THE BALLOON MAN

Circus with Soul

Credit: Ron Elkman
This week, UniverSoul Circus is returning to Richmond for the 10th consecutive year.

By Crystolyn Macklin
Published: March 02, 2011 from: Richmond.com
Whenever UniverSoul Circus comes to town, you can bet on Valerie Burrell-Muhammad to be there. The Richmonder has not missed a show of the black-owned circus in years, which features the talents of African-American performers.
"I am in love with all things by us and for us—that’s why I continue to go again and again," said Burrell-Muhammad. "That isn’t to exclude other cultures, because the show does an excellent job of including those from various walks of life. It’s just more powerful than anything we’ve ever known. It’s a universal concept—it really is."
This week, UniverSoul Circus is returning to Richmond for the tenth consecutive year with a range of performances in a combination of circus arts, theater, and music at the Richmond International Raceway.
"We will always produce a show filled with soul and hip hop music, and we will always feature only the most dynamic performers from around the world," said founder and CEO Cedric Walker in a statement. "It doesn’t matter if you’re an urbanite or a suburbanite, old school or new school, generation X or Y, pre-school, high school or grad school – I strongly believe everyone will find something to enjoy at our show."
Walker started the circus in Atlanta in 1994, realizing his dream of creating a show that features African-American performers to entertain and enlighten a wide demographic of spectators. Today, the cast features performers from 11 different countries. Walker travels the world himself to select the artists. Over the years, the circus has done more than 500 shows in 32 major cities.
"Our show is very up-close and many enjoy it because of the personal connection they feel from the performers, such as one of the characters Onion Head who interacts with the audience throughout his act," said circus promoter Hermione White, who also travels with the circus while it’s on tour.
The show, which is about two hours long, launches today (March 2) at the Richmond Raceway Complex and runs through March 6. On March 2, 3, and 4 shows start at 10:30 a.m. and at 7:30 p.m. On March 5, there will be shows at noon, 4 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. On March 6, show times are at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12-$27 (plus fees) at the box office or at www.ticketmaster.com.