Under the Big Top: North Charleston gets ready to be 'Fully Charged'

It's rare to meet a child who answers the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" with "a clown," but Dustin Portillo recognized his unusual passion early in life.

"I went to my first circus in Kansas City, Mo., and the clowns really stuck in my head," said Portillo, currently working as the "Boss Clown" for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

"I was just 4 years old, but I decided then and there that I wanted to become a clown. I watched videos, gained knowledge about the art form and at age 13 became a professional," he said.

Portillo started with birthday parties, festivals and nursing homes before making his leap for the big top. "I sent my resume to the Ringing Brothers, and in 2005, I was asked to join their team," he said. "I was 18 then. I've now been touring with the circus for seven years."

Portillo works as the primary clown, which means he is in charge of the other clowns in the show.

"Being the boss clown means that I oversee the other clowns and their character development," he explains. "I also write new gags for our shows and act as a liaison between the circus management and the clown team. But it's really a collaborative effort creating the clown performances."

Portillo's clown team stays busy, as does the rest of the circus crowd. A typical week entails several shows and lots of late-night preparation.

"Our standard tours begin with arriving at a city in the evening and doing the setup," he said. "We unload all our animals from the train and make sure everything is ready. That normally happens on a Monday. Then our opening nights are usually on Wednesdays. Before that happens, we have public relation events, like appearances on local television."

The Charleston performance is the 141st edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Fully Charged show. Expect to see an assortment of animals such as Asian elephants, horses and Bengal tigers. The human performances will range from Brazilian dancing to acrobatics, stilt walking and other daredevil stunts. There's even the "Human Fuse," in which a performer, Brian Miser, will be launched across the arena from a crossbow built for people.

Portillo said he has never visited Charleston before, and is excited to explore the city. "I've heard nothing but good things, especially about the food," he said. "I can't wait to taste it."