For the first time in her life, sophomore Samantha Kennelly had the opportunity to perform at Circus Juventas Annual Gala on Friday, Nov. 7. She cited Dan Butler, founder and executive director of Circus Juventas, and said only the “best of the best” circus performers get to perform at that event.

“I love seeing my sister happy, fulfilling her passion…she grew up in the circus,” junior Sabrina Kennelly said. “She’s my little circus freak.”

Circus Juventas is a youth performing arts school with classes teaching the youth how to perform in various fashions. They have performances throughout the month of May, a summer show and each year they hold an annual gala to raise money for their program’s scholarships and their outreach efforts.

This year, Circus Juventas is celebrating their 20 year anniversary, making this gala bigger than ever. The gala included excerpts from Circus Juventas’ 2014 Neverland performance act with a fashion show, silent auction and tableside seating for the audience as they ate dinner and dessert while watching the event.

“The gala was very fun, and it was different than any performance [that] I’ve done before,” Samantha said. “When I was performing in Hoops, I almost whacked one of the audience members in the head when I was swinging my hoop. That’s how close the audience was.”

Samantha has been a part of Circus Juventas for 12 years, as it all started when she went to a circus show at age seven with her family. She said she was most impressed with a group performing the triple trapeze.

“It was something different that we don’t normally see,” Samantha said.

Following the show, Samantha and her sister Sabrina joined Circus Juventas together.

The two were enrolled in several circus classes where Samantha learned a variety of skills: acrobatics, juggling, performing on a unicycle and eventually dance – a course performers are required to take when they reach a certain level so they can learn how to embody expressions effectively while they’re performing.

“It was so hard but rewarding after. You learn endurance when you’re in those classes,” Sabrina said. “It’s a cool place; it got me to do a lot of things that I would have never expected to do. I still love my unicycle to death.”

Although Sabrina no longer took circus classes after middle school, she continues to see circus performances, especially to see one person in particular.

“My sister. I’m always amazed at what she does,” Sabrina said. “She’s so talented when it comes to circus.”

Samantha is one of the few performers at Circus Juventas to perform the Four-High event on the trapeze, a stunt she performed during the summer show of Neverland.

“I’m on the trapeze upside down and I’m holding three other people all by myself,” Samantha said. “I can just feel all the energy when the audience claps for me on the final trick of Four-High. It feels great…I’m glad I got to accomplish that.”

Also, in 2013, Samantha’s triple trapeze group auditioned to compete at the National Circus Competition. A panel of judges reviewed her group’s videotaped performance from the 2013 August show.

“We didn’t make it in, but the opportunity to have been chosen to submit a video of my performance and to possibly compete in the competition was incredible, and I never thought that I could have gotten that opportunity,” Samantha said.

Since Samantha enrolled in college, she has taken fewer circus classes but still spends two to three hours a week practicing. She said one of the things she likes about circus is that it’s a workout in a noncompetitive atmosphere.

She said she’s also built special bonds, in particular with her aerial coaches: Marissa Dorschner, Sun Yan Hong, Rachel Butler and Chimgee Haltarhuu.

“It’s nice because you get to have a personal relationship with them; they know who you are,” Samantha said. “I kind of grew up with them.”

Circus Juventas has a diverse group of people with performers ranging from ages 2-21 and coaches from all over the world.

“It’s wonderful. I’ve gotten to make so many relationships with them. Seeing another culture, I’ve gotten to know their language and their family,” Samantha said.

Even though she’s busy with college work, Samantha said there are two things that keep her wanting to come back to circus.

“The people and the atmosphere,” Samantha said. “You learn new things every time you go, it’s never the same.”

Sabrina said she’s happy to see her sister continue to be a part of circus and hopes she continues. She said circus has helped Samantha overcome being a timid person by performing. Sabrina also mentioned there’s a saying in circus that resonates with Samantha to the point Samantha wants to commemorate it with a tattoo.

“‘May all your days be circus days.’ That really resonates [for] circus kids…for some of them, circus becomes a lifestyle,” Sabrina said.