One of Texas’ only circus schools teaches our intern a few tricks

Lone Star Circus, based in Farmers Branch, teaches the art form to hopeful performers.

Photo by Ben Farmer

Alora Scavella performing at Lone Star Circus

FARMERS BRANCH — Fanny Kerwich didn’t run away and join the circus; she was born into it. A North Texas resident, Fanny is an 8th generation circus performer who has performed with every big circus in the world. Today, she takes that talent and teaches the tricks of circus performing in Lone Star Circus, based in Farmers Branch.

Fanny left the on-the-road circus life – the one that generations of family members had instilled in her – for a simple reason: love. Fanny met her husband Mark Doyle, a local attorney, when she was performing in Dallas. After a long distance relationship for two years, Fanny left the traveling circus and married Mark. “It's very rare to leave the circus,” she said. “Usually circus performers marry other circus performers.”

And though Fanny loved Mark, she also couldn’t let the circus go – not completely. That's when she began teaching circus in DFW at the Dallas International School, at SMU, and then in her own studio, which eventually evolved into Lone Star Circus. The school offers recreational classes for children and adults along with classes for professional circus performers. The classes are fun but also teach the correct technique, she said.

“I don’t think lightly about the circus. Being an eighth generation is serious!” she said, laughing. The Lone Star Circus also performs at local events, including a public show once a year in December and a preshow for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: ZING ZANG ZOOM in July and August.

Circus school training uses similar exercises and equipment to gymnastics training. And there's an intense element of hard work and discipline for both. But that's where the similarities end, Fanny told me. “Gymnastics is a certain body type and each routine has to be the same,” she said. “The cirque has no restrictions. Anyone can perform circus.”

She also said that circus training allows people to express themselves while also getting a great workout. “You can be a star for who you are,” she said.

Lone Star Circus Performer Micah Figueroa

Video shot by Ben Farmer.

And that's when I was invited to join in a “silks” class – a feat, to be sure. Silks are two sheets of fabric that are more than 40 feet long and hang from the ceiling. Performers climb, hang, twirl, and flip in these silks for their routines. This class was taught by instructor Stephanie Stewart, and on my first day in the class, I wasn't the only beginner, thankfully. Right away, Stephanie showed me the basic move for climbing up the silks. In no time, I was 20 feet off the ground, learning simple tricks.

An experienced student named Micah Figueroa flipped thorough the silks like a pro. His favorite part of the class? “Flying,” he said. “… this is the closest to flying I’ve ever been.”

The Lone Star Circus is a labor of love for Fanny and all involved, and Fanny said she wants to evolve Lone Star Circus into a Texas based circus and do a 3-4 month tour around the country or world. She also wants to enhance her students' skills and dreams by using her network of circus contacts, which is how they got the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey gig.

Lone Star Circus is one of the only circus schools in Texas, and they represent the art form well. Fanny says she's committed to enhancing circus performing in Texas and is living proof that the circus alive and well – and growing.