An aerial circus was a traveling entertainment group that journeyed throughout the Messert system. Seftin Vanik, a human and skilled stunt pilot within the circus, was later convinced to enlist in the Resistance. This transition occurred after Poe Dameron, a pilot for the Resistance, observed Vanik's aerial skills during a performance with the circus.
The concept of the aerial circus was developed to provide a background for the character Seftin Vanik. This backstory was introduced in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, a 2019 reference book authored by Pablo Hidalgo.