Inspyral: A New Way to Circus

Jeremy Philo and Morgan Smith Chelsea “Hooplahoma” Parks

By Amy Dee Stephens

If you hear the word circus and think of three-ring acts with exotic animals—then you haven’t met the modern circus. Contemporary circus (nouveau cirque) focuses on interactive event entertainment without animals.

Inspyral Circus, owned by Jeremy and Kelsey Philo, provides acts ranging from stilt walking to fire juggling for Oklahomans seeking family-friendly entertainment. Inspyral offers customized packages for children’s events, conferences, weddings, and even black-tie parties.

“We initially struggled with the word circus and its stigmas,” said Kelsey, “but the culture has rebranded a lot since we started eight years ago. Now it’s about showmanship, costumes, choreography, and stage presence.”

Kelsey’s Hoop Story

So how did the Philos start their circus? With play and practice.

“I could never hula hoop as a child, but in college, a woman handed me a big heavy hoop, and I could do it!” Kelsey said. “At 23, I became obsessed with ‘playing’ with hoops. I wasn’t great, but I allowed myself to keep working on it. Hooping was meditative. It occupied the anxious part of my brain struggling from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

Kelsey became known as Hula Hoop Girl, performing for her friends and at parties. “I didn’t know any other adults who did this weird thing,” Kelsey said. “When I moved to Norman, I heard about a group doing circus stuff at a park.”

Jeremy, then single, and some friends were meeting weekly to practice juggling. Their “juggle jam” grew into a public event, in which they pushed each other to add new skills. Kelsey gathered up her hoops and her courage, and she went to the park.

“Hi, I’m Kelsey, and I’m a hooper.” They welcomed her, and before long, Kelsey and Jeremy were performing for local events and at libraries all over Oklahoma—and loving it! They also grew to love each other. They married, moved to Tulsa, and decided to grow their hobby into a business. The Philos formed Inspyral and began adding other performers, like Chelsea Parks, who lives near Edmond. “When I was 25, I taught myself to unicycle, just for fun,” said Chelsea Parks. “I didn’t know anyone else doing it, but it brought me joy. Then I started hooping, which led me to a friendship with Kelsey and Jeremy.” Chelsea watched the Philo’s circus business developing and asked herself tough life questions, like, “Why am I still waiting tables?” and “Could I perform for a living?” Before taking that

Inspyral is performing at leap, she wanted to add another specialized skill to her slate; a Cyr Edmond VIBES in September Wheel, a giant metal ring large and October. enough to stand inside of while it rolls and spins. “No one else in Oklahoma was doing the Cyr Wheel,” Chelsea said. “I ordered one online, and it took me a year to teach myself. Then, I formed Hooplahoma and started booking gigs, like street events and festivals.”

Circus with Purpose

Inspyral invited Chelsea to become a regular member of their entertainment team, while still maintaining Hooplahoma independently. The Inspyral performers, now numbering 20, learn from each other, cross-market, and share events. “We know people are trusting us with extremely important events,” Kelsey said. “We are punctual, classy, and professional. We pay our performers equitable wages. Our costumes are incredible, which my mom makes, and we dress modestly so no

Jeremy Philo

one will be distracted or offended. It’s a family business.”

While audiences are awed by their acts and their costumes, the performers also have an important message to share: “Our ‘magical ability’ took long-term practice. Being bad at something in the beginning doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” Kelsey said, then smiled. “Although I recommend something slightly more practical.”

Inspyral has partnered with Project Aware, an initiative from the Oklahoma Department of Education, to raise mental health awareness. “I stand on stage and capture youth audiences while talking about resources, selfregulation, and growth mindset,” Kelsey said. “I was an uncoordinated child, but if I learned to hula hoop, you can learn anything.”

“The message is as important as the big tricks and the spectacle of it all,” Chelsea said. “I get so much joy from inspiring young people; showing them something they’ve never seen before and telling them it’s possible if they don’t give up.”

According to Kelsey, sharing joy and wonder never grows old. They do, however, hear the same question over and over: “How do you do that?” Kelsey’s answer is simple: “With enthusiasm and lots of practice.”

See Inspyral at Edmond VIBES in September and October. Hooplahoma teaches hooping at Scissortail Park each Wednesday evening. Visit inspyralcircus.com to learn more.