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MARYSE BEGARY
Born on February 20, 1926 in Paris, France, the daughter of a baker, Andrée "Maryse" Begary (1926-2007) was one of the most accomplished and celebrated aerialists of her day, famous for her exceptional handstand on the trapeze bar—which she could hold for more than one minute—and her spectacular series of rotating one-arm planges (also known as "dislocations"), with which she emulated her idol, Lillian Leitzel (1892-1921). Young Andrée started training on the trapeze on her doctor’s recommendation, to improve a poor health condition. She became apprentice to a celebrated gymnast on horizontal bars, Nicolas Marcoud, who had a successful career with the Marcoud-Banola Troupe. Andrée adopted his name (as was the tradition then, in the circus, when a young performer had apprenticed to a famous master) when she started her performing career. Thus, under the name of Andrée Marcoud, she made her professional debut at Paris’s Cirque Medrano on April 14, 1939; she was thirteen years old.... (more...)
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CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding encyclopedia of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow!
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Aerialist: Any acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.Cloud Swing: The ancestor of the trapeze: a slack rope hanging from both ends, used as an aerial swinging apparatus. The addition of a bar in the middle led to the creation of the trapeze.Clown: Generic term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team.Flying Trapeze: Aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze)Hand-to-Hand: An acrobatic act in which one or more acrobats do hand-balancing in the hands of an under-stander.Plange: (From the French, ''planche'') Acrobatic figure in which one's body is held in a straight horizontal position.Russian Barre: Flexible pole, held horizontally by two catchers, or under-standers, with which they propelled a flyer in acrobatic figures from and to the Barre.Short-Distance: (Flying Trapeze) A flying act in which the catcher is in a static cradle, limiting the swing motion to the flyer only. Generally performed on a standing apparatus, above a safety mat.Spanish Web: A vertical rope, or corde lisse, covered with fabric.Trick: Any specific exercise in a circus act.Under-Stander: In an acrobatic act, the person who is at the base, supporting other acrobats (for example, the base of a human pyramid). Also known as the "bottom Man" (or "Bottom Woman").
