During his introduction video shown prior to his performance in Plachta Friday night, "America’s Got Talent" finalist Charles Peachock told judges he wanted to bring juggling into the 21st century.

That goal, along with several others, was more than accomplished as he wowed the crowd of students and siblings with his comedic juggling act that included golf clubs, knives and a glow-in-the-dark body suit.

“It’s not a selfish goal really,” Peachock said. “Everybody wants to see something different. Everybody wants to see something they’ve never seen. It moves people and it inspires people. I want to inspire.”

After the audience was treated to a rendition of the Larzelere Hall Lion King Mock Rock and a performance by the Central Michigan University Dance Team, Peachock took the stage with a smile that never left his face throughout the “Welcome to the Circus” event.

Peachock, who began his career at 12 years old through a school juggling club, was entertaining enough to keep the attention of the younger siblings yet daring enough in his stunts that older members of the audience were far from bored. On two separate occasions, Peachock invited members of the audience to join him on stage in order to complete his stunts.

John Milliman, Program Board president and Bronson senior, was one of Peachock’s choices, and was forced to lie face up on the stage floor and remain blindfolded while Peachock juggled three knives above him. Only after the blindfold was in place did Peachock reveal to the audience that he would actually be juggling clubs, one of which he tapped Milliman with to scare him.

“He was like ‘I’m starting to juggle,’ and then he just dropped one and it hit me,” Milliman said. “It didn’t really hurt so I wasn’t quite sure.”

Peachock also brought up junior Brad Halliwill of Shelby Township and attempted to hit a cigarette out of his mouth while juggling three clubs.

“I was a little nervous at first, and then once I found out what he was doing with the cigarette, I was pretty terrified,” Halliwill said.

Born in Ohio, Peachock had his first paid performance at the age of 14, and has since gone on to perform for Disney as well as being featured in People Magazine. Peachock said he wanted to take an art form that does not usually connote excitement and turn it into something people wanted to see.

“They have a perceived image of what the show’s going to be like,” Peachock said. “I try to totally dispel that and give them something unexpected.”

Part of Peachock’s success can be attributed to a unique part of his act that involves a glow-in-the-dark body suit and rings, which are the only things the audience can see when the lights go completely out. It was this act, along with a stunt in which he actually lit his legs on fire, that caught the judges’ attention during America’s Got Talent.

Now, Peachock hopes to continue performing for universities, as well as private family and corporate events.

Laura Birge, entertainment coordinator and Rochester Hills senior, said those organizing SIBS Weekend discovered Peachock at a conference months earlier and were impressed with his talent.

“He really made an impression on us,” she said. “With being kind of a circus theme, we thought a juggler would be fantastic for that.”

Birge was also in charge of selecting other entertainment for the weekend, including films and the laser tag. She said laser tag and the showing of “Enders Game” were an effort to make the weekend more appealing to older siblings and students as well as younger guests.