The routine is performed by an all-female dance crew who wear circus-related fashion.
P1
P1 is a clown. She has a light blue and lavender afro, heavy black eyeshadow, a red neck ruff, a lavender/light blue clown outfit with a red midsection, leg suspenders, lavender leggings with red polka dots and black high heel boots, and an arm covering representing the glove.
P2
P2 is the feline tamer or woman dressed as a cat. She is seen wearing a black ponytail with cat ears and red face paint. She has a red tiger-pattern one-piece suit with the left leg off. She has red high heels on.
P3
P3 is a harlequin or a jester. She has an orange bob with a mini witch hat with a large yellow cotton ball. Over her left eye there is blue face paint in the shape of a diamond. She has a yellow-and-blue diamond pattern outfit. She has red pants on with a blue left leg, and a yellow right leg. She wears black high heel boots.
P4
P4 is the ringleader. She has dark curly hair and wears a black top hat. She has a long black coat on over a black bra. She has black high waisted short shorts on. If seen in large high def images, she wears fishnet tights. She also wears strapped-on high heels.
P1
P2
P3
P4
Extreme Version
The Extreme coach is a woman. She wears glittery purple pants with black high heels. She wears a tank top with orange and black stripes, which has long sleeves. She has blonde hair, which is neck-length. She also wears a purple glittery police hat.
Background
Classic
The routine takes place on what looks like a circus stage. There are multiple spirals on the floor that starts out pink in the bridge but turns red during the chorus. During the rest of the song, it is purple with blue circles. When the dancers move around the stage to change positions, the spirals move with them as well. The platforms behind the dancers also light up sometimes in tune with the beat. Flames can be seen in the background when the word "circus" is sung. At the same time when it is said, the very back of the stage lights up to reveal the word "Circus".
Extreme Version
The routine takes place on a stage with several red lights which can be seen throughout most of the verses. The background also changes to pink and fuchsia with the addition of some pink smoke. During the chorus, the stage becomes red with a triangle showing the dancer performing in the middle.
Circus has a Mashup with the theme Show-Off, which can be unlocked for 1000 Mojo Coins (or 20 Mojo Coins for all old-gen consoles). It features dancers perceived as performers.
Dancers
[GM#] - indicates a Gold Move. The # refers to the Gold Move's number.
Gold Moves 1 and 3: This Gold Move is a right-to-left Wave Gold Move.
P4: Raise your right arm and hold your waist with your left one.
P3: Bring your right foot one step forward and at the same time, point towards P4 with your left hand and cover it with your right one, creating the same shape.
P2: Bring your right foot forward, unbent while squatting and at the same time, make a tiger's-claws-like movement with your hands.
P1: Open your legs slightly and at the same time, hold your right hand next to your head's right side and your left hand next to your torso's left side, in a way that your wrists will face each other diagonally.
Gold Move 2:
P1, P2, and P3: Strike your right hand at an angle towards the right.
P4: Crack a whip.
Gold Move 4: It is similar to the first Gold Move but is done together. Also, P3 bends her right leg and P4 leans back. This is the final move of the routine.
There are 3 Gold Moves in this routine, all of which are the same:
All Gold Moves: Jump in the right and at the same time, raise your right hand and hit and then lower it and do the same with it facing the ground.
All Gold Moves
All Gold Moves in-game
Mashup
There are 6 Gold Moves in the Mashup:
Gold Move 1: Right arm moves forward and down slowly. This is the second move of the Mashup. (Beauty And A Beat) Gold Moves 2 and 5: Arms bounce outward. (Beauty And A Beat) Gold Moves 3 and 6: Put your right hand over your right eye. (Just Dance) Gold Move 4: When your on your knees jump up and point to the screen. (Walk This Way (Old School))
Coincidentally, that song was referenced by Alkis in the Behind-the-Track interview for this song after a man yells out that somebody stole the costumes, and he starts singing the song.
Classic
Circus is the third circus-themed routine in the series, after Funhouse and 4x4.
This is the eighth time in the main series where a Dance Crew only contains female dancers and the third time in which it occurs in a song originally performed by Britney Spears.
According to the Behind-the-scenes interview with Alkis and Veronique, the Classic coaches are respectively named "Badass Clown", "Feline Tamer", "Romantic Harlequin" and "Ringmaster Madame Loyal".[8]
P2 and P4 of Despacito have similar coach selection poses.
P1 appears in the background of Fire as part of the character selection screen.
P4's left eye glitches blue numerous times
Extreme
In the square and the coach selection images for the extreme version, the dancer’s glove is more green than cyan.
The Vogue and Whack steps are danced in the Extreme version of the song.
Circus (Extreme Version) was played during the Grand Final of the Just Dance World Cup 2015.[9]
Mashup
The second time Walk This Way (Old School) appears, she appears bigger in size than her other appearances in the same Mashup.
The dancer from Don’t You Worry Child blends into the background, barring his glove, due to the structure of his design.
Also, What About Love is in his C2 form while performing a part of the routine that belongs to C1 in the original routine. However, the pictogram color did not change.
Circus’ Mashup ties with Chicken Payback, S.O.S, and Bad Romance (Mashup) for the earliest appearance of a Gold Move in a routine in the main series.