Flying Trapeze

trapezgarcon.thm (3076 bytes) The Flying Trapeze

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November 12 1859: In Paris, the first flying trapeze act was performed by Jules Leotard ,French acrobat (1838-70) ,at the Cirque Napoleon without a safety net. The body-hugging costume he used was later named after him.

The flying trapeze is a very common act in many circus shows. The best flyers make their tricks look easy as they fly 50 feet above the air with only a net to save them.. The art of the flying trapeze is a very hard art to learn and perfect. Just the "basic swing" on the trapeze can take months of practice to perfect.

Here are some of the easiest tricks for beginners:

Knee-hang:

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	Hop off the board,
	hook your knees on the bar,
	drop your hands and
	arch your back.

Bird nest :

	put your feet under the bar
	arch your back

Pull-over:

	Pull your legs over the bar
	Push with your arms and straighten your body to 45 degree angle

Planch:

	same position than for the knee-hang but the bar must be a bit higher, on your thighs
	arch and straighten your legs

Split:

	one foot on the bar in between your hands,the other one straight up
	straighten your bent leg so it's off the bar
	arch your back

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