The Great DuBois coming to Tack Center April 30

Not all circuses are created equal! There’s modern circus and there’s old-school Russian circus – two completely different specialties of entertainment.

The Great DuBois represent traditional circus values. Viktoria Grimmy and Michael DuBois – a married duo of circus artists – design their own costumes and sets, rig their own equipment, pitch their own tent (for non-stage shows) and handle the large majority of other production elements required for their two-person act.

Their fast-paced, high-energy show will come to Spencer’s LuCille Tack Center on Sunday, April 30 at 3 pm. According to DuBois, people can expect a performance that will feature just as much variety as a circus with more performers, but with one additional element that’s hard to portray in marketing materials: humor.

“It’s really unique to find a show that’s fun for every age,” maintains DuBois. “Our show is actually super funny, and audiences readily engage with us.” During the 75-minute event, the crowd will see these two multitalented artists perform juggling, hula hoops, unicycle, aerial, stunts, contortion, magic and many other acts.

Although DuBois didn’t get into the circus arts until college, he’s learned a great deal from his wife and other circus performers he’s worked with in the past 15 years. Grimmy has a particularly large bag of tricks because she’s a fifth-generation Russian circus artist who performed in the traveling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus with her family throughout the 1990s.

Grimmy’s background has largely influenced the setup of the show, which is 100% controlled and designed by the two of them. “It’s a very different skill set – Russian and American circus – we want full control,” Du-Bois explains. “Even during the show, I run everything from a tiny remote in my pocket. If I want to change something or react to the audience I can do that, versus having a local audio guy who doesn’t know our vibe.”

In many ways, Grimmy and DuBois embody that initial version of what the circus was. For the majority of their bookings, they pack their car with rigging, a backdrop, silks, slack wire and anything else they need, then head across the country from their home in New York City.

Although it’s tiring to oversee so many aspects of their show, DuBois strongly feels that the freedom it allows them far outweighs the challenges. Being in a different venue every night always keeps things fresh because they’re never in front of the same audience twice, and being in different parts of the country gives every show a unique vibe. But that’s the fun of it – you never know how a live show will turn out, and that’s been the most enticing part of the unique lifestyle of The Great DuBois!

The Great DuBois is sponsored in part by the generosity of Rembs Funeral Homes – Greg & Tami Jackan and Families and the Wisconsin Arts Board. For tickets and more information, visit lucilletackcenter.com or call 715-659-4499.