Image courtesy of courtesy Tim Pethel
Step right up! The UniverSoul Circus is back in Detroit, and this year’s show is bigger, bolder, and spookier than ever. Celebrating 30 years of jaw-dropping entertainment, the “Cousins Around the World” tour brings acrobats, fire breathers, stilt dancers, and more from five continents for a dazzling display of global talent. Opening on Halloween night at The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, the circus promises not only thrilling performances but a haunted house, trick-or-treat stations, and costume contests, making it a frightfully fun adventure for the whole family!
To kick off the Halloween weekend, UniverSoul Circus will become a haunted house with candy stations for trick-or-treating from October 31 to November 2. Everyone is welcome to wear costumes and join the costume contests.
The show will feature entertainers from five continents, showcasing a mix of world music and dance styles influenced by the African diaspora, providing a continuous interactive family fun expereince throughout the show. With more than twelve culturally diverse performances beneath a dazzling new big top, UniverSoul showcases unique acts from Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic, and Mongolia and a 15-member flying trapeze act hailing from China.
UniverSoul founder and CEO Cedric Walker highlighted the special presentation of ‘Cousins Around the World’ will celebrate a global community that strives to connect our hearts in a more inclusive society.
“United in the spirit of family, we strongly believe that soul is not a color; it’s an experience,” Walker said.
Image courtesy of courtesy Tim Pethel
Enjoyed by more than 25 million people from around the world, UniverSoul Circus’ highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music spans genres including classic R&B, Latin, hip hop, jazz, gospel, and pop. Rated as one of the top live family acts in America along with Cirque du Soleil, UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family-friendly live entertainment has garnered it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top 10 most requested family events.
This year’s lineup features remarkable new talent, including the mesmerizing African Dream hoop divers hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; an extraordinary flying trapeze performance involving 15 artists soaring through the air across three different positions; an exhilarating new teeterboard act from Ethiopia; a captivating strong-man hand-balance duo named Double Vision from the Dominican Republic; and an energetic Cuban-Caribbean dance celebration combined with a roller skating extravaganza.
The Caribbean Street Carnival is set to showcase its fan favorite featuring the 20-foot puppets that dance, fire-breathing stilt performers, and authentic folklore figures along with dancers from nearly every Caribbean island. The vibrant, kid-friendly hip-hop group Fresh the Clowns will energize the audience with their hottest dance routines, while the thrilling Wheel of Death stunt performers will keep spectators on the edge of their seats as they flip, dive, and leap on a swiftly moving pendulum 60 feet in the air.
Other popular moments will come from the ringmaster troupe which includes Sifiso Kamela, aka “Whistle Man,” from South Africa who will engage the audience with his hilarious boxing clown skit, the ringmaster/comedian Donald “N.O.” Long from New Orleans, UniverSoul’s original Zander “Zeke” Charles from Atlanta, and its newest foxy ringmaster/dancer, Bella, from Trinidad.
At UniverSoul Circus, the audience is part of the show, and everyone gets to participate. Whether playing “Simon Says,” showing off their Swag Surf dance moves or singing in the “Soul Karaoke” spotlight, the patrons take the spotlight. Fresh the Clowns choose kids from the seats for the Big Top Kids Dance contest, and the entire tent gets to play as the beach balls bounce overhead.
“UniverSoul Circus is presented in a brand-new custom big top imported from Italy, enhanced with advanced state-of-the-art lighting, and a sound system that moves and grooves as if it were the show itself,” Walker added.
Tickets are $25 and up at ticketmaster.com. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. Paid parking is available surrounding The Aretha. On Veteran’s Day (Monday, Nov. 11), two performances are scheduled for noon and 4 p.m. Go to universoulcircus.com for more info, ticket prices, show times, and schedules.