I don't know if he'll carry it on, but the upside is that our family can be together. The family includes Porter's mother, Claudia, who also dances as a showgirl with UniverSoul. When Porter's not busy with her duties as a mother, she rides the elephants three times a day, a job that took a year of training. Up nearly 15 feet from the ground, the riders must learn to give the animals proper cues, to ensure that they don't fall or get stepped on. Porter says it took awhile for her to get over her initial fear of working around such large animals, but she enjoys it, particularly because audience members are seeing performers like her doing things they've never seen African Americans do before.
Black folks are verbal.
If they love it they'll let us know and if they don't they let us know. They're up dancing and singing. The ladies on the front row frequently stand up and shout their words of approval while a musical blend of hip-hop and soul keeps the audience moving. While local school kids attend the circus in the morning, the troupe's own 15 children spend that time being home-schooled by the resident tutor. Sometimes, both boys will perform briefly in the afternoon or evening shows.