Though traditional theatre moved in a more narrative-driven direction, the circus as its own art form never really died out. The circuses started by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey in the late nineteenth century merged in 1919 and are still touring today. Americans have long had a fixation with the circus, which, aside from featuring clowns and circus animals, allows everyday folk a chance to explore the extraordinary aspects of humanity, both in terms of unusual strength and ability (fire-eaters and sword-swallowers) but also unique, "freakish" bodily differences (conjoined twins and bearded ladies).