Tightrope walking is an extraordinary art that requires you to be half human and half cat. The artist should have a perfect sense of balance because the slightest mistake can cause serious injuries and accidents. Agility and slickness therefore is crucial if you want to perform incredible stunts on a thin rope.
The ancient Greeks and Romans already marveled at skillful tight-rope walkers that used their skill to entertain people. However, it became particularly popular in the last century when more and more artists tried to top each other by performing even more daring, riskier and more dangerous stunts. This competition still persists to this day. There are even whole families devoting themselves to performing acrobatics on a thin rope.
In order to give you an insight into the craziness of some tight-rope walkers, here are some insane records:
Nik Wallenda left the world speechless on 13 June, 2013, when he traversed the Grand Canyon (423m or 1389 feet) without any form of protection. His family has been in the tight-rope business for 7 generations.
Another famous tight rope walker is Charles Blondin who was the first human to cross the Niagara Falls on a rope in June, 1859.
Another famous example of tight-rope walker families is the Rudolfo Stey group, a family that has been performing this art since 1437.
And last but not least, I’m presenting you the Swiss Freddy Nock who walked across a 347m long rope 3500m above the ground in the Swiss Alps.
