Kids no longer have to run away to join the circus. Parents are signing them up.
CircEsteem, a nonprofit after-school program, allows children of all ages to be the main attraction — most recently on Sunday, at its 14th annual spring performances in Uptown.
The child performers are involved in coordinating the show, from picking music and themes to helping create acts and transitions, said Maribeth Joy, CircEsteem’s executive director.
“For us, it’s all about empowering young people, not adults telling them what to do and how to do it,” she said.
Pint-sized performers, from 3-year-olds to teenagers, wowed the crowd of about 200 people with somersaults, juggling, tightrope walks and stilts.
“The first time I saw, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, they can do that?'” said Lisa Silverman, of Oak Park, whose 12-year-old daughter Jane Drumm is a performer and a teacher. “It was an absolutely jaw-dropping experience.”
Even with mistakes such as a tiny stumble during a seven-person jump rope act, there were smiles from the kids and loud applause when the feat was accomplished on the second try. That type of support and teamwork is what the program tries to instill in the youths, Silverman said.
“What I love is that its mission to empower young people is carried in everything they do, like learning trust,” she said. “It’s not how much money you have or where you’re from, and that’s what I love about it — those core values.”
Through CircEsteem’s HomeWork & CircusWork program, youths — many of whom are from low-income families in the Rogers Park, Edgewater and Uptown neighborhoods — get circus instruction and homework help. Cortez Young, 18, who’s been in the program for seven years, credits the group not only for helping him to learn how to unicycle and juggle, but also for helping him get his grades up. Young, who is studying electrical engineering at DeVry University, is a CircEsteem instructor and lighting technician.
“My favorite part is seeing them smiling and seeing them have fun,” he said of the children. “I try to make it as fun as possible.”
Many other former participants like Young have stayed with the program to help the next wave of performers. Joy said organizers seek to keep the environment intimate, even as the number of participants continues to grow.
“Many start young and stay through high school and become teachers,” Joy said. “We try to create a family environment where kids feel comfortable. Some really like the circus. Others like to be behind the scenes to help with the show.”
Twitter @_tonybriscoe
