These Children Work in a Circus, And They Love It! | Circus Kids | Real Families

[Music] they travel thousands of miles every year and work seven days a week life can be tough if you want to be in the circus then you have to do everything make sure you get all of the dirty bits our cameras and tell ya empty toilet is really hard work we don't have any running water let's sit down at really cold when you see so many people like enjoying your act it's amazing I'm really proud of myself because I've made it to this stage I'm making someone happy I'm always making someone smile it's kind of like you're an adult is working as soon as your dad this is the secret world the circus kids big step [Music] coming up disaster strikes the big top we're being born as some doris bears down push it take it out girls quick quick quick well a 15 year old girl struggles to perfect her if not elegant is birth and two of the circuses youngest performers get a taste for the spotlight its 16th generation circus we never know what's going to happen curtains open up and I'm something I like in the pram crying okay go to work in the office now sell some tickets to pay for children born into the circus performing is in their blood our family goes back nine generations in the circus you never get bored of it is the best fantastic I love circus I go into work on a normal day doing what I love doing sokka's performer that's all I ever wanted to do like there's never been anything else yasmin has grown up under the big top working odd jobs inside and outside the ring my role at the minute is I stand in the globe of death and Peter drives around me [Music] yasmin hasn't yet developed a solo act which is crucial if she wants to make a decent living I want a career in the circus like this is my life so obviously I'd love to have my own act and if I was to ever leave planet and go to a different circus I would need my own act because as much as like standing the globe is in the show and it's like it's a really cool thing to do you can't take it with you everywhere you go it's not an actus a role really hello how can I help but at the minute one of my main jobs here is the particular office yeah we have still got seats available for both shows most people prefer grandstand I do ticket in so I'll go out to people's houses and give them vouchers through the doors thanks below then I'll come into the office and sell tickets for the show working an act it's always someone kind of wanted to do it it's always been an area like that I've wanted to do but obviously I'd love to have my own act and perform helping Yasmin train is experienced who pused emedia daughter the circus owner bendin put your leg through just hold for me I started when I was 7 then when I was 14 United my own act can you know let go oh and it's going to be quite hard for you guys when to do her own Act starting at the age of 15 and put that 4 up as well as that one on two sides no but bend your back you silly sausage obviously you need the strength you need the flexibility that wants you to once you get to an older age it does get a lot harder it she really needs to get going if she wants an act of her own she's got to start and she's gotta start now obviously it's gonna take a lot more work time practice patience ago I think like that I get you a bandage and it won't hurt so much probably is until the skin goes hard you're always gonna feel it so put the bandage on isn't really gonna do much in Yorkshire 15 year old Rosita and 13 year old Eva are packing to leave for the circus got a fishnet collection okay pink fishnets red fishnets no one called fishnets but the girls now live in a permanent house with their mum Victoria and dad Gavin a retired circus performance they warningly grew up in in a circus in a caravan and they knew nothing else the circus five stop really because we decided to make a big decision really that we would come off the road and full-time and the girls would go to school which I think in their eyes they regretted have a sense for him my eyes it was the right decision and what we're doing is we're giving them choices whenever we're here we want to be there I'm over there we don't want to come back here it's half-term and Rosita and Eva are getting the chance to go back to the circus for the week [Music] don't blow job it's been five months since the girls have seen their circus friends and the week the week the week yeah [Music] [Laughter] [Music] I'm putting the coats up here I'm really excited to be back it's just it's nice to be home and see everyone and even just like cleaning the caravan it's just way better than cleaning the house this is honestly kept me going all the way through school knowing that I could just come back here you never get bored of it never is the best this has always been sort of the place that I've thought of as home like whenever I think of home I think of here like my house I guess it's also my home but it's just like temporary home you know it's not like what I would call my actual home this is like this is it's not just Rosita who feels at home near the big top dad Gavin was in the circus for over 60 years like Rosita was saying home there Ennis that's not just a place where we earn money that's not just a place where we have parties that's not just a place where we have weddings that's not just a place where we actually have funerals that's the tank that's the center of our life and that's home [Music] it's straight into rehearsals the girls are joined by Acrobat brothers thirteen-year-old Enrique and twelve-year-old Diego when they in the air were like DAF dough fall they'll all be performing in the first kids show of the season [Music] the kids show is kind of like a practice to see when you're ready to go into the full show well done boys if you can handle the kids share like week by week and you've made your act really good and you know that you can do that two times a day then you move to the big show and makes place for you there you're not strong enough you're gonna fall down to the ground and this is it's quite a hard ground to being just falling on really I wouldn't like to do that but let's have the right training my axe is an aerial hoop act and I've been doing it for various I haven't been doing it that long really when Rosita goes back to school the aerial spot is up for grabs when Rosita's not here I've got the chance to take her place in the kid show and do my own whoo bags but obviously I've got to practice a lot and make sure I'm good enough to do it taking your place at the show yeah okay that's fine I'll make you the best replacement ever [Music] but Yasmin's plans might not even get off the ground [Music] we're being warned about the risk of gale force winds and the snow has some Doris bears down for sex also heavy showers moving in as well that wind will pick up throughout the day and as Doris moves in for circus our Netanya it's a major concern her family lost their big top in the 1970s this is just some old footage of when my dad actually lost the tents and they did carry on and perform outside I think it was months and months of waiting for the new canvas to come so whilst they wait for the new canvas to come obviously they would either perform or staff so they did set up everything outside as normal just without the canvas there's a lot of families rely on this big top to feed everybody and without it we have no business now when he comes in the door means nobody gets paid the danger you see is not the wind hitting the tank the danger is when the wind gets inside the tent as it takes off I've never experienced that personally I only seen movie of it of course it drips the poles the poles ripped the tank that's dreadful max everything knocked over and wrecked and well a million pounds if the tent comes down hundreds of ticket sales will be lost as the wind speeds increase Tanya's 17 year old son Peter discovers more worrying damage these boxes here which we keep the tent in traveling they've blown down and they are very heavy so if the wind keeps them coming how it is with after lower the tent and strap it down to the floor and make sure it's safe for Eva and Rosita who haven't performed for five months it's important lost rehearsal time we've been packed there like so much just training and practicing building up to this and obviously we've invited a few of our friends to come see the show and it might not even be on so it is worrying but then just can't get on with it because can't do anything about my dad's told us the weather forecast is to hit 80 mile an hour winds hundred and 20 kilometers an hour which is strong wind for for anything really so take the tent down it's safer on the floor than up doing shows in bad conditions check it out girls quick quick quick so girls [Music] the kids are expected to just muck in wherever they can whether it's picking a little bit of rubbish carrying the fencing bringing out the rubbish bin help the popcorn up you know stock or anything anything they can do that's physically you know okay for them before it starts coming down my brother my dad my brother-in-law we do everything make sure everything's fine and everything safe keep an eye on everyone else because if you're running around it's dangerous you know you can break something or hurt injure yourself so we keep it you know like as fast as possible but as safe as possible the seasons not properly startled but for the first time in 40 years the big top has to come down the kids are very sad we didn't get a dress rehearsal today for the Saturday show but they know the decision is done it's final don't argue don't cry don't wind it has to be done and they understand our livelihood is there they're very young but they all understood no tent no wages no food go go go go [Music] don't really know what to do with CJ so that because there's no shows on obviously so they're not going to be out working everyone so we're gonna be stuck in the caravan all day and it all happens a bit small and crowded so that's tricky the circus without a big top is taking its toll on everyone [Music] what you do yeah okay good boy good boy good boy good boy good boy I'm a bit bored I've cleaned in my Caravan about a hundred times and I've fluffed my cushions and swept the floor and a fold like everyone in my contact list it's so boring I don't like it losing time to practice is critical for Yasmin yeah and circus manager Marc thinks it's time for a reality check so where do you see yourself then yes what do you wanna do I want to be a performer like I'd love doing all the aerial that I want to be an aerialist I want to be a good one so where do you see your future where do you where do you see yourself going Monte Carlo you'd have to be there I would love to make it to Monte Carlo yeah so not Vegas you can go anywhere but you've got to put that work in now give it a hundred and fifty percent but it's down to you no one is gonna come along and make you happy so I'm gonna be tough on you and if I'm hard on you it's because I wanted to be good for you and I want you to be the best thing that you can be the whole world is out there but it's only out there if you give it a hundred and fifty percent by this time next year I'd love to be doing like a really good poop act in the ring I just like to keep practicing make it better and hopefully by the time I'm 20 maybe make it to Monte Carlo I've already booked tickets okay I can't refund you them if you put them online but what you can do is if you get in contact with the company you bought them from they will refund you all right thank you [Music] the following day the storm has passed good but rice and it's time to get the big top up there's no time to lose as they need to be ready for the matinee or risk even more ticket losses we've been up since 6 o'clock in the morning today getting the staff ready for shows everything's been outside it's all wet so we love to get it in ready and clean it all and get it all dried up ready for the show it's it's around 10 o'clock now so hopefully for the 3m we're just in time you might save some time take to you then the kids have been amazing today they're in there scrubbing seats cleaning seats they never complain I mean everybody would dream to have teenagers like we have they pull in they get to work there's nothing they won't do to help the brilliant you can't do the performances and not help out that's not how it works so if you want to be in the circus then you have to help everyone every has to do everything and I enjoy doing the hard work because it means that I'm I mean I'm a part of the team [Music] not all the circus kids are helping with the big top Tonya's two-year-old granddaughter twins and Scarlett and Esmeralda yeah give her baby I hope he's gonna do his clown makeup you're gonna watch okay what colors head white the twin started performing just after this second birthday and they've been in and out of the ring Simpsons so they're nearly about two and a half now so a good six months working what color is that red if you want some you don't really know what the kids are going to end up doing look in the mirror they'd learn to do handstands and they're learning to do tumbling and that they're learning to hang on a trapeze and they'll learn to juggle they'll learn to ride unicycles I'll learn to spin lessers you know in the next next few years slowly that they will make up their own mind what they want to do you want to be a sad clown or a happy clown nobody's gonna give you a happy face okay you know that's what happens with all the circus kids they just copy their grandparents or their parents and generations of it like they they born into a performing family it's almost 100 percent guaranteed they will be performers as well [Music] you said wrong dot okay you go to the other gun we treat it like a game this is a big playground for the kids in there they keep the interesting and if you find out that it looks like the getting bored a little bit we stopped of something doing it until they want to do it again good girl spin spin spin spin good girl spin keep you on cube girl keep your posture fantastic these two kids here is 16th generation service you know their family said in 1648 so it's a it's a history you know and hopefully they will carry it on and their kids will carry it on but their 16th generation it said this from the oldest circus family in the world you won't find that anywhere else here where the 16th generation okay ready scallop you run there wonder the dot under the trot no spin it's been a compliment take a bow and blow some kisses and waving we never know what's gonna happen when the curtains they say our here's the piers Esmerelda and Scala two year old twins of curtains open up and and I'm so think are they gonna be standing me or are they early in the pram crying it's just a gamble who's a banana head your banana Tonya's daughter Amelia directs the kids show and it's time to get the girls back in the rain come in hello hi okay so tense back up doing both shows today like normal as soon as the second show is finished gonna do a full dress rehearsal for the gate show and we've got a show tomorrow 11 o'clock in the morning so how you feeling that we've had two less days to rehearsals obviously it's a bit boring didn't have much time to rehearse but we'll work hard tonight and get it all sorted tomorrow morning if you still feeling nervous we can always go through one more time with the music your costume and the lights and everything everyone is already gonna be there so if you get ready for in the morning for about 9 o'clock coming to the temple about half 9:00 we'll all be there okay yeah you nervous I'm mostly excited don't worry never cited storm Doris has left everyone unsettled and circus owner Tanya has had two extra guests to stay good morning this isn't gonna happen is it can wake her up they came around for half an hour last night then decided they wanted a bath and then threw some blankets on the floor and decided I was taking it nah nice we've ended up with you haven't we let's go together and try to get your sister up come on then Esmeralda sleepyheads [Music] come on go Mookie will you wake your sister I don't need pick arose is working yep well maybe you better cover 6:00 in the morning you're a toddler yeah with their grandparents with their and their auntie and they do the last Sue's there cowboy Heights but only Adam when they want to so it depends if they want their bottle of milk they refuse to go to work if they're a bit tired or pepper pigs on TV we refuse to go to work so we do a day I don't off as we feel like it but once they're in their costume when they're in the back doors they love to perform they love to go on the stage thank you I'd love to go on a stage but it's a when they choose to with the big top backup Tanya wants to make sure it stays that way and has called in a priest to give it a blessing we normally do it if we buy a new big top or a new big prop like either the wheel of death or the globe of death we have a priest come out they bless it we've decided because of this horrendous weather we've had that it's a chance to get it done really it just makes everyone feel a little bit better the blessing will happen in time for the evenings show but before that Rosita and Eva have their first performance at the kids show mum we need to find that Star Wars bug because it's got stuff in there that I need you excited you ready for it it's quite very naturally because if anything goes wrong with costumes we haven't got much time to sort out oh my goodness so much could go wrong I could fall and kill myself that wouldn't be good which one is doing my makeup today after months away and the stress of stone dollars It's Showtime [Applause] [Music] when you're performing when you're just about to go on and you behind the curtains you get so nervous [Music] even with limited rehearsals for Eva this is what really matters if you're upset or you're having a bad day of your ill as soon as you step into the ring it all just goes away spotlights on you and I love being the spotlight so it's good when you see so many people like enjoying your act it's amazing it's not easy people look they're like oh that's easy I can do that but it's not it's not easy at all it's a lot a lot of hard work so when you get applause it's kind of easier than it's worth it the Rosita that goes on the stage is very different to the Ruthie - that's not performing she's way more confident [Music] I think of the emotions I feel when I prefer it's really exciting and like I get really happy like when you look around and you see everyone cheering for you and like screaming like cheering for me yeah so that's like it makes you I'm really proud of yourself like oh my god why I actually meant something [Music] [Applause] [Music] I'm feeling great I'm feeling like I'm ready for the finale though [Music] [Applause] I think if that circus life is suddenly taken away from me I don't know what I would do because there's nothing else I don't want it to be I think I probably just cry on a hole should stay there forever ha ha but living a circus life does mean a bit of a compromise on home comforts well I sleep here but the sofas over there is where my parents sleep they set it up every night so we have to keep their duvets and everything on our beds and it's hard sometimes because all the electricity goes off at midnight so no lights and sometimes if we were too late because we spent too long at practicing in that we're sometimes up past midnight quite a lot actually and then if the beds aren't already set up my mum has to changed the sofas into beds in the pitch black it is so difficult it gets a bit crowded sometimes there's no privacy wrinkle we don't mind it the wrong way there we go filling this up because our water isn't connected to our caravan so we don't have any running water so we're filling this up so that we can wash up and wash our hands and no this isn't drinking water their taps don't work the shower did supply that's how we go swimming quite regularly so that we can like wash our hair and stuff in the in the showers at the swimming pool we don't mind because we just love being here so much it will deal will it open up when it is fine yeah and you can just do lots of water runs currently as long as we get to be here I don't get IRA [Music] before the evening show opens it's time for a special blessing good morning brilliant to be here good I think so I think so yes good to meet you good to meet you David I can leave it all to you now it thank you very much thank you very much this big chop and what you do here is like a big family that you come from all different countries of the world and you all come together to produce something that is very special for people the kids get again from this the sense of its drummed into them look after each other it's not about only about you it's about everybody that's a part of the community you have to help each other out whether you're 2 or 22 I mean they do get that they understand that well mighty God we pray for your blessing upon this big top bless it in all that it does and we make this prayer through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen god bless you that's all right and like only gate get-togethers the blessing is a cute circus family Nisa Wow all the other kids here the best friends I've ever had because I have friends at school and everything but that's what they are they are my friends for the ones here they are my family so it is different bless you thank you very much you can be who you want to be and whoever you are you will accept we're a family here okay I'm never gonna leave circus and there's obviously some it happened when I had to but I'm staying here for as long as I can but to do that Yasmin desperately needs her own act to keep that one Ben that one Ben becoming an aerialist takes enormous strength and agility hold that one three seconds then bend it she did start a little bit late for an area lapse and most kids for an area lecture now are starting stretching at two three four years old see it will be harder consideration started at fifteen now why is your foot on the wrong size it'll take a lot of training with half-term over and Rosita and Eva back at school the aerial hoop act in the kids show is now up for grabs like anything to do with it it's not elegant yeah they like it's but yeah but he looks it I need to practice the foot drop it films horrible apparently looks horrible as well which I understands it feels terrible and obviously it's got a practice and different hand movements and just try to think a lot more elegantly she's hard time one of the least elegant people I think there is so I know I'm a little bit older than everyone else that's started out in the show but I'm determined to practice as much as I can and I'm gonna do it and everyone thinks we just sit around all day and just turn up for our app and then go back in but we don't it's a lot harder than that there's a lot more practice and a lot more time there we go straighten that leg you kids get a lot of freedom as in outside they can go to play they're free outside there's loads of kids they haven't got that constrictive school but also there's a lot of discipline of they know they have to go to train there's no getting out of it they know they have to come and help with the jobs that have to be done you're going to jump down then if you get in tired jump down if you get tired telling them go pick schism [Music] the circus is getting ready for today's show and it will include two-year-old Scarlett and Esmeralda [Music] he comes nanny do you like being a clown what's better clown or lassu Lassie you're gonna be clown or cowgirl now go you want to be a cowgirl clown all the kids help out in the circus you know there's some some of the kids do more some do less these runs here but they just hang around and they just play with the toys and play with stuff and other kids see him playing with stubborn old mummy can I have one of them okay so words [Music] put it in it Wow you're working so hard slash puppies get your slush puppies here they're four pound each oh yeah you want to give that to the boy you give it to the boy there we go you get this one to the lady yeah just slushies here oh it's gonna hurt don't do that [Applause] the twins are now part of a long-running family wild west act [Music] performing long enough to have your grandkids working and at the same time is the greatest [Music] today they steal the show [Music] [Applause] go back out with that leg Yasmin has been spending every spare minute practicing her routine I kept telling you know take a day off leave it for today no I want to practice I want to practice it was hard work I mean she had blisters cuts bruises blood you know it was hard work but she wanted to do it [Music] the hard work has paid off and Yasmin has been given a part in today's kids show it's also her 16th birthday and she has a very special visitor look all your presents you have quite a few oh yeah that's from the dog to a special sister Yasmin happy 16th birthday I love you so much I miss you at home sometimes but I know you were happy so that makes it okay I've been telling all my dog new pals you're going to be a big star they're so excited today so you ready for your aerial hoop today yeah feel confident with it yeah good well I gotta go to work okay I'll be in in a minute all right save me the best seats fight them crash fight them crowds and save me the best two seats we're going to be our deadline okay you're welcome see you in a minute yep her my penny has now left the circus but Yasmin just couldn't stay away not being by and Kelly was unable to change her mom obviously it wasn't the easiest decision to leave her here but [Music] just give me a minute yeah it's definitely the best thing for her it just obviously because it's just been me in half so many years no it's just myself I'm it so every day but I know she's where she wants to be and she's happy so that's all you ever want for your children if I understand today is a paid day so every week I give the twins ten pound each they hide their money down here with my costumes um his once - room from one twin and they both row which sides theirs and he's honest - from the other twin they only like getting five pound notes because the 10-pounder even when I get a ten pound note they only get one so they like having five pound notes where they get two so they're quite picky and if they only get one they'll get they'll get angry he'll tell them off and they want a refund not a refund but they wanted to swap and they want their two five is it's really sweet though hello you okay there you go wages what do you say good girl there you go get have a kiss mm thank you Wow thank you what what do you say okay see you later ready or not it's Yasmin's big moment when she was really really young she was so shy she wouldn't say boo to a goose and I thought oh my goodness you know she needs some confidence but literally I think the foot the first time I'll see her perform the aerial it's obviously it's got that edge to it it's something different I'm going to be so very proud after all the years living away from her mom and all the weeks of practice the next few minutes could define Yasmin's career it's an amazing and terrifying feeling it's just like you just know it's your moment now especially we've worked so hard for it [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] a lot of things go through your mind I was just terrified that I was gonna mess it up it was really nice for Mom spirit stuff like watch the first one then it felt good I looked down and I saw our little face [Music] it means the world to me no on the first performance of it definitely something I'll always remember I can't tell you how proud I am I was crying a little bit in the show but that didn't surprise anyone [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I've got a long way to go but this is like the first big step and we're getting there now slowly but surely I'm very passionate about black and how far I want to go over there and I just want to get as far as I can and it means everything to me I'm gonna do it for sure I'm gonna get there there's no doubt about it next time on a circus kids 15 year old Imogen leaves home to follow her dreams I wanna join the circus for about five years now today is the first day of shows and I really excited the big-top welcomes its newest arrivals [Applause] and the pressures on for Peter and his dad to boost ticket sales it's when they find a rival circus already working there is shaking you posted that you did yeah Wonka [Music] [Music]

Channel: Real Families

Views: 1,277,365

Rating: 4.933382 out of 5

Keywords: eye-opening stories, child's eye view, children's rights, Real Families, Full documentary, Parenting Documentary, Tips for parents, Full episodes, circus kids our secret world, circus kids our secret world episode 1, circus kids, our secret world, episode 1, what is it like growing up in a circus, growing up in a circus, living in a circus, circus artistt

Id: 5_nCijqeAUQ

Length: 44min 1sec (2641 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 04 2020