Performers are bringing the colors and sounds of the circus to residents under lockdown in Copenhagen.

The troupe of circus performers is taking the art to the streets and residential blocks of Denmark's capital, entertaining Danes stuck at home because of the nationwide partial lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19.

"It's because of these coronavirus times that we perform in the yards for the people sitting on their balconies," said one of the performers, Mogens Petersen.

"In this way, we can reach people who do not normally go inside [the circus tent] and see it because it's expensive. I hope that in all this catastrophe we can get something good out of it for the art," Petersen added.

Billions of people around the world are living under lockdowns imposed by countries seeking to minimize the spread of the coronavirus by keeping citizens isolated. 

Denmark was one of the first European countries to shut down, on 11 March, announcing the closure of schools, day-care centers, restaurants, cafes and gyms, as well as shutting all borders to most foreigners.

The Nordic country is now planning to gradually relax these lockdown measures after the number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations and deaths stabilized over the past week.

The country's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said day-care centers and primary schools will be reopening on 15 April as a first step, which will allow parents to return to a normal workday.

All other restrictions, including a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people, will stay in place until at least 10 May, while a ban on larger gatherings will remain until August.

Frederiksen warned that the gradual reopening would only take place if the numbers remain stable, urging Danes to adhere to the government's guidelines on social distancing and hygiene.

So far, Denmark has reported 5,581 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and the death toll stands at 203.