Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College.
Most of us know that watching a movie with an African american (black) crowd, or going to a African american church is a different experience. Now you can add to it going to a circus with African american audience and many African american performers. It’s a wild, fun and very interesting experience. Imagine sitting in huge African american church listening to great voices and dancers and add to it performers doing very daring twirling bicycles, disco dancing pachyderms, free-flying aerial, flipping canines, and extreme motorsports and much more.
UniverSoul Circus
UniverSoul Circus is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It’s a different circus for many reasons: it’s interactive, the audience is part of the act and people are encouraged to dance and sing on stage or between the isles.
In many circuses you will notice very talented stone faced acrobats who rarely interact with the audience. In the Universoul Circus, the acrobats look like they love what they are doing. They must go to work with a smile. They are engaging and encourage the audience to have fun as much as they do.
Universoul Circus is for every age. It’s not easy to find an entertainment to take the kids to, that grown-ups will also enjoy. In our case, we enjoyed it as much as the kids.
The audience members in the Bronx were so awesome. We couldn’t stop laughing. At times. we wondered if they weren’t ringers. If you volunteer to go on stage, expect to be asked to dance and have rhythm.
In addition, you will witness Olate Dogs from Chile (winners of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT), Ethiopian Pole Act from Ethiopia, Aerial Duet from Colombia, Bicycle Tricks from China, Airborne Motorcycles from California, Caribbean Dance and Limbo from Trinidad and Tobago, Russian Bar from Cuba and dancing Elephants from the United States, a multicultural, multinational mix of talent.
My family was very impressed by the Airborne Motorcyclist. It will leave you in awe. The riders almost touched the ceiling with their motorbikes. I was wondering, they are so lucky their mothers were not in the crowd, they would have definitely fainted.
When I asked my six-year old daughter what was her favorite part, she replied, “I loved the puppies but did not like the elephants. I felt bad for them, they looked sad.” I told her that many countries have banned live animal in circuses.
My daughter also complained about the very long intermission, almost 45 minutes, which gave many kids the opportunity to ride a pony for 10 dollars. Not a bad thing for a child.
And, of course, there are photos with the clown for 10 dollars and you can also purchase light up toys .
Our family loved Universoul Circus, I recommend it as great family activity, your kids will remember it for years to come. Here’s info if you want to get tickets:
UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS performs in five different venues:
THE BRONX
March 30 thru April 10, 2016
50 E. 150th St., Bronx, NY 10451 (Across from Bronx Terminal Market at 149th St. and Exterior St. Next to the bridge)
BROOKLYN
April 12-24, 2016
3159 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 10451 (Floyd Bennett Field @ Aviator Sports. Just down from Kings Plaza Mall)
QUEENS
April 27-May 15, 2016
Roy Wilkins Park, Merrick Blvd. and Baisley Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11434
NEWARK
May 18-30, 2016
430 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102 (Across from Broad Street Train Station next to the Riverfront Bears Stadium)
Visit www.universoulcircus.com for more info, show times, and schedules. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices range from $16 through $40. Prices vary by venue and by day.
Disclosure: Liat received these tickets on a complimentary basis, but all opinions are her own.
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