Welcome to The Cyborg Circus Show: Imagining Disability Futures Beyond Normative Bodies A Manifesto

Abstract

The Cyborg Circus Show is an exercise in juxtapositions and possibilities peeking through the horizon. It is an in-depth exploration of what it means to be human and how there can be more that unites posthuman bodies than divides them. It is a wholehearted embrace of the limitless possibilities present within the world of circus and the exuberant exploration of what can become when we create space for disabled people to explore the full potential of their bodies through circus. The Cyborg Circus Show is an exploration of joy and wonder, the thrill of effort for disabled bodies existing in stark contrast to a limited world outside the circus tent. This paper explores the ethos of the Cyborg Circus Show and the multiple possibilities that open for exploration when we create a circus world that welcomes disabled circus performers and embraces what can be possible when working with bodily limitations.