So this past weekend we took the kids to the UniverSoul Circus. It’s a great show and much cheaper than that other better known circus. There was no way I was paying over $100 for a circus. No circus is THAT GOOD. So the UniverSoul Circus offers a good show at a more reasonable price.

We were a little late, but here are the acts we saw and my thoughts on them:

• CARIBBEAN HEAT FESTIVAL - Stilt Walkers and Limbo Mamas: If you’ve ever been to the Caribbean, you’ll think you were back there enjoying a festival. If you’ve never been, this act gives you a good taste. They did a great job.
• THE ETHIOPIAN DREAM TEAM - Body and Foot Juggling: Just some great tumbling and exciting action.
• EMPERORS OF SOUL - Glass Vase and Pottery Juggling: If people spinning and catching pots is your thing, then this act is for you. I respect their skill, but this act was not doing much for me.
• Motorbikes In The Metal Globe: This was a great act. Guys on motorbikes spinning in a metal globe in all directions!
• DIVA AND THE LION’S DEN - Lion Trainer: OK, here’s my opinion of people that get into closed areas with animals known for killing things bigger than themselves, psycho! But hey, if you can get some lions to do anything other than eat you, than you deserve some respect. I think the only person who should have ever knowingly entered a closed area with lions is Daniel from the Bible .
• FLYING CHINESE DAREDEVILS - Trapeze: Bananas! I mean these folks were flying all over the place and twisting like crazy. Very entertaining.
• TYRONE TAYLOR - Elephant Trainer: Hey, if you can get a bunch of huge elephants to do your bidding you have my respect. Plus the elephants did not go wild and trample us, which is a good thing .
• GABONESE ACROBATIC TROUPE - Acrobatic Teeter Board: Great tumbling and tricks. They also teamed up with the elephant trainer and did some tumbling with the elephants. That was cool.
• Guys on the steel spinning thing: I’m not sure what they call themselves, but they were a great act! Two guys on a large spinning metal apparatus. It was amazing what they were doing. Even the pics in the link don’t do their act justice.

Also the Ringmaster and his Sidekick were able to keep things moving well. One of the great things was the culture of faith and success expressed by the Ringmaster. The motto he used was something like “By believing in yourself and putting God first, you can be anything you want to be”. This is a great message for children. Also there was a portion of the show where they actually had church during the circus. First people were allowed to let everyone know what church they attend and then a couple gospel songs were played for people to sing along with and enjoy. You’re not going to have “church” at that other more expensive circus . A circus can buy a lot of things with a high ticket price, but they can’t buy Jesus .

(For the sake of full disclosure, I do have a relative that is behind the UniverSoul Circus. He’s either the owner or some other person involved in running it. I’ve never met him and we are related via marriage. I have to pay for my tickets to the circus and get no special discount. I was not paid or given any incentives to blog about the UniverSoul Circus. I just made this post because I like it.)