“Part of what makes the UniverSoul Circus what it is, there is such a strong connection between the people who are in the ring and the people in the seats,” said Duane Brown, one of the ringmasters for the circus’ 25th anniversary tour that stops in St. Louis July 12-22.
That connection was among the biggest intentions for Cedric Walker when he founded the circus. When Walker was a child growing up in Baltimore, his family took a trip to the circus. As they sat in the rafters and soaked in the experience, Walker was hooked. As much as he loved the show, even as a child he noticed the cultural disconnect. The only person who looked like him was cleaning up after the elephants. So, he made creating a circus that spoke to his experience his life’s work.
Twenty-five years later, Walker’s UniverSoul Circus is bigger than ever. The 25th anniversary show is being billed the “Faster Funkier Louder” tour. “It’s like everything you love about the UniverSoul circus, but on steroids,” Brown said.
They have two tours happening simultaneously right now. One group is currently preparing for its first ever European tour – which opens in Scotland. The other is on its way to St. Louis from July 12-22 in the tailgate lot of The Dome at America’s Center.
“One of the most beautiful things I experience is the connection that takes place between the people in the ring and the people in the seats,” Brown said. “When you come to the UniverSoul Circus, you just don’t come to the circus – you become a part of the circus. It’s about spreading happiness and joy. We get to do it across the country, and now around the world.”
The opportunity to spread joy to people of all cultures from the African American perspectives is among the many things that Brown enjoys about his job of guiding the audience through the UniverSoul Circus experience.
“It’s a wonderful thing to be a representative of what I believe is the essence of being African American – and that’s excellence, greatness, extremely wonderful talent and joy,” Brown said. “African American culture doesn’t always get the opportunity to be portrayed in the best light. Yes, this is the black circus, but it is so much more in that it gives people from all cultures and backgrounds to share in our amazingly rich culture.”
The best way to describe UniverSoul is equal parts circus and African American family reunion. The “oohs and ahhs” elicited from daring stunts, acrobatics and animal tricks are paired with R&B and hip-hop music that the audience is encouraged to groove along with. The family vibe also extends to the other side of the ring.
“We have acts from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, China, Mongolia and Africa. Every corner of the world,” Brown said. “To be able to work together as a family in one ring, overcoming language barriers, cultural barriers and watching this group of people become a family is one of the greatest things I will have ever experienced.”
Brown feels that the success the black-owned-and-operated institution has found in diversity sends a powerful response to the anti-immigration and racist rhetoric that has dominated headlines. “What we do goes against every negative narrative in this current social and political climate,” Brown said. The UniverSoul Circus counters the divisiveness and hatred of the Trump era, but it does not address it.
The show is strictly about the bliss and awe of a circus experience designed for a population that was generally ignored by the mainstream circus community.
And while those circuses have failed to capture new audiences (including the now defunct Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus), UniverSoul Circus has continued to grow and thrive.
In addition to the expanded tour, Walker has reconfigured the tent to allow for motorcycle jumpers to join the roster of edge of your seat performances. Brown says that St. Louis should prepare for an entire spectrum of emotions from nail-biting stunts to the urge to break it down as part of a Soul Train line.
“When you come to the UniverSoul Circus, I want you to completely suspend your ability to worry. You can’t worry about bills, money or relationships,” Brown said. “You have to tell yourself ‘I’m going to be a kid again.’ If you come with that, you will have the best time of your life.”
The 25th anniversary tour of the UniverSoul Circus will take place from July 12-22 at The Dome at America’s Center. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling (314) 231-4445. For more information on UniverSoul Circus, visit www.universoulcircus.com.
