Clutching an aerial hoop on a Johannesburg circus stage, a young performer pauses for a split second before launching into the air and gliding, drawing cheers from the crowd below.
For 29-year-old Brian Ngobese, who grew up in South Africa’s impoverished Alexandra township, moments like this mean more than applause. The circus has given him a stage, a livelihood, and a way to turn his talent into work.
