German Circus Eliminates Live Animals Thanks To Incredible Holographic Technology

With an increasing push for circus acts and live performances to eliminate the use of animal performers, Germany act Circus Roncalli took matters into their own hands and developed the technology they needed to adapt.

Other circus acts like UniverSoulCircus and the Ringling Bros. have faced accusations of animal cruelty for years from animal rights organizations like PETA, as well as the US Government, but with this amazing technology, Circus Roncalli can completely eliminate the possibility for unfair treatment of circus animals.

Circus Roncalli

Circus Roncalli performers in Vienna June 2019
GEORG HOCHMUTH/AFP/Getty Images
GEORG HOCHMUTH/AFP/Getty Images

Germany-based Circus Roncalli was founded in 1976 by Bernhard Paul and Andre Heller, though just weeks after their opening Heller chose to leave the business due to creative differences. Paul is still the director to this day and is the creator behind the holographic animals.

Circus Roncalli is based in Cologne during the winter months, and tours throughout Germany and abroad during the summer months. Bernhard Paul is also responsible for one of the largest circus collections in Europe, including old costumes, circus books, and posters, which he plans to turn into the Roncalli Museum.

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All Thanks To The Super Bowl

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Circus Roncalli Premiere, 18.08.2018 holographic horses
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via Flickr
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via Flickr
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The idea for the 3-D holograms reportedly came to Bernhard Paul while he was watching the 2018 NFL Super Bowl halftime show where Justin Timberlake performed with a holographic rendering of Prince. Circus Roncalli’s shows had not featured live animals since 2018 and Paul believed holographic images could be a way to have the best of both worlds.

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Circus Roncalli began phasing out animal performances in the 1990s for a number of reasons, both ethical and financial. It was estimated that transporting animal performers could cost up to $90,000 per single trip.

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Behind The Magic

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Circus Roncalli Premiere, 18.08.2018, Innsbruck Holographic elephant
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via Flickr
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via Flickr
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It took a lot of time and effort to make Paul’s vision for his circus come to life. It takes 11 projectors to create the holograms, which give the spectators seated around the ring a 360-degree view. It also took a team of 15 designers and software engineers to design the show.

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The show features horses that stampede around the circus ring, elephants performing tricks, it even features some fish. Roncalli performances still feature the circus standard acts such as acrobats, magicians, and clowns as well.

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Another One Bites The Dust

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Barnum & Bailey Greatest show on Earth poster
Photo Credit: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images
Photo Credit: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images
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With a big push from animal rights activists and governments to have circuses remove live animal performers, Paul wanted to find a way to have the best of both worlds, because the show must go on after all. Some circuses, however, were not as lucky.

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In 2017, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus shut down “The Greatest Show On Earth” after a 146-year run. The show had faced much criticism from animal rights activists about the treatment of their performing animals - especially their elephants - and the producers of Ringling said the criticism, combined with declining ticket sales, made the show unsustainable.

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Legal Push

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circus roncalli holographic fish hologram
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via YouTube
Photo Credit: Circus Roncalli via YouTube
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Many countries are taking legal action for circus animal rights as well. According to the animal welfare organization Four Paws, seven states and 149 cities in the US have passed restricts or bans on the use of wild animals in circuses.

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In May 2019, the UK government put forward a ban on animal performers in traveling circuses that will come into effect in 2020, stating that “the use of wild animals in traveling circuses has no place in modern society.” With the technology we have access to today, it is likely that many circus acts will adopt the practices of Circus Roncalli.