Lots of children around the world have fantasized about running away and joining the circus. Derek Broussard actually did it.
Granted, he grew up first. But, after getting that preliminary obligation out of the way, he didn’t waste much time before beginning his pursuit of the Big Top. What began as a hobby, and an interesting way to stay in shape, quickly became a passion and a new craft to which Broussard began to dedicate his life.
Broussard, a Bremerton native, began to hone his performance skills in earnest during the time he spent in the U.S. Army.
“I was in the Army for a total of eight years,” said Broussard. “For the first three years I was an Infantryman stationed with the 82nd Airborne. Afterwards I worked as a Veterinary Technician even though my actual MOS (Military Occupational Speciality) was a Food Inspector.”
Encountering some difficulty in getting promoted further, Broussard opted for another path.
“I got out (of the Army) because the promotion points for my MOS were so high that college was a requirement to get promoted,” he said. “I figured that if I needed to go to college I should get out and study something I really enjoy.”
The decision brought him closer to home where he attended the Art Institute of Seattle and originally pursued a degree in photography. Broussard has since changed his major to fashion design, hoping to one day unite his passions and not only perform in a circus company but also design the costumes.
Although always an athletic kind of person, Broussard always found himself attracted to the more unusual sports.
“I have never been very good at traditional sports like baseball or football,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed something a little bit more extreme.”
It was a nearly lifelong interest in gymnastics that gave Broussard the confidence to begin serious training for circus routines.
“I’ve been training in gymnastics since I was in the third grade,” he said. “Even while I was in the Army I would volunteer with the local gymnastics facilities and help train their teams. Transitioning from (traditional) gymnastics to circus happened because I wanted to pursue a childhood dream and try out for Cirque du Soleil. So, along with my gymnastics I wanted something more circusy to show them and I discovered the Cyr wheel.”
The Cyr wheel (also known as the “Simple Wheel”) was essentially invented in 2003 and is, according to designer Daniel Cyr, “a device that allows circus performers to execute a virtually infinite number of acrobatic figures, each more complex and awe-inspiring than the last.”
It first appeared in the circus world at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris in 2003, and Cyr was awarded the silver medal for his performance. It has since been used in a variety of professional circus performances by dozens of companies around the world.
The hours of dedication required to even begin to master such a talent are many and Broussard takes his training very seriously. So much so in fact, that he has became somewhat of a local expert on the wheel.
“I drill specific skills on the Cyr wheel for a few hours every day,” he explains. “Then I spend my last hour putting skills together to create an act, or ‘phrase.’ My act is always evolving and can change on the mood I am in and where I am performing.”
Having worked in numerous different circus performance groups, Broussard remains in love with the culture and lifestyle that accompany the work.
“There is something really special about performing circus arts,” he said. “The community is very tight nit, the only place I have seen a group of people this close was in the infantry. Everyone pitches in and pulls their weight and puts in so many hours to make a show work. Then, at the end of the performance, the crowd applauds and you can feel their amazement and awe in the air. I don’t know the words to describe the feeling I get from that.”
In addition to the time he spends working with various shows both in Seattle and other cities, Broussard occasionally takes his act to the street and performs for whoever happens to be walking by.
“Street performing has definitely helped me with my confidence and stage presence,” he said. “One thing the Army does not teach you very well is how to express yourself, so this has helped me with that.”
Performing on the street has also allowed Broussard to fine-tune his act, getting a feel for the sequence of tricks that a given audience might respond better to.
“The Cyr wheel has given me an outlet of creativity and focus,” said Broussard. “It’s helped me deal with emotional stress that I acquired while in the military. Because of this, I have been in coordination with Circus Now to start a program specifically for veterans. If anyone is interested in learning the Cyr wheel, they can contact me.”
With the continued success of shows like Cirque du Soleil both in America and around the world, there are some who say that society is experiencing a type of circus renaissance, and there is renewed interest in what was once considered an old-world institution.
“Circus arts is definitely a growing trend across the country and especially here in the Seattle area,” said Broussard. “Here in Washington we have five or six different circus schools.”
Dividing his time between a full class schedule, constant training and occasional performing jobs, Broussard is a busy man. Entering into his final semester at the Art Institute, he has begun to plan his final project and hopes to design and construct a line of stylish yet extremely durable athletic wear to showcase at his final student portfolio exhibition.
“I hope to continue to perform and to create costumes for performing companies,” he said. “I am currently in between shows, but I am in the bidding process for some very prestigious shows that travel around the world so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”
This summer, Broussard will intern with the traveling Cirque du Soleil show “Amaluna,” making him that much closer to achieving his childhood dream.
“I’m 28 years old,” he said. “I figure, now is the time to chase dreams.”
Broussard can be reached through derek@actionbyderek.com.