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Walpole native and 2014 Walpole High graduate Doug Stewart is preparing to debut a new circus group, called “Cirque Us,” on March 19 at the Aircraft Aerial Arts center in Somerville.
Cirque Us’s shows will feature many acts and performances, including clowns, aerial acrobatics, contortionists and tight wire-walkers.
“It’s going to feature everything you would find at a big top circus,” Stewart said.
Stewart’s love of all things circus began when he was 10 years old. On a whim, he attended a circus class after a friend told him about the program. From the moment he entered the class, he knew he had found his true calling.
“I fell in love with it,” Stewart said. “I knew it was what I wanted to do.”
Shortly after attending the class, he enrolled in Circus Smirkus, an international youth circus based in Vermont. It is one of the largest and most prominent circus acts for youth performers. The program allowed him to immerse himself in the art of circus performing, and introduced him to a whole community of performers who enjoy the art.
“It surrounded me with people who loved what I loved to do,” Stewart recalled. “Everyone there had the same mission as me.”
After graduating from Walpole High, Stewart went on a tour with Circus Smirkus for three months. He performed all around the East Coast with the group at many shows during the Circus Smirkus tour.
Last year, he enrolled in the New England Center for Circus Arts, and took a 10-month long intensive program on circus art. He picked up a lot of new skills and refined his existing knowledge of circus performance, and extensively studied his favorite circus act: ropes and aerial acrobatics.
He noted that aerial acrobatics is a unique and relatively uncommon act, which often surprises and captivates audiences. Aerial acrobatics also allows Stewart to combine both his athletic and artistic skills at the same time.
“It’s really fun for me to look down on the audience and see their faces,” Stewart said.
Now, Stewart is preparing to debut his own circus act with a new group he formed with several of his fellow circus performers, called “Cirque Us.” Stewart decided to form his own group in order to solve several problems he was facing as a circus performer.
“As a performer, it is hard to get gigs,” Stewart said. “It is hard to perform with your friends.”
As the debut show draws near, Stewart noted how positive both organizing his own circus as well as preparing to perform in it has been.
“It has been a great experience so far,” Stewart said. “It has been a lot of fun organizing it and throwing it together.”
The debut performance is scheduled for March 19 at the Aircraft Aerial Arts center, 14 Tyler Street in Somerville. Two performances will be offered, one at 3 p.m. and one at 7 p.m.
Proceeds from the March 19 performances will help support a multi-state Cirque Us tour, which is planned to begin in July.
Tickets can be purchased at thecirqueus.com or by emailing thecirqueus@yahoo.com.
