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Two women from different parts of the world share the stories of their lives

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

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The Conversation: Life in the Circus: Anastasia IV and Sarah Schwarz

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Anastasia IV and Sarah Schwarz

31/08/2015 GMT

Life in the Circus: Anastasia IV and Sarah Schwarz

BBC World Service - The Conversation, Life in the Circus: Anastasia IV and Sarah Schwarz

Running away to the circus: a Polish hair-hanger and German wire walker discuss their act

"Living in a trailer, waking up in a different town everyday - it's such a rich life" A hair-hanger from Poland and a German wire walker on life in the circus

Anastasia IV from Poland joined the circus at eighteen. She performs one of the most risky and unusual acts in the circus: hair-hanging. Anastasia endures pain in her scalp and neck as she swings around the auditorium suspended by a metal ring which is plaited into her hair. She says it's 'the closest you can get to actually flying like a bird' 

Sarah Swarz grew up in a circus family in Germany and started performing at the age of ten. She trained as a wire walker, contortionist and acrobat. She and her husband live in a trailer and travel with their Piglet Circus where her pig Max, is the 'boss of the show' - he can use a microphone and is trained to undo her clothes for a striptease routine.

Anastasia IV (r) (credit: Circus of Horrors)
Sarah Schwarz (l) (credit: Jessica Ford)

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