A Circus Of Middle-Aged Women

You've probably seen a circus at some point in your life: maybe it was the traditional three-ring extravaganza, or perhaps a glitzy Cirque de Soleil performance with aerialists.

Vashon Island's 50 Sense Circus is something altogether different. It's a homemade performance, produced by a bevy of women over 40 years old. Ads for the circus feature a photo of a sparkly red high-heeled shoe and the promise of "thrills, chills and daring from women in their middle years."

Martha Enson is one of said women. She is the co-founder of Vashon's UMO Ensemble, a performance troupe that features aerial and acrobatic acts woven into a theatrical story. Enson said she and her 50 Sense Circus collaborators have had a lot of experience as artists. They wanted to use that experience, "more than two cents," Enson laughed, to inform their own production.

The women solicited community financial support for their initial performance on Vashon Island. They hope to refine the show and tour it around the region, perhaps the nation.