That is the view of Harry Weber, owner-director of the Weber Bros Circus, which is back in New Zealand and performing in Dunedin after a world tour taking in South Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Their two-hour "Adrenaline" show began at the Oval on Wednesday and runs until January 28. German-born, Mr Weber (53) said circus performances were not only "mind expanding" but also "imagination expanding".
Youngsters walked towards the big top for a performance with growing delight, and commented excitedly after a show.
"It’s a very good experience for them.
"Is there anything better for their imagination than a circus? Because it makes them believe they can do anything and shows them they can do it.
"It’s real. They can see the danger. They’re not dreaming it, they’re not looking at things on TV."
The latest Weber Bros show was a mixture of new and old, of motorcycles and a laser display, but also a dramatic human cannonball act which had not been seen in this country for decades.
He had lived the circus life since birth, and his family had been part of the circus world, initially in Germany, for 150 years.
There were challenges in touring internationally for him and his New Zealand-born wife and tour manager Marie and their seven children, who range in age from 15 months to 18, he said.
On the positive side, because of the nature of the work, both parents spent more time with their children than usually would be the case.
Ensuring the children’s education was maintained was met by having a teacher travelling with the family. After decades of working in circuses, including earlier performing as an acrobat, he still loved the delight of circus performances.
He referred to the words of US showman P.T. Barnum: "The noblest art is that of making others happy".
