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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 1, 2022
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HIGHTOSCHOOL HIGHWIRE
Photo courtesy of Cliff Roles
Destiny Overholt, pictured in the middle of the contortion sandwich, is one of many talented youngsters performing in the Circus Arts Conservatory’s Sailor Circus.
Circus might seem like an irregular extracurricular activity, but at Sarasota’s Circus Arts Conservatory, it’s molding a generation of talented and flexible humans. BY SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR
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he sentence comes out of his mouth so easily and so naturally that it doesn’t even seem remarkable at the time. Alex Hume is talking about his background and about his particular collection of skills and experience that have led him to this point in life. “I was a soccer player for elementary school,” says Hume. “In the middle of sixth grade and seventh grade, I was a gymnast. And in eighth grade, I joined the circus.” Hume, who performs on trapeze, wall trampoline and juggling, is gearing up for his fourth edition of the
Sailor Circus — the longest running youth circus in America — which will take place later this month. He’s working with dozens of likeminded peers on a daily basis at Sailor Circus Arena and learning that he can do so much more than he ever imagined would be possible. Hume came to the Circus Arts Conservatory with beginner’s skills in juggling and unicycle, and now he’s preparing for his first show in which he’ll catch flying tricks on the trapeze. Now, moments before practice begins, he contemplates how circus is different than sports. “You’re working with others. You’re performing,” he says. “I would consider this more like theater. You’re putting on a show and there’s no competition with your peers. There’s never any one-upping each other. I would say it’s a very healthy environment, which I’m kind of impressed with. That doesn’t really happen very often. I would say this is a special circumstance where everyone’s just grateful to be here.” Destiny Overholt, a Sarasota High School sophomore, would tend
IF YOU GO
SAILOR CIRCUS HOLIDAY SPECIAL When: 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 28-30; 1 p.m. Dec. 31 Where: Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. Tickets: $20-$40. Info: Visit CircusArts.org.
to agree. Overholt, a contortionist, tried cheer and gymnastics and even playing the violin as an extracurricular activity before she found the circus. She says she began learning contortion through YouTube and Instagram at age 13 before she came down to the CAC. But now, she’s working every day and seeing the results. Overholt says she is at the Sailor Circus Arena four days a week for at least four hours a day, and she says being a part of the circus program has helped her time management SEE SAILOR CIRCUS, PAGE 2