Between the podium and the arena: The circus sportsman Zeca Floriano

Abstract

During the 19th century and early 20th century, the circus influenced the gymnastics practices in Brazil connected to a scientific idea of body education linked to the purpose of control, utility and development of hygiene habit. With the goal of approach the historical mixtures between circus and physical education, we analyzed the acting of the José Floriano Peixoto as sportsman, gymnast and circus artist and how much the circus knowledge were promoting the dialogues between those areas.