DOWAGIAC — Friday afternoon on the stage at the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center, a group of students, ranging in ages, tumbled around on brightly colored mats, kicking their feet in the air to practice a cartwheel or tucking their heads into their chest preparing for a summersault.

Though the students didn’t perfectly execute every move, the adults supervising them said that in less than a week the students would be ready to take their moves in front a large audience.

The students were practicing for the Starfish Circus, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The event will serve as the first event in Dowagiac’s 2018 Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, which will run for throughout the month of May.

For the Starfish Circus, Dowagiac students train for two weeks with trained professionals to learn circus moves and routines to perform on the show dates. This year will mark the second year that the Dogwood Festival has included the Starfish Circus in its lineup, as the program was a big hit the last time around, according to Jim Benedix, chair of the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

“This is more than just a play,” Benedix said. “We have gotten feedback from parents. For some kids this is just a good time and a new experience, but for other kids, this changes their lives a little bit.”

Benedix said that in the two weeks that the children train, he sees them grow in confidence and self-esteem, adding that he is always amazed at what the children can accomplish in such a short amount of time.

“There is going to be trapeze arts. There is going to be aerial work, tumbling, juggling and, just a wide variety of things,” Benedix said of the types of entertainment the students will provide during the circus. “It would kill me to learn all of that. I’m so proud of the kids and excited for them. You can see the progress from the first rehearsal when they are just fumbling along to the final performance when they are doing these incredible things.”

Representatives from the Dogwood Festival are happy to have a part in providing an experience like the Starfish Circus, Benedix said. He added that he believes it is important for children to be involved in the arts from a young age.

“[The Dogwood Festival Board] does what we can to get involved with the kids and the schools,” Benedix said. “[The Starfish Circus] is a unique experience for us, and I’m glad that the children really seem to enjoy it.”

Benedix said that he would encourage anyone to attend one of the showings of the Starfish Circus, and said that anyone who attended it would not regret it.

“It’s just a blast,” he said. “You see progress and talent. I think it’s a great program. You have to come see what these kids do. This is something that is unique and entertaining. It’s full of excitement.”