Nicole Sanders didn’t grow up going to the circus, but now she spends her time traveling from city to city with Ringling Bros. Her stage name is “Nitro Nicole,” and during each show she shoots out of a circus cannon and flies gracefully across the stage. Yes, she's a human cannonball.

Nicole’s road to the circus began at age 3 when she started dancing ballet. When she got to college, her interests switched to psychology but she also minored in ballet.

Following graduation, Nicole learned the art of trapeze in New Orleans. Her trainer urged her to do trapeze professionally. So, she applied to an aerial program with the Circus Center in San Francisco. She spent two years with the program and she’s been performing professionally ever since. Her acrobatic skills eventually got her to where she is now, performing as the human cannonball.

We got the inside scoop from Nicole about her job and the circus life before the Ringling Bros. show rolls through town Sept. 2-4 at the Verizon Arena. 

Little Rock Family: What was your first live performance like?

Nitro Nicole: It was a different kind of nervous for my first live circus show. You have to be more careful in circus performances. It was definitely a rush — I don’t think that ever goes away.

LRF: What is a typical week like with the circus?

NN: A typical week begins with arriving in a different city. The circus usually gets to town on a Tuesday for set-up, then starts the shows Wednesday or Thursday. Then we load up on Sunday and leave Monday morning on the train. If the city is large, sometimes the circus will stay more than one week.

LRF: What’s the hardest part of your job?

NN: The hardest part of my job is getting the proper rest. At Ringling Bros. we have at least two days off, but our work week is sometimes very long. It’s not always the rest I need for muscle recovery. Some circus performers take naps during the day to help with the recovery time.

LRF: What do you think makes the circus experience so magical?

NN: I think what makes it so magical is the fact that everything is live. These days with social media, it’s easy to get caught up in that. You can put that away and witness these acts that are pretty unique. In the circus you see dancers, highwire acts, the ringmaster singing, dogs doing incredible tricks and tigers. It encompasses so many things with an extreme element to it.

LRF: Did some of that magic wear off for you after you began working for the circus?

NN: For me, I could watch that every night. It’s always been a thrill for me to go backstage and watch other acts. I never tire of it.

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Circus XTREME start at $16 and are available by calling (501) 975-9000.