In 1949, LIFE magazine sent famed photographer Nina Leen to document the daily life of a sassy troupe of young women who had run off and joined the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus in Sarasota, Fla. What developed was a portrait of a sisterhood formed over acrobatics that mixed high-flying wire acts with fashionable high-waisted shorts. Sarasota was once considered “the home of the American circus”. Here: an aerialist smoking while rehearsing for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Sarasota, FL in 1949. (Photo By Nina Leen/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Sushi chef Mitsuru Tamura uses a radiation detector on seafood before it is prepared in Manhattan's Sushi Yasuda restaurant April 8, 2011 in New York City. The restaurant has begun using the detector as a precautionary measure due to consumer concerns over possible radiation contamination in seafood from the nuclear emergency in Japan. Health officials believe contamination is unlikely to threaten the food supply chain and none has been found in this restaurant. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Israeli police officers confront demonstrators as Israelis protest against rising housing prices and social inequalities on July 30, 2011 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in 10 cities across the country to protest against the high cost of living, including more than 50,000 in downtown Tel Aviv. The demonstrators rallied in support of hundreds of people who have set up protest camps against the government's economic and social policies. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Models prepare for the Glasgow School of Art Fashion show on March 13, 2012 in Glasgow, Scotland. Third year textiles and fashion students unveil their striking new collections, inspired by the idea of movement. The Glasgow School of Art has produced some of the most celebrated designers of recent years, notably Jonathan Saunders. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

The Great Picture” is a black and white panoramic print of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, an old military outpost. The print measures 111 feet wide by 32 feet high on seamless white muslin cloth. (Photo by Caters News)

Bikers ride along the High Street as they take part in the Ride Of Respect to raise money for service veterans on April 3, 2011 in Wootton Bassett, England. The ride, which involved 10,000 bikers and started at Hullavington airfield, aims to honour the people of Wootton Bassett and to raise money for the Afghan Heroes charity.

Participants gather in the Union Square subway station during the annual No Pants Subway Ride on January 8, 2012 in New York City. The annual event is staged by the group Improv Everywhere which encourages people in dozens of cities worldwide to discard their pants while riding the subway. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

George R.R. Martin, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner, and other cast and crew of Game of Thrones have faced the winds of winter – or anyway, a bucket of ice water – with the popular charity challenge. HBO’s Game of Thrones gives fans chills in every episode. But as the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS research has exploded across the internet, the cast and crew of the shocking show gave themselves goosebumps as they stepped up to get soaked.