Purple Marble Circus puts on two to three shows annually featuring an array of circus and sideshow acts that includes burlesque, pole and chair dancing, drag, belly dancing, acrobatics, trapeze, juggling, contortion and more. The group’s upcoming show, “Silent Fright Circus Show,” will be Saturday at 8 p.m. at Motorco Music Hall in Durham.
Purple Marble Circus’ founder, Victoria, answered questions about the group, its acts and performers, the future of vaudeville-like acts in the Triangle, and how people can get involved in the type of performance art that makes up its shows. Tickets are still available for Saturday’s show for $30 on Motorco’s website.
Can you tell me a bit about Purple Marble Circus and its origins?
I’ve been performing in various modalities, from competitive pole dancing to burlesque to acro yoga and more, for about a decade. I wanted to create more opportunities for people to take the stage in the Triangle area, as well as offer the chance for people to come and experience seeing amazing circus arts. I decided to begin producing and booking my own shows, and in 2022, Purple Marble Circus was born! Fun fact: the “Marble” in Purple Marble is named after the grey munchkin cat that you see in our logo. He’s my fur baby, and he’s also a circus cat who can do over two dozen tricks including jumping through hoops, giving a high five, lying down, standing on two legs, and balancing on a ball.
How did you get involved in this art form? Do/have you performed?
Yes, I’ve performed for about a decade. I started as a competitive pole dancer before getting into acro yoga, chair dance, and burlesque. I’ve also trained silks, Lyra, trapeze, giant wings, belly dancing, LED poi, even a bit of stilt walking!
How do you procure acts?
We post calls for talent on our Instagram and Facebook pages. Each show has a different theme, and applicants submit their desired song, character concept, and details about their proposed act. Performers, be sure to follow us there so you don’t miss the next one: @purplemarblecircus1 on Instagram and Purple Marble Circus on Facebook.
Are all the performers local? If not, how far have some come to perform?
We are thrilled to be able to feature a lot of local performers, including people who are self-taught as well as instructors and students at amazing studios like Aradia Fitness in Cary, Pole Play Fitness in Raleigh, Flow Fitness in Wilmington, Marz Aerial in New Bern, Cirque de Vol in Raleigh, Pura Vida Studio in Cary, Air Born Aerial Fitness in Fayetteville, and many more. We also regularly have performers coming in from out of town to take the stage with us — sometimes as far as South Carolina, Georgia, and Vermont! We welcome people from all over to share their unique talents in our shows.
What do you look for in performers?
We are really looking at performance quality and creative concepts. We love seeing people go outside of the box with their characters! As a performer myself, I know how difficult it can be to get booked if you don’t have a lengthy resume of past gigs, so we always ensure one or two slots are reserved in each show for performers who may be a little newer to the scene. We’ve heard wonderful feedback from people who have performed with us for their very first time or second time, and for some, it can be just the jumping off point they need to start their circus career. We also are grateful to be able to work with those who have been practicing their craft for years or even decades, as they bring such fantastic strength, flexibility, and stage presence!
How vibrant is this vaudeville/burlesque scene in the Triangle and North Carolina? Is it growing? Could it lead to a permanent venue that specializes in shows like this?
We would absolutely love to see a permanent venue for these types of performances! The scene is definitely growing, and we are doing our part to introduce more and more people to different specialty areas like aerial arts, flow arts, acro yoga, pole dance, etc. If someone is interested in trying out a beginner class, we highly recommend checking out one of the local studios. For those interested in acro yoga in particular, there is also a free, all-levels acro jam on Wednesdays at Pullen Park (spring/summer) or Method Road Park (fall/winter) in Raleigh.
How many shows a year do you put on, and what’s ahead in 2025?
We host 2-3 shows a year. Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for announcements on 2025 productions!
