By Staff Reporter (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 06, 2013 08:41 AM EDT

Watch as this juggler performs his tricks while waiting for traffic light signals to go green.



It is not surprising to witness street performers in Santiago, Chile - even if it's in the middle of a five-lane street! What started as a form of escape in the 1970s and 90s during the Pinochet dictatorship turned out to be one risky outlet to earn bucks.

"Today the pedestrian crossings are being used to earn money as well as a space to display art. It's like on the television shows where you have a minute to show your skill before a jury gives its verdict. The crossings are similar. The artist is giving their best performance for the cars on the street in the time it takes for the lights to go from red to green," Francisco Alvarado Aretio, producer of El Circo del Mundo Chile (the World Circus Chile) told BBC News.

From jugglers to puppet shows, the streets of Santiago has become home of various traffic light performers. According to one performer, a good day's work equals $100 with a regular day earning of $30. Interestingly, these performers have mastered the art of timing traffic light signals to avoid getting run over by cars.

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