It’s circus week around our house.That means late nights and lots of work, but I love being backstage during rehearsals and show, and I love getting to work with the amazing coaches and performers at the Lone Star Circus. I only get to see some of the adult performers a few times a year around shows, and it’s really great to get to talk to and learn from them this week.

I’m practicing for two acts — a group juggling act with my friends Thomas and Charlie, and a solo — for this weekend’s Lone Star Circus show Cha Cha Cha at the Granville Performing Arts Center in Garland.  My grandma is mending costumes (she volunteers, since with more than 130 kids in the show, there are always a lot of ripped seams, hems to be taken up or let out, and loose sequins and rhinestones). And both of us are at the theater from 4:30 until the last run-through on the finale every day this week.

Shows start on Friday night, and there are two shows on Saturday, and one on Sunday. I’m not performing on Friday night, but I have solos in both Saturday shows, and our group is performing on Sunday afternoon.

My solo is knives, diabolo, clubs and four balls, with new choreography Fanny Kerwich designed to one of my favorite songs, Antigravity by Lindsay Stirling.  In the group act, I exchange clubs with Thomas, and do some cool tricks on my own. Charlie is doing diabolo tricks in the group act — he is getting really good with it, even though he’s only been practicing for a few weeks.  He’s really talented — he does silks, magic, and juggles, too. And he’s only in third grade!