Aerial Angels

KALAMAZOO — The Aerial Angels have a unique feat where they pass fire, literally, from one performer’s mouth to another.

“That's our tongue-to-tongue-to-tongue transfer,” co-founding Angel Allison Williams said. “We are the only performers in the world who do that stunt.”

What does fire taste like? “It tastes like burning,” she said, laughing.

For New Year’s Fest, Kalamazoo’s Angels will taste fire, crack bullwhips dangerously close to human targets, escape from bondage, contort themselves as if made of rubber and do acrobatic stunts wrapped in silk.

The three members of the company who will be at the Epic Center Theater — Spike (Zay Weaver), Mango (Colleen McIntee) and Isabella (Williams) — will demonstrate as many daring skills as possible in three sets. “Each show will be different, because we have more skills than will fit in one show,” Williams said.
Since forming in 2003, they’ve gone from performing at area renaissance fairs to performing for the world. They’ve passed the fire on from the original three founding Angels — Williams, Beth Browning and Sarah Scanlon — to a company of 15. Through classes and programs such as “Starfish Circus,” where they help high school theater departments do their own circus, the Angels work to bring more to their craft.

Their mission: “We travel the world performing three-girl circus shows,” Williams said. They’ve taken their “small circus show” to Kosovo, Singapore, Dubai and all over Canada and the United States this year. Williams has had to learn how to introduce the act in 15 languages, she said.

Culturally, their act “really is universal.” Her fondest memories are of entertaining children, such as war orphans in Kosovo, or school kids in the central-Mexico city of Guanajuato.

In December of ‘09, they drove through Mexico to Belize and back, “street performing all the way.” They got a chance to be a support act for elementary school children’s Christmas pageant in Guanajuato. “It was such a beautiful experience to be a part of these kids’ big Christmas day.”

The Angels have been developing something bigger, a Cirque du Soleil for Michigan, the eight-member Stand Up 8. In 2009, Williams and Weaver had gone on Canadian reality show, “Dragons’ Den,” to plead for investment for the new project, and got $250,000.

They tested the show out at Paw Paw High School last May to a sold-out crowd. They’ll do it again in March in Grand Rapids at Grand Valley State University.

Developing a large touring act while keeping the Angels on the road can be a grind. Williams does a lot of work “hunched over a computer.... Thankfully, I have a job that keeps me in shape.”

Her main job is play, very stylized play. “I do get to do stuff that is fun, that is playful, that is joyful,” she said.
- Kalamazoo Gazette

"The minute you took the stage, the whole audience focused on your performance - they were just riveted by you the whole time. When we watch, we're watching for what our audiences want to see, and you're it." - Rob Fletcher

"Absolutely spectacular, unique, innovative and exciting...consummate professionals...a real pleasure to have you perform for one of our higher-end Ritz-Carlton clients. I recommend the Aerial Angels to any group interested in creative and exciting entertainment." - John Bright, Senior Meetings and Special Events Manager

"We chose you over Cirque du Soleil because you were able to work with our budget and available space...it was easy to work together to bring our vision for the event to life...many comments from our happy guests including Members of Parliament, Senators, and the United States Ambassador to Canada...this was our best event ever!" - Claude Paul Boivin, President

"Professional and a real treat to work with." - Thomas Scott, Program Director