The Trickster

He can be seen dancing through the air in an elaborate, detailed costume that takes hours to prepare. His stunning athletic and acrobatic techniques are so challenging that witnessing their perfection brings tears to the eyes of viewers. With a disciplined mind and a balanced attitude, 20-year-old Mike Tyus fulfills the key role of the Trickster in Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. But it took years of preparation before Tyus could land his latest job.


Right after he graduated from high school, Tyus started auditioning for “anything [he] could get his hands on,” including Disney shows and Cirque du Soleil. Though he heard back from the latter when he was just 18, he says he never expected the opportunity to come to him.


Tyus grew up with Blount’s disease, a growth disorder of the shin bone which, according to Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, results in the inward turning of the lower leg, resembling a bowleg. When he was 11, Tyus had surgery to solve his physical ailment. As part of his rehabilitation routine, he took up dance when he was 12.


“I loved it,” Tyus recalls. “It was something I’ve always wanted to do.”


Tyus has a wide range of dance skills, including those in ballet, tap, hip-hop, and jazz. He credits his quick learning to expert teachers.


The Los Angeles native, now a major character in an international show, has overcome not only physical ailments, but also the pressures of performing, to make him today an incredible inspiration to both young and old alike.


“There’s always down days,” Tyus admits. “There’s always days where you feel like you could be doing more, but it’s because you don’t realize who you’re impacting.”


The star reflects on his family’s reaction to his new career: “They were all in shock and awe,” he says. Even more inspiring to the young performer, he adds, are the days when young fans tell him they’ve started dancing because of him.


“I’m here for a reason.” Tyus says, reflecting on pressure from his director and fellow performers. “They saw something in me when they hired me and so they believe in me. I need to believe in myself.”


Ultimately, Tyus wants to give back to those around him. “If you try to gain self success and self gratification, you will in the end lose yourself.” He uses an example of volunteering at a preschool in Johannesburg, South Africa with a group from his church: they taught the students how to move through dance, despite the widespread presence of the AIDs epidemic in the area.


“It’s so much more satisfying to see other people happy,” he says, a model of his wellbeing and positive lifestyle.


Members of Cirque du Soleil share Tyus’ desire to inspire and help fans. Because of this, they donated 40 tickets to Flossin Media to share with at-risk high school students during the Annual Role Model Summit. These lucky teens not only got to see an incredible performance for free, but they had the opportunity to bring a friend or family member, making it a memorable event.

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