James Heugh of Positive Impact Movement. Photo Credit: Markos Papadatos
“America’s Got Talent” alum James Heugh of Positive Impact Movement chatted about his latest endeavors. He is affectionately known as “Acro James.”
On Thursday, February 13th, Heugh taught an “All Levels Acro Dance Lifts” class at the Cosmic Fit Club in Brooklyn, New York, which combined dynamic movement and flowing dance lifts into one class.
Mike Tyson once said: “I’m a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.” This quote applies to James Heugh.
Aside from Heugh, the acrobatic group act Positive Impact Movement is made up of Travis Brewer, Nathan Tsuji and Andreas Alfaro.
Cosmic Fit Club in Brooklyn
On being at the Cosmic Fit Club in Brooklyn, Heugh said, “One of my favorite things in the world is getting to travel and be around the Acro community because it is filled with the best people in the world.”
“It has been one of the best pleasures in life to travel around and meet everyone all over the planet, and to continue to have a good time in every city that I go to,” he noted.
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations, he shared, “I wake up and I just do what I love each day, and I really focus on that. I make sure I am prioritizing my mission and my goals, even if they don’t come with happiness or success each day.”
“It’s about enjoying the struggles and the journey along the way because it all leads to something really amazing,” he noted.
Future plans
On his future plans, he said, “Right now, I am performing at the Las Vegas Strip as a main character in one of the biggest shows out there. I am doing that for the time being.”
“Then, I am going to start traveling around the world and teaching more and perhaps do more TV shows,” he added.
The 2025 Positive Impact Movement Festival in Las Vegas
Heugh is looking forward to the Positive Impact Movement Festival, which is happening this spring on April 11 to 13th at the Las Vegas Circus Center.
“This is going to be our biggest year yet,” Heugh admitted. “Our lineup is awesome, and I just can’t wait to have a blast with it.
Career-defining moments
On his career defining moments, he listed “America’s Got Talent” and “Cirque du Soleil,” the latter of which was his very first contract that put him on a “really good path.”
Heugh on ‘The Ellen Show’
One of his life’s proudest moments was being on “The Ellen Show,” where he was interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres, especially since that was always a bucket list item for him when he first moved to Los Angeles from Canada.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Heugh said, “I think the digital age is a really awesome tool. It allows me to stay connected with the fans, and they know where I am performing shows and teaching classes.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he admitted, “Exploring new opportunities.”
Best advice he has ever been given
On the best advice that he has ever been given, he revealed, “Go after what you want… that’s where it’s all at!”
Favorite motto to live by
He shared his favorite motto to live by: “You can either quit, or you can keep going… both hurt.”
Success
“Just continuing to go after the goals because the goals are the biggest things. Keeping your eye on the prize and continuing to go for it is a success.”
Johnathan Schulman asks James Heugh how he prepares for his shows
2021 Big Apple ‘Teacher of the Year’ winner Jonathan Schulman (who teaches at P.S. 110 The Monitor Elementary School in Greenpoint, Brooklyn) asked James Heugh how he prepares for his shows.
Heugh remarked, “Honestly, you don’t really prepare anymore, because you do it 10 times a week. You just get there, do your warmup routine, put your makeup on, get your costume on, and you just go out and do it, at this point.”
“It is already ingrained in your body and in your system. It’s like muscle memory,” he acknowledged.
Message for his Positive Impact Movement fans
For his fans, Heugh expressed, “I would not be anywhere without you guys; this is a community effort, and I am the furthest thing from a self-made person. I am community-made 100 percent through. I always recognize where I am from.”
To learn more about James Heugh, follow him on Instagram.