Hip Hop Under the Big Top - UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS Celebrates 20 Years in Philly

Get ready for electrifying, edge-of-your-seat performances! UniverSoul Circus announces its return to Philadelphia for its 20th return to Fairmount Park (next to Mann Center) with 47 grand shows from now through November 27, 2016. Philadelphia will serve as the ultimate finale and serve as UniverSoul's final stop for their 2016 tour. A big top spectacle of global proportions, this milestone edition is ready to take fans of all ages on an unforgettable journey of light, sound and soul. Hailed as the most interactive circus in the world, UniverSoul Circus promises to be a show you will never forget. Tickets on sale now for $19 to $30 via Ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000.

EXTRA, EXTRA!

Sat Nov 19th - Watch 8am to 9am
UniverSoul Circus on Fox 29 Good Day Weekend

Sun Nov 20th - Listen between 11am to 1pm
UniverSoul on Soulful Sunday 100.3

Tues Nov 22nd - Watch 12pm to 12:30pm
UniverSoul on Fox 29 The Q Show

Tues Nov 22nd - 1pm to 1:30pm
Free community program at Philadelphia School of Arts

Thurs Nov 24th - Starts 8:30am
UniverSoul in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thurs Nov 24th - Starts 7:00pm
Special Thanksgiving Day Performance

LUCKY THE RINGMASTER

Leading the charge for Philadelphia in 2016 as UniverSoul Circus Ringmaster is the multi-talented Lucky Malatsi of Johannesburg, South Africa. Lucky, 27, has been performing in front of an audience for 23 years. In 1999, while performing in South Africa, Lucky caught the attention of Cedric Walker. By 2000, at the age of 10, he was performing a popular duo contortionist act for UniverSoul. Married with two young kids growing up in the back lot, Lucky brings new meaning to the term, multi-talented. He has been an acrobatic hip hop dancer, acrobat, contortionist, trapeze artist, teeterboard flyer, trampoline artist and an acrobatic-dunking whiz kid with basketballs.

AIRBOURNE

The UniverSoul Circus fans have never seen anything like it. X-Treme is a true understatement when talking about a quartet of professional motorcycle daredevils who blow the roof off the big top on a daily basis. Eric Farr, 31 of Colorado, Derrick Deckering, 27, of Southern California, Jake Jolson, 19, of Northern California and Ray Bennett, 28 of Pennsylvania, all 10-plus years veterans of motorcycles are making their debut with UniverSoul in 2016. Fans audibly gasp and scream as revved up motorcycles fly 30 feet into the air, with jumps an unbelievable 75 feet long. They've performed together at fairs, rodeos and monster jams in all 50 states in the U.S. , and around the world in Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, and Finland. Deckering, who has been performing since he was a young child, is a professional stunt BMX rider who never imagined he would run away with a circus.

FLY HIGH

From Havana, Cuba, this fearsome foursome performs and incredible act on a Russian bar that sends its acrobatic performers skyward with the buoyancy of a trampoline. In 2016, they perform in the United States for the first time ever, after touring China, Germany, Spain, Italy, Chile and Venezuela with state-owned Havana Company. They have performed with Circo Quatico and Moure Osfei in Italy, Circo Mundial and Circus Alergrie in Spain, and the Flic Flac circus of Germany. Since 2013, the powerful young men, ranging in age 19-34, have taken home the top prize gold medal at circus competitions in China and Cuba.

PORCELAIN DOLLS

Returning after 10 years, the Chinese native, Pagoda Bowls act makes a triumphant return to UniverSoul Circus. Pagoda Bowls is a non-traditional Chinese acrobatic balancing act, direct from the Orient. This act features five males and five females. The muscle bound men simultaneously balance the women with their hands and feet, while performing mind-bending contortion movements, one being a 360-degree turn with the girls on their hands. Their grace of balancing offers a breathtaking presentation with mounts that must be seen to be believed.

TRINITY

Three young ladies from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia marked their first ever United States appearance with the UniverSoulCircus in 2015. This precision based hand balancing act features three female acrobats performing slow, enfolding movements, performed with great fluidity and grace. It's a combination of strength and flexibility that helps them balance on top of each other while doing handstands. Ranging in age from 16 to 22, Trinity has performed on three continents: with the Gamo Circus in Ethiopia, Lee Academy in Australia and Salto Circus in the Netherlands.

DUO ROXANNE

2016 marks the first time aerial duo Paola Ramos, 35, and Gustavo Gomez, 37, of Cali, Colombia, have ever toured in the United States. They display an uncommon amount of power, dexterity and poetry in motion as they dance the tango from elevated heights. Although this is their first time performing for UniverSoul, Paola and Gustavo have been performing together for the past seven years in international festivals, circus's, and cruise ships. Their unique act, which takes its cues from the Moulin Rouge storyline, has been performed in England, France, Italy Spain, Ireland, Australia, Argentina, China and Ecuador.

FRESH THE CLOWNSSS

Have you seen our soulful clown quartet? Don't worry, if you're lucky, they'll find you. They'll shine their spotlight on you and have you faux singing to their specially configured microphone stand. Better known under the UniverSoul big top as Soul Karaoke, this quartet has built a large following in their hometown of Detroit for their hip hop dancing and "swagged out" clothing style. In their second year with the circus, the four members consider themselves unlike any clown brigade on the circuit today. Ranging in age from 22-30, you might find them sporting a Mohawk, afro or even dreadlocks.

CARIBBEAN DYNASTY
The exotic paradise of the Caribbean comes to life as dancers in vibrant and colorful costumes swing to the rhythms of the islands. Marvel at the agility and daring of these exotic dancers as they perform the national dance of the Caribbean. When the limbo bar goes to six inches from the floor - in a blaze of fire...it's intriguing...a spectacle to behold. Join in and clap your hands as the energy, the beat and the pageantry of the Caribbean engulf the Big Top. The Caribbean dance team, which hails from Trinidad & Tobago is a perennial favorite at UniverSoul.

COMEDY DOG ACT

The Olates and their cute, cuddly, capricious, cavorting canines hail from Santiago, Chile in South America. The Olates have been performing for over a quarter of a century on two continents throughout South America, the U.S.A. and Canada. Jose Olate, patriarch of this family affair, is a second-generation circus artist. "My family began in the circus arts performing on the high wire, and later trapeze...moving onto our present love, 'man's best friend'," says Jose. The Olate Dog Act with their unique costumes and humorous antics continues to delight, especially, the young fans of the UniverSoul Circus.

AXLE THE WHEEL OF DEATH

Carlos Pinto Morales, 27, from Peru joins UniverSoul Circus in 2016 as an acrobatic, free flying heavyweight of the giant Axle. This typically two-man act will be performed by three in 2016 as Carlos is joined by Mamadou Bobo and Sory Conde from Guinea in West Africa. In previous years Carlos, who loves to play soccer during his down-time, has worked for circuses in Peru, Chile and Argentina. For the past four years, he performed for a family owned circus in the United States where he and his previous partner were awarded Best Circus Act of 2015. His advice for young performers: "Do not give up and fight for your dreams. And always thank God because thanks to him we are what we are."

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