Acrobat Francesca was a mujer de casa before becoming a circus artist. It was love that brought her here to the big tent, where she now splits her time between performances and day-to-day chores.

Meet Francisco Javier, a passionate apprentice at the Circo Infantil Americano, and learn that a circus is a serious business, where hard work is always required. But the long hours of rehearsal are rewarded with family-like treatment and access to one of the most magical places on earth.

We all know how magical a circus ring can be: crazy clowns, fearless acrobats, smart animals and all kind of colorful and dreamlike acts. But here, at the Circo Infantil de Nicaragua the real magic happens backstage, where we learn that a good show takes a lot of dedication, hard work and passion.

Working as a cook/domestic worker on a construction site, Doña Coco is the first to get up in the morning and the last to go to bed at night. Her monthly salary of C$2,000 Córdobas really just covers “el arroz y los frijoles” (“rice and beans”) for her family. So, how does she provide clothing and all the rest for her five kids? Leonido, the interviewer, asks the tough questions.