Kryzsko After Dark event features circus performance

Heidi Hanson

Bingo, trivia, crafts and free Panda Express were all provided for students in last week’s Kryzsko After Dark, along with a carnival theme and a performance by “The Great Dubois.” The previous Kryzsko After Dark director came up with this theme, and the current director, Abigail Allen, executed it on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.

Heidi Hanson, Features Editor
March 2, 2022

On Friday, Feb. 25, 2022 the Warrior Entertainment Network hosted their second Kryzsko After Dark of the spring semester. This Kryzsko After Dark (KAD) incorporated a circus theme into its events, including circus-themed trivia, carnival games and a circus performance starring “The Great Dubois.”

According to the duo’s website, “The Great Dubois” has five generations of circus performers in their families. They’ve performed for a multitude of audiences and have made a wide variety of television appearances, such as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the Britney Spears World Tour and even Hugh Jackman’s “The Greatest Showman.”

Abigail Allen, a third-year secondary math education and theatre major, has been involved with the Network since her freshman year. Allen now fills the KAD director position.

“We’ve gone with the carnival theme and our main stage act is The Great Dubois. They are circus entertainers; a wide variety act,” she said. “So the rest of the events have kind of gone around based on their act.”

Gift Card Bingo was held inside Kryzsko Commons in the Baldwin Lounge, where a large group of students gathered for the Network’s usual Bingo festivities. This KAD had its usual free Panda Express, a student favorite, along with a variety of carnival themed decorations, crafts being made in the Kryzsko Purple Rooms and trivia was brought back, held in the Student Activities Center.

“We’re bringing trivia back because I know I had a few people comment that they wanted trivia [again],” Allen explained.

The carnival theme was mapped out in the beginning of the year by the previous KAD director and was executed by Allen. The Network was hoping to bring a sense of summer in the midst of the cold weather of Minnesotan February. Despite the heavy academic atmosphere that the week before spring break often exhibits, this carnival themed KAD brought a bustling and lively feel to campus after hours.

Jarod Zobitz, the executive director of the Warrior Entertainment Network, mentioned the demographic of students who attend KAD, saying the usual groups of students live on campus. The Network’s goal is to attract more students who live off campus to Network events.

“I would say the overall goal and what we’re looking for is really just engaging our students,” Zobitz said. “I think time after time, and especially with our last Kryzsko After Dark, I think we really drew in a lot of off-campus students.”

“The Great Dubois” performed for an hour-and-a-half starting at 10 p.m. and featured a variety of acts for their show. Michael Dubois, one of the performers, started with juggling; Dubois gradually added more and more tennis balls until he got to seven, changing the pattern of juggling throughout.

“The Great Dubois” performed a variety of acts, including juggling, unicycling, plate balancing, slack-wire balancing and aerial performances. “The Great Dubois” have been a part of a variety of shows and movies, including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the Britney Spears World Tour, and even Hugh Jackman’s “The Greatest Showman.” (Heidi Hanson)

Among the juggling, unicycling, slack-wire balancing, plate balancing and aerial performances from performer Viktoria Grimmy, the most notable thing about “The Great Dubois” was their ability to make an audience laugh. Both performers and their connection together, alongside audience volunteers, had the campus audience giggling throughout the entire 90-minute performance.

At one point in the show, Grimmy performed on an aerial ring, exploring the three-dimensional space with skill and ease. Directly after, Dubois performed a bit where two audience members helped him get onto an extra-high unicycle, taking advantage of his skill to create the impression that he could not get up on the cycle even funnier. The juxtaposition of the acts and thus atmospheres throughout the show kept the 90 minutes incredibly engaging for audience members.

The next Kryzsko After Dark will take place on Friday, April 1 at its usual time between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m.. To get more involved with the Network, their weekly meetings are held in the Purple Rooms in Kryzsko at 5 p.m. every Thursday. They can be contacted at [email protected].