Entertainment

From Child to Man in the Circus

Published

9 years ago

July 8, 2015

Oakland Post

Ringmaster Lucky Malatsi keeps audiences engaged. (NNPA Photo)

By Kelly-Ann Brown
Special to the NNPA from Howard University News Service

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Dressed sharply in a dazzling gold blazer and armed with a microphone and an infectious smile, Ringmaster Lucky Malatsi’s job is to keep audiences of the UniverSoul Circus excited, engaged and enthusiastic between the numerous acts — and it is no small feat.

Malatsi is quick on his feet, incorporating humor, dancing and theatrics to keep the audiences recently at the National Harbor in southern Maryland entertained.

Though he makes it look effortless, Malatsi’s performance encompasses years of experience. He joined UniverSoul at only 11-years-old, an age when American children are still in elementary school.

But he didn’t start there. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Malatsi began performing for audiences at age 4 as an accomplished performer and acrobat trained by his uncle.

At 6 years old, he traveled to Germany for the first time, performing in as an acrobat in festivals.

“For as long as I can remember it has always been my passion,” Malatsi said. “It’s always been second nature to me.”

In 1999 he was recruited by UniverSoul Circus founder and CEO Cedric Walker, and a year later he was performing in a duo contortionist act. He has spent most of his young life growing up surrounded by circus performers from around the world.

He has been an acrobatic hip-hop dance, a gymnast and a trapeze artist. He said the true skill in mastering these talents requires more than physical conditioning.

“It’s more so mental than physical,” he said. . “You can strengthen your body, but if [I] wasn’t strong mentally I wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of those skills.”

He said being ringmaster has been his most challenging job at the circus. Being able to read your audience and keep them on a constant roller coaster of emotions is essential, he said.

Though he has been with UniverSoul for 14 years, and has witnessed ringmasters before him, Malatsi said his greatest piece of advice came from Walker.

“He told me if I could make 2000 people feel like I’m talking to each of them individually, then I can become one of the greats,” Malatsi said.

This skill becomes even more useful when dealing with an unresponsive crowd, an experience to which Malatsi is no stranger. He said the best way to remedy the situation is to continue to have fun with them.

“They are the best type of crowd, because they make you work harder,” he said. “Always keep your energy level up and never let them see you sweat.”

At one moment he is asking the audience to participate in the latest dance trend or “New School” versus “Old School” dance battle, and the next he will have children stand and recite a pledge to reinforce their greatness and the idea that their lives matter, and ode to the Black Lives Matter movement.

“We have to keep up with the present, especially with what’s going on in the world,” he said. “Every year we adapt no matter what’s going on.”

A husband and father, Malatsi hopes that his children follow in his footsteps. But whatever they do, he said, he will support them, just as his family supported his him.

And for young performers hoping to pursue a career in entertainment, Malatsi has some words of wisdom.

“Chase your dreams to the fullest, have patience but always have a backup plan,” he said. “Never lose who you are regardless of how successful you become.”

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Black History

Ashleigh Johnson: Pioneering the Way in Water Polo

Ashleigh Johnson attended Princeton University, where she played for the Tigers and dominated collegiate water polo. During her time at Princeton, she became the program’s all-time leader in saves and was recognized for her extraordinary ability to anticipate plays and block shots. She was a three-time All-American and was pivotal in leading her team to multiple victories. Balancing rigorous academics and athletics, she graduated with a degree in Psychology, showcasing her determination both in and out of the pool.

Published

2 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Ashleigh Johnson Photo: collegiatewaterpolo.org

By Tamara Shiloh

Ashleigh Johnson has become a household name in the world of water polo, not only for her incredible athleticism and skill but also for breaking barriers as the first Black woman to represent the United States in the sport at the Olympic level. Her journey begins as a determined young athlete to a record-breaking goalkeeper.

Born on September 12, 1994, in Miami, Florida, Ashleigh grew up in a family that valued sports and academics. She attended Ransom Everglades School, where she was introduced to water polo. Despite water polo being a niche sport in her community, she quickly stood out for her remarkable agility, intelligence, and reflexes. Her unique skill set made her a natural fit for the demanding role of a goalkeeper.

Ashleigh attended Princeton University, where she played for the Tigers and dominated collegiate water polo. During her time at Princeton, she became the program’s all-time leader in saves and was recognized for her extraordinary ability to anticipate plays and block shots. She was a three-time All-American and was pivotal in leading her team to multiple victories. Balancing rigorous academics and athletics, she graduated with a degree in Psychology, showcasing her determination both in and out of the pool.

In 2016, Ashleigh made history as the first Black woman to be selected for the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team. Representing her country at the Rio Olympics, she played a crucial role in helping Team USA secure the gold medal. Her stellar performances earned her the distinction of being named the tournament’s top goalkeeper, further cementing her status as one of the best players in the sport’s history.

Ashleigh didn’t just stop at one Olympic appearance. She continued her dominance in water polo, playing a key role in Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her ability to remain composed under pressure and deliver outstanding saves in crucial moments made her an irreplaceable member of the team.

At the age of 29, Johnson appeared in her third Olympiad in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Their first match was against Greece and the US team won easily and Johnson only gave up 4 points. U.S. Olympic head coach Adam Krikorian shared, “She’s an incredible athlete. She’s got great hand-eye coordination, great reflexes and reactions. And then she’s fiercely competitive – fiercely. And you would never know it by her demeanor or by the huge smile on her face. But to us, on the inside, we know how driven she is to be one of the best ever to do it.”

Team USA Women’s Water Polo ended their Olympic season in fourth place after a 10 – 11 loss to the Netherlands. Johnson only allowed 37 percent of the shots from the Netherlands.

Beyond her achievements in the pool, Ashleigh has used her platform to advocate for diversity in water polo and sports in general. As a trailblazer, she recognizes the importance of representation and works to encourage young athletes, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue their dreams.

Ashleigh has spoken about the challenges she faced as a Black woman in a predominantly white sport and how she turned those obstacles into opportunities for growth.

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Arts and Culture

In ‘Affrilachia: Testimonies,’ Puts Blacks in Appalacia on the Map

Published

4 days ago

December 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Author Chris Aluka. Photo courtesy of Chris Aluka.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez

An average oak tree is bigger around than two people together can reach.

That mighty tree starts out with an acorn the size of a nickel, ultimately growing to some 80 feet tall, with a canopy of a hundred feet or more across.

And like the new book, “Affrilachia” by Chris Aluka Berry (with Kelly Elaine Navies and Maia A. Surdam), its roots spread wide and wider.

Affriclachia is a term a Kentucky poet coined in the 1990s referring to the Black communities in Appalachia who are similarly referred to as Affrilachians.

In 2016, “on a foggy Sunday morning in March,” Berry visited Affrilachia for the first time by going the Mount Zion AME Zion Church in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The congregation was tiny; just a handful of people were there that day, but a pair of siblings stood out to him.

According to Berry, Ann Rogers and Mae Louise Allen lived on opposite sides of town, and neither had a driver’s license. He surmised that church was the only time the elderly sisters were together then, but their devotion to one another was clear.

As the service ended, he asked Allen if he could visit her. Was she willing to talk about her life in the Appalachians, her parents, her town?

She was, and arrangements were made, but before Barry could get back to Cullowhee, he learned that Allen had died. Saddened, he wondered how many stories are lost each day in mountain communities where African Americans have lived for more than a century.

“I couldn’t make photographs of the past,” he says, “but I could document the people and places living now.”

In doing so he also offers photographs that he collected from people he met in ‘Affrilachia,’ in North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, at a rustic “camp” that was likely created by enslaved people, at churches, and in modest houses along highways.

The people he interviewed recalled family tales and community stories of support, hardship, and home.

Says coauthor Navies, “These images shout without making a sound.”

If it’s true what they say about a picture being worth 1,000 words, then “Affrilachia,” as packed with photos as it is, is worth a million.

With that in mind, there’s not a lot of narrative inside this book, just a few poems, a small number of very brief interviews, a handful of memories passed down, and some background stories from author Berry and his co-authors. The tales are interesting but scant.

For most readers, though, that lack of narrative isn’t going to matter much. The photographs are the reason why you’d have this book.

Here are pictures of life as it was 50 years or a century ago: group photos, pictures taken of proud moments, worn pews, and happy children. Some of the modern pictures may make you wonder why they’re included, but they set a tone and tell a tale.

This is the kind of book you’ll take off the shelf, and notice something different every time you do. “Affrilachia” doesn’t contain a lot of words, but it’s a good choice when it’s time to branch out in your reading.

“Affrilachia: Testimonies,” by Chris Aluka Berry with Kelly Elaine Navies and Maia A. Surdam

c.2024, University of Kentucky Press, $50.00.