East St. Louis District 189 students celebrate new school year with circus. Take a look

Teachers and administrators in East St. Louis School District 189 greeted students with applause, hugs and cheers, as they do every year on the first day of school, but it was the third day that stole the show this year, when they invited UniverSoul Circus, an Atlanta-headquarted single-ring circus featuring an ensemble cast of international talent, to perform for the kids.

The circus features talent from all over the world, highlighting acts consisting primarily of people of color. The circus performed their “Cousins Around the World” act, which begun with Mongolian gymnasts and ended with a dance routine from “Fresh the Clowns.”

“We always try to make the first week special for the kids,” said Mason-Clark Middle School principal Renaldo Jackson.

The energy grew as children cheered, jeered and gasped as trained gymnasts balanced on their heads and aerialists spun like airborne tops before the crowd.

See photos of the event: