Meet a Cirque Du Soleil clown
It's been almost one year exactly since James Clowney saved a fellow member of Cirque du Soleil from falling almost 40 feet to the ground.
The troupe member, who was performing on the Russian swing, had missed his jumping mark. Clowney, who is a spotter and ringmaster for Saltimbanco, reacted quickly and caught his fellow troupe member just in time. The acrobat walked away unharmed, Clowney, however, suffered a broken femur and ankle. He was out of commission for more than six months.
"You know, it's was very little (injury) to help a friend of mine out. It was really worth it," he said.
- READ MORE ABOUT THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PERFORMANCE
Starting Wednesday Clowney, a 36-year-old New York native, will perform in Saltimbanco at Dodge Arena. Clowney said in a phone interview that he was excited for the opportunity to perform in a region so close to Mexico.
"I love Mexico," he said. "I want to see more of it and discover it a little more. I think Monterrey isn't too far from there, so I'm thinking of hoping in a car and heading down there while we're there."
Clowney, who has been with Cirque du Soleil for more than 10 years, can be described as somewhat of a free spirit; it's the same spirit that lead him into the circus world. He previously worked seven years for the Big Apple Circus in his native New York.
But despite his almost super abilities, Clowney insists he's a normal man. In fact, he loves that performing in Cirque du Soleil gives him a chance to be his bombastic character and let his personality shine, yet once off stage, he's free to live a normal life.
"It's very funny because I will walk down the street after a show and see people who just watched it and they don't ever recognize me," he said. "I always love telling them I was that guy in the yellow costume running around like a nut. And I'm one of the easier ones to (recognize)."
Catch Clowney and the rest of Cirque du Soleil during their five-day run at Dodge Arena.
