artistic and performing skills, emotive depth and artistic proposals for the general public. Alone, or collectively, they may perform one or more traditional or original circus disciplines, which are usually based on physical capabilities such as strength, balance, agility, flexibility, ability and coordination of body parts, and combined with performance disciplines such as dance, theatre, mime etc.

What skills does circus artist need?

The most in-demand skills for this role include circus aesthetics, circus vocabulary, circus dramaturgy, perform live, manage feedback, apply company policies. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Will AI replace circus artist?

Our AI-durability model gives circus artist a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.

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