I reached out, wrapped my hands tightly around the bar, swung out on the trapeze 25 feet in the air, threw a flip, and looked up for my catcher’s hands. I trusted they were there. Then relief and excitement. The audience erupted in applause!
Born and raised in Peru, Indiana, I did what kids only dream of. I was six when my mother took me to see my cousin perform at the circus. I knew then that I wanted to do it too.
The ‘Greatest Amateur Show on Earth’ showcases circus acts with 200+ kids every year and has been for 65 years. There are only 50 “circus towns”—places with connections to circus performance and history—in the United States. Seeing the impact of circus in Peru (pop. 11,073), I wonder why.
At age 11, I experienced drastic changes at home. I was moving, changing schools, leaving friends. Then spring came, and it was time for circus practice to start.
It took me away from the chaos at home. Having fun with people who cared about me got me through that time. When my family fell apart, without the circus, I could have fallen apart too.
My former coach Bill Anderson performed and coached for five decades. Unaware of specific obstacles kids faced at home, he focused on building their confidence. “The young performers learn that they are capable of doing much more than they think they can do,” he says.
According to research, circus activities boost emotional well-being, self-esteem, social interactions, and academic achievement. With nearly 20% of children under 18 in Miami County (home to Peru) living in poverty, the local amateur circus has been an affordable and welcoming place for children from all walks of life.
Debra Jo Myers“[Spending] 10 years in the circus taught me to work with a team and have faith in myself. It also showed me the importance of giving to my community.”
Finding Growth, Shaping Lives
At 18, Jaxon Cole is a fourth-generation flyer in the circus. His great grandfather was the first catcher for flying trapeze in the early 1960s. His parents and grandparents performed professionally, too.
“Without it, I wouldn’t have learned to trust people, like my catcher on the flying trapeze. Or to push myself harder every day…” says Jaxon. “ My life wouldn’t be fun without circus!”
Having spent 10 years in the circus, this resonates with me—it taught me to work with a team and have faith in myself. It also showed me the importance of giving to my community. Without hundreds of volunteers, there would be no circus in Peru, Indiana.
Knowing how to push through my fear to try new experiences has led me to encourage others to do the same. It led me to a career in management. It’s also filled my head and my heart with stories that gave me the drive to write. I would have taken a different path had I not been a circus kid.
When I meet people, and they ask where I am from, I get to share stories of flying high on the trapeze. Even now, 50 years later, the voices of my circus family are always with me:
“Believe in yourself! You can do it!”
And importantly, “May all your days be circus days!”