Think “famous circus family performers,” and Eastern Europeans and Italians in unitards and tutus usually come to mind.
However, through the St. Louis Arches program of Circus Harmony, a young black patriarch named Donald Hughes has created a local legacy that is one of the highlights of this year’s Circus Flora show.
As the lights came up inside the circus tent on Saturday afternoon and the story of Sherwood Forest began to unfold, the ringmaster’s sidekick wasn’t a little person – well, not literally.
Sharing the spotlight with sixth-generation Italian circus performer Giovanni Zoppe of the legendary Zoppe family (who have more than 100 active performers in the family worldwide) was six-year-old Donavon Hughes – a.k.a. the Great Donavino – whose lineage traces back to North St. Louis.
The Great Donavino’s energy and charm made him an immediate crowd favorite. He was a natural. As his instincts continued to draw the crowd into the production, it became apparent that such a talent at such a young age must reflect some genetic predisposition.
As the show moved forward, it was time for the St. Louis Arches tumbling corps to take center ring. There, another small boy exuded the same posture and professionalism. He had the calculated bows and hand gestures of a seasoned pro, coupled with the flexibility of a contortionist.
It was eight-year-old Donald Hughes (a.k.a. Little Donald). He was a flipping machine – even used at one point as a prop by other tumblers to jump rope. While the risky routine was being performed, Little Donald’s face was filled with assurance.
Also during the Arches’ tumbling segment, there was a young lady whose simultaneous backflips had such speed and precision that she seemed to be spinning 360 degrees in a circle that appeared to lift four inches from the ground. Thirteen-year-old Shaina Hughes seemed to defy gravity.
Because the handful of young African-American tumblers (and all of the young acrobats in the Arches) were so exceptional, it was intermission before I made the connection that there were family ties among these three most impressive children.
“My dad was in the arches before me, so when I was born he brought me into the circus,” Shaina Hughes said. “He taught me how to do all of that stuff.”
During intermission, Donald Hughes was busy moving about from station to station, wrapped up in the hectic beauty of preparation that was taking place backstage. The Hughes children lounged comfortably, as if they were in their family room, though the tent did little to shield the blistering sun.
The Great Donavino kicked off act two in a big way by flipping off of a horse, then performing other acrobatic feats while strapped to a harness. The presentation had all of the thrills of Barnum and Bailey (with the exception of the ferocious animals), compacted into its single ring in the Powell Symphony Hall parking area.
As trapeze, tightropes and comical transitions from scene to scene accompanied the narrator’s story, the young Hughes kids held their own against circus family legends.
And the influence of the elder Hughes extends beyond his bloodline. He was responsible for recruiting Lemond Carmickle, who is a member of the St. Louis Arches and the Ianna Spirit Riders – the only youth circus bareback riding act in the U.S.
“The first school where I ever taught – where I first picked Arches from in 1989 – was Jefferson Elementary, and Donald was one of the first Arches,” said Jessica Hentoff, St. Louis Arches executive and artistic director. “Then Donald was teaching at Jefferson Elementary, and that’s where we saw Lemond.”
Watching Carmickle turn somersaults while in motion on top of a moving horse – and manage to land on his feet – was one of many awe-inspiring highlights of Circus Flora’s Sherwood Forest.
When the show was over, the Great Donavino was no longer a performer who commanded centerstage (or center ring, in this case). He was a shy but charming child who hid behind Hentoff upon sight of a stranger.
Along with his circus genes, Hughes’ children inherited their father’s graceful nonchalance for the spotlight once the circus is over.
“Don’t you want to be seven generations and your children’s children children’s children?” Hentoff asked Shaina Hughes, about her family’s tradition.
“I just want to be a tumbler,” Shaina said.
Circus Flora continues through June 22 at the Powell Symphony Hall Parking Lot (Grand and Josephine Baker). For more information, visit www.circusflora.org or call (314) 289-4040.
For more information about The St. Louis Arches and other programs within the Circus Day Foundation/Circus Harmony visit www.circusday.org.
