Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey returns to Louisville for first time in a decade

MCHUGH THIS WEEKEND, SHOWING US SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE. YES. SO YOU GUYS, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NEW TO ME AS WELL. IT’S CALLED ACRO SALSA. LIZ IS HERE WITH US. TELL US ABOUT WHAT ACRO SALSA IS BECAUSE I’VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT. RIGHT. I MEAN, WHO HAS HONESTLY IT’S SALSA STYLE BUT ALSO WITH SOME ACROBATIC TRICKS THROWN INTO IT. SO YOU’RE GOING TO SEE WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A SALSA ACT, A FAST MOVING FEET, LOTS OF HIGH ENERGY. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE THESE LADIES BEING THROWN INTO THE AIR AND BEING CAUGHT AND FLIPPED AROUND EVERYWHERE. SO IT’S REALLY INCREDIBLE TO SEE. I BET IT’S SO MESMERIZING JUST WATCHING THIS LITTLE PIECE HERE WITHOUT EVEN ANY MUSIC IS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THIS IS INCREDIBLE. YEAH, THEY REALLY ARE A HYPE CREW. THEY’RE AMAZING THAT COME ON OUT HERE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE EXCITED. WE WANT THEM TO BE UP ON THEIR FEET, DANCING AND MOVING AND FEELING LIKE THEY’RE PART OF THE SHOW. AND OUR LOVELY FRIENDS FROM COLUMBIA ARE AMAZING AT THAT. AND BRINGING THAT ENERGY TO LIFE. OKAY, SO WHAT’S THEIR GROUP NAME? AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW. CORRECT. SO THIS IS SALSA COLUMBIA. THEY’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR, I WANT TO SAY OVER A FEW YEARS, A LOT OF THEM ARE TRAINED IN LATIN DANCE SCHOOL IN COLUMBIA, AND NOW THEY’VE BEEN PERFORMING WITH US FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. WOW. YOU KNOW WHAT? I CAN’T STOP LOOKING AT IS, FIRST OFF, THE ABS ON THESE WOMEN. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? AND SECOND, THESE HEELS ARE ACTUALLY KIND OF HIGH. I’M REALLY IMPRESSED THAT THEY’RE DOING THIS IN THOSE SHOES. IT’S A LOT OF KEEPING YOUR WEIGHT ON YOUR TOES AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE READY TO MOVE. YEAH, OKAY. THEY WERE SHOWING ME A LITTLE MOVE. SOME MOVES EARLIER. SHOULD WE SHOULD I GET BACK IN THERE? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, LET’S SEE HOW GOOD I AM AT THIS AT THIS ACRO SALSA. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, OKAY, LET’S DO IT. OKAY. NOW, I DON’T HAVE QUITE AS CUTE AS OUTFIT AS YOU DO, BUT WE’RE STILL GOING TO GET INTO IT. WHAT ARE THE MOVES I NEED TO DO WITH YOUR LEFT? BACK? OKAY. CENTER LEFT. OKAY. CENTER RIGHT. THERE WE GO. OKAY, NOW I GOTTA ADD A LITTLE HIPS INTO IT. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OH, OH, WE GOT A LITTLE SHOULDER ACTION. OKAY. OH. OH, WAIT, I’M GETTING TOO EXCITED. OKAY. ALEX AND CARAY, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THIS THIS IS FUN. OH, OH OH OH. GOOD TIME. BLAKELY PROUD OF YOU. THAT’

Updated: 12:36 PM EDT May 15, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Updated: 12:36 PM EDT May 15, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

After more than a decade away, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is back in Louisville, bringing a reimagined circus experience to the KFC Yum! Center this weekend.The long-running show, last seen in Louisville in 2015, returns with what organizers describe as a modern, high-energy production filled with trapeze acts, a human rocket, crowd interaction and a party-like atmosphere.“I believe Ringling was last here in 2015, so it’s literally been a decade. A lot has changed since then,” said Liz Kinder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.Performer Nikolas Strubbe, who plays Nick Nack in the show, said the updated production feels unlike a traditional circus.“It’s like a loud dance party meets, like, kids concert vibe with dancing and circus along the way,” Strubbe said.Strubbe’s character serves as the show’s comedic fix-it man, stepping in between acts, cleaning up the stage and sometimes becoming part of the chaos himself.“So, I’m a clown in the show, which in the context of our world, I’m part of the circus crew,” Strubbe said.He added that unpredictability is part of the excitement.“Anything can happen,” Strubbe said.Though he now performs in front of large crowds, Strubbe said that was never the path he expected for himself.“I was not the class clown per se,” he said.Over the past 20 years, however, he has built a career in circus and theater, performing what he called “the weirdest, silliest, most, to me, heartwarming shows possible.”That work has required more than just comic timing. Strubbe said he has trained extensively in circus skills, including trapeze, juggling and acrobatics.“I’ve taken countless circus classes. I’ve learned trapeze and juggling and acrobatics,” he said.And after years of training, he summed up the job with a joke: “You got to learn a lot to be this stupid.”And another big draw will be the robot dog, Bailey.This weekend’s production features 65 performers from 13 different countries. The first performance begins Friday night, with four more shows scheduled throughout the rest of the weekend.For tickets and more information, click here.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

After more than a decade away, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is back in Louisville, bringing a reimagined circus experience to the KFC Yum! Center this weekend.

The long-running show, last seen in Louisville in 2015, returns with what organizers describe as a modern, high-energy production filled with trapeze acts, a human rocket, crowd interaction and a party-like atmosphere.

“I believe Ringling was last here in 2015, so it’s literally been a decade. A lot has changed since then,” said Liz Kinder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

Performer Nikolas Strubbe, who plays Nick Nack in the show, said the updated production feels unlike a traditional circus.

“It’s like a loud dance party meets, like, kids concert vibe with dancing and circus along the way,” Strubbe said.

Strubbe’s character serves as the show’s comedic fix-it man, stepping in between acts, cleaning up the stage and sometimes becoming part of the chaos himself.

“So, I’m a clown in the show, which in the context of our world, I’m part of the circus crew,” Strubbe said.

He added that unpredictability is part of the excitement.

“Anything can happen,” Strubbe said.

Though he now performs in front of large crowds, Strubbe said that was never the path he expected for himself.

“I was not the class clown per se,” he said.

Over the past 20 years, however, he has built a career in circus and theater, performing what he called “the weirdest, silliest, most, to me, heartwarming shows possible.”

That work has required more than just comic timing. Strubbe said he has trained extensively in circus skills, including trapeze, juggling and acrobatics.

“I’ve taken countless circus classes. I’ve learned trapeze and juggling and acrobatics,” he said.

And after years of training, he summed up the job with a joke: “You got to learn a lot to be this stupid.”

And another big draw will be the robot dog, Bailey.

This weekend’s production features 65 performers from 13 different countries. The first performance begins Friday night, with four more shows scheduled throughout the rest of the weekend.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey returns to Louisville for first time in a decade

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