If given the chance to do what you love or to pursue your dream, what would you be doing? Would you go for it or would you play it safe? Some people are determined to go after their dream no matter the cost. They will burn the bridge behind them because their mindset is to not compromise on what they want and to remain focused, intentional, and relentless until they achieve their dream.
West Africa-born, Alseny Sylla, now residing in Chicago wasted no time in pursuing his dream. By age nine, he knew exactly want he wanted to do. After witnessing men in Chinese movies do spectacular flips at a young age, Sylla set his mind on going after his dream of being an acrobatic performer. But there was one problem, his dad stood in the way because he wanted him to focus on school. And just like life, there will always be roadblocks as we go on our journeys, but that didn’t stop Sylla. After some time, training, and persuasion from Sylla and his mom, his dad gave the approval, and Sylla went all in. He studied long and hard until he mastered his skills to the point where he became a phenomenal acrobat and performer. Eventually, touring across the world with some spectacular circus production groups and mesmerizing fans everywhere with his superhuman acrobatic feats.
After 25 years, Sylla is still showcasing his talents. Right now, he is on tour with Cirque du Soleil. Trust me, if you haven’t seen him perform or witnessed any of his videos, you are missing an amazing treat. From his mind-boggling workouts to his amazing flipping maneuvers displayed on his social media platforms, he is one you shouldn’t miss. You will be mesmerized!
Sylla’s heart is as big as his skills. He passionately and faithfully supports his family back in Africa and has opened a school there as well. In addition, he teaches at a tumbling school in Chicago and loves teaching flipping, to children especially; he is also a personal trainer. So, as you can see, he is purpose-driven and goal-oriented and pours himself into those who appreciate his time, knowledge and skills, and services.
Join me as I have a conversation with Alseny Sylla, an acrobatic athlete, trainer, and mentor, as we discuss his journey toward being an acrobat.
Tell us a little about yourself growing up in Africa, and then about your journey to becoming the acrobat you are today.
I grew up in Guinea, Conakry in West Africa, and started when I was like 9 years old. And I got into the circus because when I was young, I would watch it in Chinese movies and I saw in the movies where they were doing the flipping. That actually inspired me a lot. I was like, “Oh my God, this is so cool.” I couldn’t believe that a human could do things like this.
So, one day I stepped onto the bed of my parents and tried to mimic them and do my own flips, and I fell on the bed and made a mess. My parents got upset and I was scared. So, after that, I found a way to do it because I met someone who was a second-generation part of the circus in Guinea. And, I tried to convince him that I wanted to learn from him but my parents didn’t want me to do it because I had to continue to study in school.
So, then I would hang out with my friend and I would try to do backflips on my own. And when I went to school I would do it and my classmates were like, “Wow, I wanna learn this.” They were super excited and wanted to know how I did it. My professor was like, “Wow, oh my God, now I see what you’re doing at home.” And I was like, “No, I only do this after school.” He was like, “No, I know what you do at home.”
So, finally, I convinced my dad to let me go to circus school while I continued my studies and he let me. And while at the circus school, I was helped with the tricks; so, I continued to study at the circus school.
And one day, I got the opportunity to travel when I was 12 years old but my dad didn’t want me to travel because we were climbing building human pyramids, and doing all those things. My dad kept saying I was too young but my mom believed in me and believed that I knew what I was doing, so we had to convince my dad. Finally, my dad let me go touring.
What was it like going on tour with Cavalia Odysseo, Cirque du Soleil, and other production groups?
I did my first touring in Africa and Eastern Africa, and then I came back, and my dad was happy for me. He finally understood it. But one day again, he was like I really don’t want you to do this because I want you to focus on school. So, I would do the circus school between breaks. The circus was my love and I will always have a space in my heart for it.
After the first African touring, I got the opportunity to go to Canada at a young age with a company called Cavalia Odysseo. That was one of the bigger companies in Canada. They put me in training and we created a show. After that, I toured with them all over the world. I’ve worked with so many production companies like Cirque du Soleil, Kalabante, and others; I’ve been touring all my life. That’s why I’m a very physical man.
I’m one of the head coaches here in Chicago and I’m also a part of one of the circus teams in a school. So, I teach here, and I’m also a personal trainer.
I try to inspire other people to find confidence in fitness, especially the younger generation. So, this is my goal to share the gift that I have.
Do you ever get dizzy doing all the continuous flips you do during a routine?
That’s a good question; that’s one of the popular questions on my social media. Yes, I do get dizzy but it depends on how many flips I want to do. So, if I want to do one spot flipping, say 30 flips, I can definitely see the stars come into my eyes and not know where I am, so yeah, sometimes.
To perform the way you do, you need upper body strength and to be in top shape and in good health. What advice can you give about having a good eating and exercise regime?
To have the body that you want to have, you have to eat the right foods because you are what you eat. That’s what I always say to my fans. So, you really have to be careful with your diet. As an athlete, you want to have a perfect body, feel good, and get good sleep; so, you have to take care of your body. By eating, resting your body, and listening to your body, you’ll know when you feel tired and when you can do it. And being an athlete, cost a lot…. it’s an investment in your body if you want to have a good result. So, you have to spend the money on good nutrition because it’s an investment in yourself.
Why do you love being an acrobat?
That’s a good question! I told my dad I want to do something that I love, something I feel is my goal and passion. This is what I wanted. I want to live as a circus performer athlete.
I’m coming from a poor country and poor family, and my whole family is counting on me; I’m the provider. They count on me in many ways, so I don’t mess around here. I’m serious and I know my goal. And I have accomplished a lot of things. I have built a house. I have a school in West Africa. So, I’m trying because there are a lot of people in West Africa and I’m the help for them; I’m their hope. So, I can’t mess up. I’m going to be serious and go for what I believe.
And I want to bring this opportunity to the youth, not just in West Africa, but in the whole world.
What’s next for you?
In two weeks, I’m going touring again with Cirque du Soleil. I haven’t been touring in two years because of the injury I had in 2020 right before Covid. It happened while I was performing in a show as an aerial acrobat. So, I’m excited and happy about touring again.
How can people follow you?
Instagram │YouTube #1 │ YouTube #2 │TikTok
Picture Courtesy of his Instagram @seny_acro_
Writer, Debbie Stokes is a contributing writer. You can follow her on Instagram @iamdebbiestokes
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