Location: Alternatives Inc.
Date: Sunday, April 28, 2013; 12:00-3:30 pm
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| Circus! |
More than a month ago I had
received an email from Wilson, where he told me about a program that One Brick
was going to do and which involved kids performing circus acts. Aah circus. There’s something about circus that evokes thoughts of childhood, of
adventure, of daredevil acts, of fantasy, of wonder, but most importantly, of
joy. I faintly recall all of my visits
to a circus as a boy. I remember seeing the big tent from a distance, getting the tickets after standing in a line and then walking past the cages of the various animals that
would soon be a part of the act. Year
after year, every performance would be almost similar, with the same type of acts, just
different performers. As I grew older, other forms of entertainment took over, such as going to the movies
or theater or even sporting events.
Circus became a forgotten art form.
So when I read this email from Wilson, all those memories came back and there was no question in my mind that I would be there.
I arrived to see Wilson standing
in the middle of the street, taking pictures of the entrance to the place. It truly was a remarkable front of the
building, with a mural made of mosaic tiles and having words such as ‘Lead’, ‘Respect’, ‘Choose’ and ‘Mentor’ on it. Irina was volunteering for this one as well
and we chatted with Wilson, who said that we were in for a treat. We gathered inside where our assignments were
handed out and the choices were ushering, concessions or box office. But as expected, I was asked to do something
which is becoming a specialty of mine - opening doors! Irina joined me as well and we took our
places outside, ready to welcome the kids and their families. Luckily for us, it wasn't a bad day to be out
in the open.
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| The beautiful entrance |
Slowly but surely, people started
coming in and this included kids of all ages.
Our job was to welcome everyone and tell them to have a good time. We got some questions regarding parking, but
more or less the people knew what they were doing and it was obvious that it
wasn't their first time attending this event.
A little after 1 pm, we realized that the show was about to start and
everyone who was supposed to come were already there. So we went inside and Kristen, our Event
Manager, said that we could watch the show.
This was what I had been waiting for, and walked inside the arena. The show was being held in a small theater
with seating arranged around 3 sides of the performance area. I found a place near the right wall and
settled to watch what would be an extremely delightful presentation.
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| The acts |
According to description provided
by CircEsteem on One Brick’s website, “CircEsteem
unites youth from diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds and helps
them build self-esteem and mutual respect through the practice of circus arts. Our approach to promoting confidence and
cooperation is action based: focused development of circus skills while having
fun together. We accomplish this by
providing a positive environment that emphasizes goals, teamwork, and
performance. Our mission of uniting
youth and empowering them through circus arts is fulfilled in every class and
is highlighted in every circus we perform.”
The theme of the show was ‘High-Seas
Circus Adventures’ and it was prevalent in the set decorations, as well as
the props and the performance. When I
walked in, some of the kids were performing on a Unicycle and when I say
performing, they were doing a fantastic job.
This was followed by some other remarkable things such as Rope Climbing,
Rolling in a Hamster Wheel, something that was similar to a Trapeze and some
more gymnastics. There was also a
recurring skit called ‘Message In A
Bottle’, which was a story line related to the
theme. We were all enthralled and while it may not have been as polished as Cirque
Du Soleil, the kids deserved every bit of the applause that they got. Soon it was time for intermission and Wilson
had a job for me.
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| Popcorn and Candy Man |
There was a concession stand at
the back of the stands and Wilson asked if at the intermission, I could take a
box of popcorn and candy in to the crowd and sell it – just like at a sports
game. Irina came with me and to my surprise;
we were able to sell quite a bit. I
guess it really is true that when you see things in front of you, the desire to
have them is more than otherwise. Plus
we were waving candy in front of kids, who convinced their parents to part with
a dollar. After a successful
intermission, it was time for the second act and this time I took a seat to
watch the show. The main attraction during
this half was juggling using various props.
This was very nostalgic for me, taking me back to my Pittsburgh days and
many a Wednesday spend amongst friends where we watched a movie and concluded
the evening with an impromptu juggling session.
As good as my friends were; these kids were even better. After a rope trick and a grand finale which
was nothing less than a colorful fiesta with everyone involved on the floor;
the show was over and the participants returned for one final and well deserved
bow.
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| Take a bow |
The main instructor for
CircEsteem took to the floor and told us about this after school program and
how it helps kids develop self-esteem through learning circus skills. Besides this, the kids are also tutored and
helped with their homework, and the staff and volunteers even pick up kids from
far away neighborhoods in order to bring them in for their training. The kids got some pizza, while Wilson
handed me a broom and later a giant floor mop to wipe down the performance area
and get it ready for the next show, which was within an hour. Some of us went out after the show and while initially
he said that there was nothing scheduled for the rest of his evening, Wilson
seemed to remember some cooking program where he could help and tried to
recruit the rest of us to go with him. Before
he left, he also gave us some sanitary advice on using ketchup in café’s and
after hearing about that, I’m not sure if it was a good idea for me to have listened! It had been a wonderful experience, seeing these
kids demonstrate supreme skills and even more astounding when you realize that
this has all been acquired through an after school program. Wilson had concluded his email from a long
time ago by saying, “This is your chance
to be a kid and run away to join the circus!” No kidding…I even got to
stand inside a hamster wheel.
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