If she could correct one misperception about Salt Spring’s storied Tsunami Circus, lead coach Manda Hutchinson said it would be that it’s “just for kids.”
“What these people can do is absolutely jaw dropping, no matter their ages,” said Hutchinson. “I’ve heard that some people don’t come because they hear it’s a children’s show, and it’s so much more.”
The 2025 production Metamorphosis kicks off its first of four performances at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8. It’s a youth circus production that features 16 Tsunami Juniors — the youngest in that troupe are seven years old — and 23 Seniors, weaving spectacular circus performances into the transformational lives of butterflies.
“Our clowns will lead the story,” said Hutchinson. “They will begin the show — they’re mad scientists that want to study the life cycle of a butterfly. It will start in black and end in black, but everything in between is beautiful colours.”
It’s perhaps Tsunami Circus’ most ambitious performance yet, from aerial trapeze work to acrobatics and the German wheel — a level of circus that might not have been possible before the Juniors program began, according to coordinator Michelle Bennett.
“It used to be that we just had kids in grades six, seven and eight,” said Bennett. “Then the middle school closed, and circus started being all ages.”
That brought in a bunch of new kids, she said, and new coaches; Bennett said one of the original “circus kids” from back when the program started in 2014 had returned, this time to coach. That youth energy, combined with that from a “bunch of adults” who show up to volunteer — including parents and board members — is what makes such a showcase possible, where students can share the results of their hard work with the community.
“Thousands of hours, collectively” chuckled Bennett. “It’s almost unbelievable how much time gets put into a show.”
Juniors coach Leticia Taylor said the returning Juniors have been a huge influence on the new students, in bringing Metamophosis’ “beautiful, sad and happy” story to life. Last year was the first year for the Juniors troupe, and those still perhaps too young to move on to the Seniors were leaders in their program this year, demonstrating for the new students the work ethic needed to put on a professional performance — and working amongst themselves to self-choreograph three different small-group routines.
“They’ve done a great job working it out together, and they’ve come up with some really cool moves,” Taylor said. “It’s nice to have more younger people starting earlier, getting comfortable with communicating and what we’re doing on different apparatuses. The returning ones understand how hard putting on a show is — and having watched the Seniors, there’s a lot of drive there.”
That collaborative spirit is a bright line that runs through Tsunami Circus, a sense that there’s a place in it for everyone, particularly those that might not think they belong. Hutchinson said the big takeaway from building this year’s show has been inclusion — everybody has a role to play, she said.
“We’re all part of this circus, and everyone shows up,” smiles Hutchinson. “We [adults] were also those weird kids growing up, who didn’t quite fit into anything. And I think that’s why we all fit here so perfectly.”
For next week’s shows, Taylor said they hope to draw in audience members who haven’t seen circus before and to inspire the next generation of Tsunami Circus performers.
“There’s so much going on in this show, it’s going to be a great first introduction for lots of people,” she said. “Especially for the families that come with young children.”
Metamorphosis runs at the Salt Spring Island Multi Space gymnasium Thursday, May 8 at 6 p.m.; Friday, May 9 at 4 p.m.; and two performances Saturday, May 10 at 2 and 6 p.m.
A limited number of advance tickets are available online (tsunamicircusmetamorphosis.eventbrite.ca) with more available for purchase at West of the Moon.
For more info, visit ssicircusandgymnastics.com.