The Universoul Circus
It’s circus season in New York. While the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and the Big Apple Circus are attracting widespread media attention, there’s another circus in town that is attracting consistently sold-out performances in Prospect Park. While residents that align the park complain every year about the blasting music and defeaning crowds, devoted fans come every year to watch death defying acrobatic acts, trapeze artists spiraling through the air, disappearing tigers, and dancing elephants.
The Universoul Circus definitely puts the soul in circus. Founded in 1994 by Cedric Walker, who helped manage the Commodores and Jackson Five in the 70s, it is the only black owned circus in the country. Originally drawing on African-American cultural forms, Walker has expanded the show to include an international array of talent. Two of his performers speak about what they bring from their home countries to the Universoul Circus.