“Soul is not a color, it’s is an experience – but you know that anything we touch, we are going to sprinkle some soul on it and bring it to another level,” said Zeke, Ringmaster’s sidekick for the UniverSoul Circus. “We’ve turned the circus world upside down and it’s been nonstop ever since.”
Zeke has been with UniverSoul Circus from its inception nearly a quarter-century ago. He connected with founder Cedric Walker back when he was a DJ and a host and Walker was promoting concerts and plays in the Atlanta region.
Walker came up with the idea of UniverSoul Circus, or as Zeke says “taking the traditional circus and putting a little soul to it” by repackaging the circus in a manner designed for African Americans to enjoy.
Walker told Zeke he had a spot for him as the sidekick to the Ringmaster, which is essentially is the Ringmaster’s hype man. He suited up for the first-ever UniverSoul Circus big top in Atlanta, and never stopped.
“To see it from the beginning and what it has evolved from has been a blessing,” Zeke said. “I tell people all the time, ‘do not base your expectations of UniverSoul on any other circus that you’ve seen.’”
They’ve grown from an annual event in Atlanta, to touring up to 25 cities a year.
Zeke and company will be back in St. Louis when the UniverSoul Circus returns from August 24-September 4 across from the Dome at America’s Center Downtown.
“One time somebody joked that because we are African American owned and operated that we aren’t up to par,” Zeke said. “They said, ‘y’all don’t have real animals. Y’all have pit bulls and Rottweilers in that circus.’ But I let them, and everybody else know that we are world class – and we bring it to you like you’ve never seen it before.”
The UniverSoul Circus is as much a house party and family reunion as it is a circus. Animals, acrobats and other traditional circus acts from around the world blow the crowds away. But the audiences bring their own wow factor when they dance in their seats – and in the aisles – to music that ranges from hip-hop to the blues. Generations come together and each manages to get the same level of enjoyment.
“You are as much a part of the show as the performer in that ring – and you know black folks, we love to express ourselves,” Zeke said. “You don’t have to sit quiet with us. We demand that audience responds.”
His favorite part of the show is the Soul Train line that encourages audience members to come into the ring and break it all the way down.
“You just never know what type of hidden diamond you have in the crowd,” Zeke said. “Some people come up there and turn that soul train line out.”
The segment is predesignated, but it’s anyone’s guess who will volunteer for the opportunity to get down. Zeke and the circus performers enjoy a mutual exchange of energy and entertainment with the audience over the course of the night.
“You are going to feel it – between the lights, the sounds, the music, the world class performers and the engagement,” Zeke said. “It’s mind-blowing.”
Even after 24 years, Zeke says he still gets nervous every time he prepares to enter the ring, but the feeling subsides as soon as he steps out to perform.
“Once I go out there and hit that ring and see a grandmamma smile and a little kid with joy on his face, it’s show time,” Zeke said. “After 24 years I never get tired of it – and we do 500 shows a year and you can multiply that and see how many shows I’ve done.
Every show feels like a first show to me and we put a 110 percent into it each time. We want them to leave out with chills, thrills and all of the happy feelings.”
The UniverSoul Circus will be in St. Louis from August 24-September 4 across from the Dome at America’s Center and tickets can be purchased through ticketmaster.com. For more information on the show and a full schedule, visit http://www.universoulcircus.com.
