They don't be surprised if you
see something a little unusual
tonight in Lebauer Park.
Probably really unusual.
We're talking circus performers.
It's all part of the artist in
residence program at Lebauer Park.
I spoke with Rob Overman with
the downtown Greensboro Parks
about what we can expect and
how this program is developed.
Rob, I love this because
it's just so different.
You know when we think of Labour,
you'll think of little
festivals and maybe some bands,
but tell me about what we'll
experience this Friday.
Well, this is the second year of
our artist in residence program and
this year we're partnering with an
organization called the Activate
Entertainment Project and they are a
local group of circus performers and
so they're going to bring the circus
here to Lower Park and really try and
kind of tap into that nostalgia that
wonderment and that awe as children.
When we went to the circus
and replicate that.
Here in the park,
using the physical spaces inspiration,
it's funny because you say
like a local circus performers.
I would have never thought yeah,
but that was a thing and so this for you.
This is your second year.
What do you think this will develop into?
What do you want
our goal for? Our artist in
residence program is to continue
it for the foreseeable future.
We're already making plans for our
next installment, and every year we
reach out to the local community,
we take submissions for artists
and it's just amazing how many
creative people are in our community.
So for us, this is an opportunity
for us to highlight.
Our artistic ability and also
support them as well.
You know now more than ever,
local artists need our support
and that's part of the mission
at Lebauer Park is really
giving back to our community
and I think it's cool too that you
and I were talking before this.
That art is a wide spectrum,
so when you say an artist and
residue that could be anything, the
crazier the better. For us,
we really like to push the envelope down
here and really leave no stone unturned.
And you know what kind of programs and
activations we're curating for our community.
Our goal is really to.
Surprise people year after year
after year and with all the
creatives in our community,
our job is, you know not too hard.
Plus, we've been through so
much the last couple of years.
Everybody wants to get out,
yeah and get in spaces.
So now you know where you
make your plans for it.
This is really cool program, yeah?
So the cool thing about this,
and I was just speaking with Stacy
Lauren about this, but it's a combo,
so it's circus performance.
It's dance, it's theater.
It's live music and and they
do all that out in the park
and they're using the
environment for their artwork.
I definitely think this is something
that will attract people to downtown.
I mean, people are always
downtown out and about,
but if I saw something like this,
I'd be like let me see
what's going on over here.
It's tonight too.
So it's at 5-6 and seven.
You can get out there and check
out their different performances.
And I think this.
The residency goes on for
several weeks so you can
see this on several nights.
Just keep posted with the
downtown Greensboro problem
and I think it's just great exposure
for some of our local artists.
Both. You know, the theater,
our dancers and musicians and then
also there's a lot of people who
have artwork down at the park,
so it kind of like sheds a
spotlight on all our artists and
they just go to Labour right
around the splash pad too.
That's where they'll be located,
but I didn't know we had,
he said local circus performers.
I didn't know we had such
a. I mean, there are some.
Unique talents out there,
I think definitely seeing that
contortionist, just as in a grab
a lot of people to attention.
I mean, that's why I made
a noise at the beginning.
It's because I mean look at that,
that's crazy.
Can any of you?
No, I cannot.
I mean I can. I can barely
try to do something nice.
I think this is as far as it's
going to go on this dress.
Really, I can barely pick up a
pencil off the floor, much less do
whatever they're doing. Pathetic.
I mean, look at
that. There's strength that
it takes God to be on 1st off,
just to be on one wrist, like having the
mental too to just be
like focused to stay well.
That's like yoga, you know,
I'm just amazing.
There's so many different things.
You got the circus actually got music.
Yeah, he said downtown
is gonna be popped into.
He said there's somebody just
real quick before we get our next
thing that does hand walking.
So they're like walking
around the park nonstop on
their hands. Wow, that must be
some former gymnast or something.