Fred Ulysses Normal and the Circus Revolution

International Street Performer Festival, Gent, Belgum.

The Shows

The Unicycle is my specialty; on it I dance, spin, take an audience volunteer for a ride on my shoulders then skip rope at extreme speeds. I then introduce the Giraffe unicycle. While I can jump to it's seat alone, for the sake of comedy I normally ask the assistance of two or three volunteers. I ride perilously near to the audience and as a finale, juggle three knives or torches including under-the-leg throws and with a forward roll, dismount.

Rope walking is my best act. Normally performed at a height of 2 meters, I begin the act by mounting the rope, dramatically shaking and swinging wildly. While on the rope I balance and sit in a chair, lay across the rope and "go swimming", take a nap along the rope and wake up spinning, hang by my toes as I play violin or trumpet, juggle, hula-hoop, ride the unicycle, do a striptease, and finally back flip to the ground!

The free standing ladder is my latest trick; on it I dance, climb up, slide down, spin around, balance on top of it and balance it on top of me.

I also do acrobatics, magic tricks, balloon animals and, with my partner, a nice two person juggling number.

The Revolution

Change
It is natural for circuses to change. Acts evolve, members come and go and most importantly the circus moves to new places. My first years as a traveling performer (1999-2000) were spent with the End of the World Circus. We traveled by cars trucks, which meant we were giving most of the money we made directly to the petroleum companies. I was driving an old school bus and after two years of polluting the earth I was totally sick of car culture. Wanting to make a positive change, some friends and I decided to start a bicycle circus.

The Turning of the Wheel
Bikes and circus are a perfect match. The world is suddenly bigger when you travel by bicycle. With the Cyclown Circus (2001-2005), I rode across and around most of Europe on a double high bicycle. I carried everything I needed, to live and make shows, under a big waterproof blue elephant head on the front of my unique bicycle. We performed shows in almost every town we passed crossing the lives of thousands of kids and adults.

Pirate Circus!!!!
After five years on a tall-bike, I was again ready for a change. For years I had years dreamed of and saved for a wind powered circus. I am now traveling on a small sailboat, with small bikes inside, using primarily wind power, solar power and sometimes oar power. Of course I’m doing shows in all the ports. Pirate Circus!!!!

See more history and photos here