THE BALLOON MAN

Big top's local flair
Dancers in UniverSoul Circus look forward to show in their hometown.

 

Four members of the UniverSoul Circus are originally from St. Louis. They are from left: Lorenzo Henderson, 27; Jeremy Green, 25; Naeemah McCowan, 24; and Lorenzo White, 26. They dance in the opening act of the show.
 Photo by J.B. Forbes jforbes@post-dispatch.com
BY DENISE HOLLINSHED
from: stltoday.com
July 29, 2012
St. Louis native Lorenzo Henderson has danced professionally with national recording artists such as Chris Brown, Ciara, Keri Hilson and Omarion.
But his dream since he was a child has been to be in the circus. When he got that chance, he leapt on it, and was part of the troupe when the UniverSoul Circus set up their tent in town on Tuesday.
Henderson, 26, is one of four St. Louis natives, including Lorenzo Earl, 26, Naeemah McCowan, 24, and Jeremy Green, 25, who are performing in the UniverSoul Circus, on the site of the Jamestown Mall in Florissant through Sunday as part of a 25-city tour. The Atlanta-based circus, founded in 1993, features a mix of traditional circus, vaudeville and animal acts powered by hip-hop music.
Henderson was raised in St. Louis but now lives in Atlanta. He tap dances in the show, then springboards into hip-hop dancing.
When I was a kid, I always loved the circus and secretly I always wanted to be in the circus," Henderson said outside the circus's colorful tent last week. "I just wanted to be in the circus. I always wondered how they were able to do all the acts."
Henderson, who has danced since the age of 15, has worked with various musical artists, but the circus allows him to grow in another way, he said.
"UniverSoul Circus is legendary," he said.
Green has been dancing professionally for seven years. He graduated from the St. Louis Career Academy in 2005. This is his first year with the circus after moving to Atlanta a year ago to audition for the job. It was a move he hasn't regretted.
He struts his stuff during the opening act with the 360 Dance Group.
read more at:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/big-top-s-local-flair/article_5f8c8bd6-e244-545a-8d6d-15470ffeb942.html