THIS CANADIAN HAS TALENT
A’burg athlete part of AcroArmy
‘Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas, and all across the stage, finely-tuned bodies demonstrated feats of superb strength, flexibility and balance. Among the performers: Amherstburg-raised athlete James Heugh.
Heugh, a 26-year-old acro professional, was part of the AcroArmy that wowed the audience of the America’s Got Talent Christmas Special, broadcast by NBC on Monday night.
As an eerie version of Carol of the Bells played, AcroArmy’s worldclass tumblers showed their dangerous art: advanced balancing acts with a partner, human catapults, human towers, and breathtaking trust falls.
The final stunt featured a threeperson stack, with the young performer at the top of the “tree” plummeting backwards from a 12foot height — all without a shred of safety equipment.
At the bottom of the “tree” was Heugh.
“I’m typically the base,” he explained. “I’m a little too big to be a flier.
“It’s actually a pretty fun thing. Anytime you’re basing someone in acro, the person on top makes a shape that you take control of. You’re responsible for everyone’s balance in the pose.
“It’s a cool feeling. You grip the ground with your feet, feel everyone’s weight, and make sure everyone stays safe.”
Heugh got into acro in Windsor about three years ago. Before that, he spent six years training and competing as a mixed martial artist.
His introduction to acro athletics came when a local performance group, Sky Society, began sharing space at his fight gym, Maximum Training Centre.
“I would watch their practices and want to be a part of it. Eventually, they let me try some moves with them. And then I got hooked,” Heugh said.
“I’m pretty good at grabbing human bodies and moving them, but now it’s in a completely different way.”
Heugh became so passionate about practising and performing acro, he began travelling the world to seek more training. In late 2015, he took the plunge and moved to Los Angeles to do acro professionally.
He’s now teaching at the Aerial Warehouse in L.A. and performing frequently with AcroArmy. “It’s what I love. I’m entirely grateful right now.”
AcroArmy were finalists in the 2014 season of America’s Got Talent. Their performance on Monday’s holiday special was a guest spot, inspired by the Tim Burton animated movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Heugh and his fellow acro artists wore makeup and costumes meant to evoke the movie’s hero, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King.
Asked if he ever gets stressed about performing, Heugh laughed. “Nah, it’s the funnest thing in the world. The more dangerous, the better.
“The No. 1 rule is that no flier ever, ever hits the ground. No matter what. It’s your responsibility to dive under them and keep them safe.”
Want to witness or even participate in acro? Check out Heugh’s Christmas Acro Party, taking place this Friday night at Windsor’s Maximum Training Centre (3090 Dougall Ave.).
The event begins 6 p.m. Admission is free, but all attendees are asked to bring a toy donation for a local gift drive. Refreshments will be supplied. Wear comfortable workout clothing if you’d like to learn some acro basics.
The No. 1 rule is that no flier ever, ever hits the ground. No matter what. It’s your responsibility to dive under them and keep them safe.