Have you heard about recent Guinness World Records accomplished in
Chicago by Nik Wallenda? This 35-year-old tightrope walker completed two high-wire
walks between Chicago skyscrapers breaking two world records. One for steepest
incline and another for highest walk blindfolded. What’s more, he has done it
without any safety net or a harness, despite wind which blowed around 40km/h at
that time.
It wasn’t the first time
when this daredevil, how he is often called, amazed people around the world. On
2008, Nick broke the world record for the highest and longest bike ride on a
high wire. He is also the first person who walked on wire directly over Niagara
fall (2012) and crossed the Great Canyon (2013). But how did this extraordinary hobby
start?
Let’s get back to year
1905. That year Nick’s great-grandfather Karl Wallenda was born in an old
circus family. As tradition said he started performing at the age of six. His
career quickened when in 1922 he created a wire group and toured with it around
Europe for several years. When one day a whole group fell off the wire
newspapers wrote: "The Wallendas fell so gracefully that it seemed as if they
were flying", which naturally created the group’s name The Flying Wallendas.
And that is the begging of the story. For years The Flying Wallendas were well
known around the world by its terrifying and amazing acts (done usually without
a net), such as their distinctive feature – the seven-person chair pyramid,
which was a world record at that time.
Despite great talent and
trained skills The Flying Wallendas had bad days as well. First, when in 1962
their seven-person chair pyramid collapsed resulting in 2 deaths and 2 serious
injures. It wasn’t a year later when another Wallendas troupe member died while
preforming the wire act and another in 1972… However, the acrobats continued
their acts and even repeated a seven-person chair pyramid a few times. When
Karl Wallendas was 73 he performed his last walk between the towers of Condado
Plaza Hotel, which was not completed. In the middle of the wire he fell off and died. In 2011
Nik Wallenda together with his mother successfully completed this walk.
Nowadays the family is separated
and chose different ways of living; however, most of them till this day have performed
high wire acts – traditionally as the Flying Wallendas and as Nick. What makes
this Wallendas business go on for so many years? In fact, according to Wallendas,
the circus business is dying. They try
to catch, as many opportunities as possible; however, because of special
effects in movies, blue screen etc. their acts are less and less valuable.
Personally I think that
nowadays circus art is becoming more and more commercialized. Everything is
changing and circus tricks as well. There are still some traditional shows,
which get well, for example Cirque de Soiles shows, but I’m sure it is getting
harder and harder to make ends meet for smaller circuses. I have noticed the tricks
are being adapted to the modern world. Producers redesign traditional equipment
and make it available for regular people. Some old circus acts are having their
2nd life. Let me show you some examples. Have you heard about the slack line?
What about all these fire shows? Do you know what powerisers are? I’m sure you
have seen it at least once.
Sources:
http://www.wallenda.com/
http://nikwallenda.com/
Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSQua5YqHEs#t=592
It's called highlining, and it's even more extreme than what Nik Wallenda did because, they're not using any kind of balance stick.
I wouldn't say that balance stick has anything to do with safe, but for sure it makes long walks on wire easier. They also use different type of wire, so probably it also changes a lot. That’s why I think it’s hard to compare it.
As I read about Wallendas in fact traditionally they try to do their tricks without safety harness or net, but it is not always possible. In one of the videos I watched Nik said that while walking over Niagara he was forced to have safety harness because TV requested it (otherwise they wouldn’t transmit it).
I agree , that circus business is dying. Nowadays circus shows seems to be a little trashy. In my opinion, they seem to be connected to village fairs. For me, they are like relicts on 90's.
And cirque du soleil has completely changed my approach. Few years ago I was only watching some crazy stuff on youtube, but this year I was happy enough to have a possibility of seeing them alive, that was amazing experience! Have you been on the live show?
But according to you movie it is just sick ! I feel such a uncertainty when I see this, omg :D Too much afraid of their lives :D In my opinion it's of course brave, but stupid at the same level :) In circus you have years to master a trick, and even though very often you have some safety belts. But here? ;) You can simply make a mistake that would cost you your life ;D
I also completely agree with Natalia about video… I wouldn’t say it’s smart, they risk a lot. It just doesn’t look well prepared.
I had the pleasure try once slackline, and it was ok. It required from me many skills to hold the position, but it was possible.
Apart from daredevil tricks I believe that circus is not a “dead art” at all. It requires lots of skill, finishing a circus school is very difficult actually and I would advice everybody to go to these kind of shows whenever they have the possibility.
He was walking on this line between two skyscrapers and talking with other people. It looks like it was something normal, casual for him, but he was doing something amazing at the time... I want to see something like that on real:D But never try to do that. Propably I couldn'd even stay on the edge on one of these skyscrapers.
I extra found some great photos of his walk over Niagara Falls.
http://piximus.net/others/nik-wallenda-walking-over-niagara-falls
I heard about slack line, do you mean something like that: http://youtu.be/U8v4_4eJaz4? It isn't something spectacular for me. But if I will have chance to try it... then why not:) really I don't think it is easy... Sylwia, did you try it? Or someone else?
I do not like what Nick Wallenda and his family is doing. I think it is too risky and I would never try it. However, I understand and respect that for him it is a way of life.
As I mentioned in one of comments I got such line on my last birthday, but what I can do it's only walk or stand on it for a while. It's not so easy as it look on the video (at least for me).
Slackline is not only to do such tricks. Depends on its width it can be use as regular line to highline walks. Check the link, which Tomasz Cz. put in his comment. These guys use slackline.
As you mentioned everyone might have a bad day and make a wrong decision
It is amazing that people put their own lives to do something that they like, what makes them happy.I think that these people should have nervs of steel and should be optimists. They like feeling adrenalin. This sport is for very confident people, who aren't in two minds about doing this.
when I watch this video It sent shivers up my spine.
I heard about slackline. here are rope courses being opened one by one in Poland. Slackline is becoming popular in our country. Maybe I will try this kind of sport.
I much more enjoy watching acrobatic tricks, because it's a show, so it has music and choreography. And when you think about this video, it's over 4 minutes showing a walking guy. Yes, in a very dangerous place, but still it's not quite entertaining for me, but it must have been thrilling to see it live.
For me making 6-yr old walk along a line is the same as making 6-yr old killing people - he's not able to see future consequences.
He probably won't join even an elementary school because of lifestyle of traveler. He won't be prepared to do anything else in his future life. Till the end he will be like circus animal - presenting what tricks he did learn.