Names: (pictured left to right) Dennis Bailey, Ethan Ryan, and Eliot Bailey
School: Homeschool
Talent: Partner Acrobatics
How long have you been performing and what inspired you to start?
Dennis: I have been performing for 9 1/2 years. I was impressed by the St. Louis Arches whenever I saw them perform at Circus Flora and years later I became a member of the St. Louis Arches.
Ethan: I started circus in 2015 when Circus Harmony did a performance at my library.
Eliot: I started circus in 2012. Going to the circus inspired me to join it.
How are you preparing for finals? Are you doing anything differently from your usual practices?
Dennis: My partners and I are practicing as much as we can and when we are not practicing I am conditioning to build muscle strength and endurance for when performing on the Fox Stage.
Ethan: I am practicing more.
Eliot: I am not practicing any differently, but I am practicing way more.
What will performing on the Fox stage mean to you?
Dennis: It will mean a lot. It is not something that I thought I would ever do, but this is something I am looking forward to doing. And the prize of being a finalist is performing on the Fox stage in front of a live audience.
Ethan: I don’t even know man. It will just be a cool experience!
Eliot: It will mean a lot because I have going there since I was a kid.
Is there someone you look up to and draw influence from for your talent?
Dennis: There is no one in particular that I look up to, but I do draw influence from my peers and other performers.
Ethan: Different body builders.
Eliot: My teammates in the St. Louis Arches.
What has been the highlight of your performance career?
Dennis: Performing at Circus Flora and now performing on the Fox Stage.
Ethan: Going to New York and performing in Wonderama.
Eliot: Performing at Circus Flora.
What do you hope to learn from your experience?
Dennis: How to work with a non-circus production team.
Ethan: I feel like participating in the Finals will make performing easier, because it will be the biggest stage I have performed on so far.
Eliot: I hope to become a better performer.
