Yep awesome… I first saw a trapeze artist head balancing on a trapeze in the pages of a vintage circus book but then in September of this year at Piccadilly Circus Circus, I saw this rarest of acts in the flesh. José Valencia, an artist from Circolombia was head balancing – whilst juggling hoops in his hands and spinning hoops on his feet!?!
I learned that a special trapeze is used for this particular balance and it’s called a Washington Trapeze.
The Washington Trapeze (also known as a heavy trapeze or a head trapeze) is usually weightier than a regular trapeze with a small circular headstand platform of about four inches round situated in the middle of the trapeze bar. The trapeze artist can then perform their head balancing skills on this platform.
This trapeze tends to be supported by wire cables rather than ropes, and it will often be lifted and lowered during a performance.
The benefit to all this upside-down balancing – as well as drawing a crowd – is that it apparently gives your skin a radiant, youthful glow nourishing the cells in the face, muscles and skin and helping to keep you looking ageless for longer. I may have to give this a go myself (Skipping the juggling and foot spinning bit) after I master my ‘Planche’ of course. So it could take a while at least all of 2013 and 2014… Happy New Year to you all!
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