CIRCUS OF THE SOVIET UNION
The best performing circus traditions have found their development in the Soviet Armenia within the centuries. The Armenian circus performers acted in the system of the central management of allied state circuses till 1956. The cyclist family of Vardanovs favoured the development of Armenian circus.
A. Minasov (acrobat), equilibrists family of Manukyans (R. Manukyan was the first to be honoured with Honoured Artist of Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic) successfully acted in different circuses at the beginning of XX century. In 1956, on the eve of Armenian ten day literature and art festival the collective staff of Armenian circus was created (from 1961 Yerevan), and it’s art leader was a well- known equilibrist V. Arzumanyan.

The task that was put in front of the collective was to create a national original circus. The Honoured Artist of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic – N. Shiraz had got a definite place with her creation in the collective. The trick and image truly existed in the number of A. Bakhdasaryan “Bronze people”, which was presented in the acrobatic genre. R. Manasaryan and R. Kaseev successfully acted in power acrobatics. N. Papyan acted with plastic etude, the Honoured Artist of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic’s Sh. Gevorgyan with trained puppies, R. Harutunyan and L. Minerelyan with illusionistic numbers. People’s artist of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic S. Isahakyan was the trainer of a new direction of the Soviet Circus.The base of his entertainment number “The games of animals” was Brave Nazar’s adventure- a hero of the folk- tale. The best performances of the Armenian circus were included into the combined program of the Soviet circus. The Honoured Artist of the ASSR Avanesova mastered technique of air gymnastics perfectly. I. Shestuan and brothers Asatryan distinguished by the original art.

The traditions of the Armenian theatre and circus are closely connected with each other. The traditions of Armenian circus and theatre are closely connected with each other. Theatre has inherited perfect technique, accuracy from circus and circus from theatre thematic nature of the numbers. The art of rope-walkers is the evidence of age- long communication between the theatre and circus. Performances of the best rope-walkers (A. Minasyan, N. Manukyan, A. Garibyan) were accompanied by Armenian musical folk instruments.

The groups of acrobat – clowns (leader- H. Khaskhazyan) and acrobat – jumpers (leader – the honoured artist of the ASSR – Dudukchyan) have favoured the development of circus art. The Armenian Soviet Society’s honoured artist B. Ghazaryan worked in Armenian collective circus for long years (from 1973 was leader of the Armenian collective circus).
He ruled “Acrobats on spheres" number, where is shown the indissoluble communication of sport with circus. Actor-innovator V. Beniaminov (Beniaminyan) developed “Cross-ladder” original trick number. Armenian Soviet Society’s honoured artists, brothers M. and R. Hakobyans (trapeze artists) by means of tricks created thematic representation.
From 1969 M. Hakobyan with his wife A. Hakobyan acted as illusionists. R Hakobyan’s (clown from 1972) art is full of optimism. In Armenian circus clown, Armenian Soviet Society’s honoured artist V. Meliqjanyan had a big service. In musical excentric genre Armenian Soviet Society’s honoured female artist B. Martirosyan, S. Danielyan and G. Sargsyan create with success.

Armenian Soviet Society’s honoured artist M. Baghdasarov with his trained beasts created a mixed attraction “Sasunci Davit”. In the Armenian collective circus acted N. and G. Minasov’s entertaining number “Benеfit performance of bear”, V. Arzumanov’s “The trained puppies”, G. Baghdasarov’s “The trained donkeys”, R. Nikoghosyan’s leaded “Group jugglers”, equilibrists I. and R. Sarodyans, salto moralist (on the horse) J. Sargsyan, “Happy shepherd” K. and L. Galstyans, “Artistic-acrobatic group of women”` ruled by R. Khazaryan, power acrobats K. and G. Gasparyans, Armenian Soviet Society’s popular artist, a laureate of the international competitions L. Engibaryan created the brightest page of history of the Armenian circus art.
He created the traditional clown's mask- sad sometimes, glad sometimes, timid sometimes, bold sometimes, by disclosing a whole succession of the human emotional experiences.
He had the talent of perceiving the world creatively, knew all the genres of circus. Restless imagination and ability to perceive the laughable quickly was characteristic of Engibaryan. Proceeding from the situation, he could change the program immediately into both trick and sense with the semantic solution.

Engibaryan’s element was pantomime and he created his- Engibaryan’s pantomime. An artist of Armenian collective of circus, a laureate of international and all-union competitions (from 1985 main director of Armenian circus, from 2003 director of state circus, and from 2006 general director and art leader of the cultural centre (Yerevan Circus) S. Petrosyan has played the number “Armenian folk games” (producer L. Engibaryan). In 1972, in Yerevan in the palace of pioneers after Shahumyan was organized a children’s circus studio after L. Engibaryan, which was granted with the rank of folk collective in 1981, and from 1997 it is acting near the circus of Yerevan.