De l’art de l’émerveillement à celui du détournement

The circus environment was deeply transformed in Europe since the end of the 20th century. The "new circus" came to enrich the shows offer, with classic companys (Pinder, Bouglione, etc.). Nevertheless, no survey was specifically interested in the ways of perceiving circus shows. To mitigate this lack, an European program chooses to combine sociologies of cultural attendance, reception and the mediation, by taking support on four cultural structures for their varied status, regularly spreading contemporary circus. The results show on one hand, that circus, classic or new, takes place differently in the "cultural universe" of spectators and, on the other hand, that news circus are appreciated with regard to their "aesthetic orientations", built during their spectators' career. These preferences also establish a way of positioning towards all circassian productions, and of distinguishing itself besides spectators