Working without a net Flying Wallendas defy death
BY MARGARET CARROLL-BERGMAN INDEPENDENT EDITOR

PHOTO BY ROB BENCHLEY The Wallenda family works without a net and performs daredevil stunts that will leave you breathless.

Tino Wallenda believes in God and he believes in working without a net. Wallenda, 57, is the head of the legendary Flying Wallendas, a high wire act that is coming to the island this weekend with Circus Flora.

Wallenda walks on a cable that is 5/8 inches thick, at a height of 30 to 35 feet, between two posts that are usually 30 feet apart.

Born in the United States, Wallenda is the sixth generation to perform the tightrope act. He started at the age of seven, and his granddaughter, Isabella, who is six years old, is already walking across the wire.

Wallenda's parents first came to the United States from Germany in 1928 and performed with Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden.

"It's been our tradition to work without a net. Working with a net gives you a false sense of security," said Wallenda. "You don't train as much as you should. You don't have all your ducks in a row. You take a greater risk."

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLYING WALLENDAS The Wallenda Family, Olinka, Andrea, Alex, Aurelia, Alida, and Tino

Wallenda has witnessed three tightrope walkers fall to their death when they either missed or bounced out of the net.

"The net is used to appease the audience," he said.

Three of Wallenda's four children are featured in the family act.

Alida, the oldest daughter, has been performing with her parents since she was eight years old. Aurelia, the youngest daughter, began her career at the age of four, when she substituted for her mother, Olinka, in the wire act. Olinka was pregnant at the time with Alex, who first walked across the wire when he was seven years old.

Daughter Andrea retired from the business.

"We retired her from the act. She became afraid," said Wallenda.

Fear of heights?

"I am not going to say I don't have a great appreciation of heights," said Wallenda. "I would have the same fear you would have standing on the edge of the Empire State Building. It is not an issue about fear of heights. When I am on an airplane, I am not afraid. There is a great deal of comfort and yet, I am much higher than any high wire. It's about being comfortable in the environment."

It is not as easy as it looks. Alex Wallenda has been performing since he was six years old, but practicing almost every day of his life. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLYING WALLENDAS

Virtually anyone can walk a tightrope, assured Wallenda.

"There is no secret. It's a lot of hard work and rehearsal. Anyone can do it if they are willing to put the time in. Some people can be better at it than others."

And, the Flying Wallendas appear to be better at it than most.

Wallenda first stepped on the wire when his grandfather Karl put a balance-pole in his hands, taught him how to place his feet and control his body and where to focus his eyes.

After touring with the Great Wallendas troupe, learning from his grandfather and engineering many of the riggings for his grandfather's famous sky walks, he met his wife Olinka, a sixth generation performer and a native of Czechoslovakia, and established his own act.

Wallenda's grandfather performed until age 73, when he fell to his death, while attempting to walk on a wire stretched 121 feet above the pavement between the two towers of the 10-story Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"My grandfather at 73 was still going strong. He still kept in shape. It is mostly attitude as opposed to anything else," said Wallenda.

This year the Wallendas are bringing back the four-person pyramid, a stunt which is more difficult to execute than the sevenperson pyramid, according to Wallenda.

"It is the trick my family was doing when my grandparents first performed in Madison Square Garden," said Wallenda. "We have done a seven-person pyramid, but the four-person pyramid is more intense and more difficult and less appreciated."

Circus life in America has changed over the years as performers are independent contractors, rather than members of a traveling show.

"It's not alluring like when I was a kid," said Wallenda of circus life. "It's not as glamorous. It's cleaning up after the animals. It's a few minutes in front of the audience, traveling and breaking down equipment. For most people, it's not worth it for those few minutes in front of an audience."

There are a number of performers who are American born, but mostly they are the children of European performers, who work in the circus.

"The circus in America is relatively new, when compared to Europe," said Wallenda.

The family bond is strong with these high wire performers, where life and death are separated by a split second.

"What is our common denominator, beyond being a family? Survival," said Wallenda. "It's of great importance how you get along with your family and trusting each other."

When the Wallendas are not on the wire performing their daredevil act, they make their home in Sarasota, Florida.

"There is nothing else I would like to do," said Wallenda. "In the winter, our whole family works as stage hands in the theater, yet we still go through our routines and walk the tightropes."

Circus Flora is sponsored by the Nantucket Atheneum, with a fundraising dinner on Friday, July 25 and a fundraising breakfast and performance on Saturday, July 26, followed by performances for the general public this Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Tom Nevers Field, rain or shine. Contact the box office at the Atheneum on 1 India Street. For more information about the fundraising events or the circus, contact the Atheneum at 228- 1110. I