“If there is one thing I want people to know about us, it’s that we are here for everybody,” said Cedric Walker, founder and president of UniverSoul Circus. “We want people of all ethnicities and backgrounds to come together and enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience.”
It was love at first sight when Walker went with his family see the circus as a young person growing up in Baltimore. He would sit in the rafters and watch way down below and contemplate how he could make it a part of his life’s work.
But, based on what he saw in the show, he thought the only role a man of color would be afforded in the circus was to clean up after the elephants.
Through UniverSoul Circus, Walker made it his mission to create a circus where the next generation of youth could see themselves in the spotlight, behind the scenes and presented in a way that reflects the African-American experience.
“He realized that seeing a reflection of yourself in the ring – whether you’re the ringmaster, the owner or an incredible aerialist – it gives the young kids hope that their lives can change,” said Hank Ernest, spokesperson for UniverSoul Circus. “And that they can do amazing things if they just put their minds to it and work hard.”
Nearly 25 years later, the circus is an institution in its own right.
“The circus is called ‘UniverSoul,’ and the first half of that is universe,” Ernest said. “We want to show talent from around the world – and we want to offer a glimpse of the world to the people who come to our shows. We also want people to realize that soul is not a color, it is an experience.”
The popular circus returns to St. Louis later next month and will stay into the first week of September. St. Louis has become only the third market in the annual national tour to expand with additional dates and two locations. The other two are New York City and Washington, D.C.
“Hopefully, this shows St. Louis how important you are – how much you’ve supported us in the past and how we know you’ll be behind us in the future,” Ernest said.
UniverSoul Circus has become an instantly identifiable brand in the black community. Much like Motown did for mainstream music, UniverSoul Circus has added a unique blend of flavor to the conventional circus format, while managing to connect across cultures and ages.
“Those who have never been should take out of their mind what they think a circus is supposed to be,” Ernest said. “This is something that they’ve never experienced before as far as the tempo of the show, the music, the dancing, the laughter and the engagement between the performers and the audience.”
It is scaled to be an intimate experience. “You can reach out and touch our performers,” Ernest said. “There’s a special power in that.”
Guests are encouraged to let loose or “join the party,” as they say on their website. Instead of being escorted out, the most rowdy audience member just might be called into the ring to participate.
“When our show comes around, people are up dancing and singing and high-fiving performers,” Ernest said. “When performers get a load of that at our show, it’s infectious and they want to be a part of it. They tell their friends back home. We have circus schools from around the world who want to come be a part of our show because our audience makes them feel so good.”
It is the hope of UniverSoul Circus to create an unforgettable exchange of positive energy that flows back and forth underneath their big top.
“We want to be that bright light, that glimmer of hope,” Ernest said. “If you are having a hard time, we want to be that moment where you have forgotten your troubles and let everything go. Hopefully that can last as long as possible after you leave.”
UniverSoul Circus returns to St. Louis on August 24-28 at the Jamestown Mall location and across from the Dome (Formerly Edward Jones Dome) from August 31-September 5. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (800) 745-3000. For more information, visit www.unipversoulcircus.com.
