Sunday, October 23, 2011

Circus is coming to Houma


Elizabeth Ayala performs part of her trapeze act. The Ayalas are part of 14 acts performing in the Lewis and Clark Circus, which returns for performances at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd.

Keyon K. Jeff, Correspondent

from: houmatoday.com

October 21, 2011
The circus brings family fun for any audience. But the family fun also extends to the performers.
For many circuses, it is not unusual to have two or three generations performing under the same big top.
"The best thing about being in the circus is having my family with me all day," said animal trainer Maria Ayala, who along with her husband and four children perform with the Lewis and Clark Circus. "I don't have to not see them. A lot of parents have to leave their kids all day home alone. They're always here."
The Ayalas are part of 14 high-energy acts performing in the Lewis and Clark Circus, which returns for performances at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25 at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd.
Ayala, 42, is a fourth-generation circus performer who did the flying trapeze and other acts before training animals. Her husband, Jose, is a sixth-generation performer from Mexico.
He and middle son, Andy, 14, are the clowns in the show and performs a trampoline act along with youngest son, Brandon, 10.
Their eldest son, Jose Jr., 22, is an acrobat who performs the Rola Bola, an act involving balancing higher and higher on a board on top of cylinders.
Their daughter, Elizabeth, 20, is a trapeze artist who does an act where she hangs by her hair.
Despite the constant travel and living and working together, the Ayalas — who reside in Chatman, — try to maintain as normal a family life as possible.

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