ABOUT THE KENYA SAFARI ACROBATS
Here is an interesting article written on us by Ron Gustafgon for Middlebury News in Connecticut. It will tell you a little bit about the Kenya Safari Acrobats, how we began, and how we plan to progress.
CLICK: Source — Middlebury News, Arts & Entertainment
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Staying in top physical condition is not only a family affair in the Kalama household, it is also at the heart of their livelihood.
Nine months out the year Jacob and Karen Kalama, along with their daughter, Krystina, travel across the United States performing as the Kenya Safari Acrobats - a company Jacob established more than a decade ago with its base of operations situated in this North Carolina community.
“Jacob has been doing this for more than 20 years,” said Karen, who also serves as spokesperson for the company. “He has traveled worldwide with circuses - getting his start as part of a second troupe that was formed in Kenya.”
Though thousands of miles from their African homeland, the Kalamas incorporate much of their native culture into their high-energy shows.
“We used to work with a festival of cultures and basically talked about the customs of Kenya,” Karen noted. “The movie ’The Lion King’ is about Kenya, so children relate to that and we can draw them into the show by telling them we are taking them on a journey through Africa.”
From there the fast-paced Kenya Safari Acrobats - a troupe generally consisting of six to eight highly-trained athletes - take the stage for 45-minutes of jaw-dropping acts and antics.
Mixing Education With Entertainment
As the first act in the show starts to unfold, Karen takes the microphone again, telling the audience about the Kenyan warriors and the legend of a rich Bantu king (Bantu meaning “people” in many African languages).
“The king wanted someone to marry his daughter,” Karen tells the anxious onlookers. “So, he called the tribesmen together and told them whoever can go under the steel bar the lowest can claim her.”
The performers then thrill the audience with a limbo act using a crossbar of fire - the bar dropping a notch each time an acrobat clears it until it is only inches above the stage floor.
What the Kalamas and company bring to the stage, as revealed in their opening segment, is a unique mix of education and family entertainment.
“We teach the audience some Swahili (national language of Kenya) during the shows as well,” she added.
On selected days during their summer performance schedule the company also stages parades featuring traditional costumes, dance and drumming. A typical performance schedule at a facility will include three shows on weekdays with four shows each weekend day.
The stage acts include fire ring jumping, a human pyramid, magic, feats of strength and Krystina Kalama as a contortionist.
Vigorous Training
“We train every single day, morning and afternoon, as we have to stay in shape,” Karen said of the conditioning required to be an acrobat.
Jacob performs in much of the company’s show, with Karen and Krystina teaming up with the rest of the troupe to form the human pyramid.
The Kalamas have performed at numerous large theme parks in the nation, including Disneyland in California, Disney World in Florida and Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.
Roots In Kenya
Karen, now 42, immigrated to the United States when she was 5, while Jacob, 40, has been here for 11 years. They met in their homeland and started a training school there seven years ago.
“As performers become prepared for the circuit, we can send them to Europe and the United States to perform,” Karen said of the school they oversee in Mombassa from November through February of each year.
“It’s a small coastal town on the Indian Ocean, and we have a permanent home in North Carolina as well.”
While training during the winter months in Kenya, Jacob also produces the new shows the company will present on tour during the coming season.
The entire U.S. troupe that is traveling as two companies this summer came to North Carolina with the Kalamas in February, performing mostly single evening shows until the full tour season starts.
Jacob is not only an acrobat, but also an artist as he designs most of colorful costumes, many of which are completed during the off-season in Africa.
“When we go back to Kenya, we actually take care of everything for the upcoming year then,” Karen said of their lifestyle.
During the off-season, they are not only busy training and preparing the shows for the coming season, but the Kalamas must attend international and regional trade shows to book their acts.
Life On The Road
They also face the rigors of the road in taking their acts to amusement parks, fairs and festivals.
“The toughest thing about traveling is going to different locations and staying in hotels, and then moving on to the next venue,” she said.
As for performing more than 20 shows a week, Karen says they do not grow tired of the routine. “We will see people of all ages smiling, clapping and having fun at every show - making all of our hard work rewarding.”
And while all of the entertainers speak fluent English, they enjoy hearing “jambo” (a simple Swahili greeting) coming from the audience on occasion.
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