Difference between revisions of "The Flying Caceres"

Revision as of 05:04, 21 July 2011

Flying Trapeze

By Dominique Jando

The Flying Caceres troupe was created by Miguel Caceres in 1982 for the 112th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Born in Paz de Rio, Colombia on December 17, 1952, Miguel Caceres was the second child in a family of six children. His father was a miner, and his mother stayed at home to take care of her large brood. It was not an easy life, and when he was about thirteen years old, Miguel "ran away and joined the circus," as they say.

Miguel became a flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) artist. His wife, Luz Guttierez, was born in La Dorada, Colombia on February 9, 1954; she was the daughter of Rafael Guttierez, a famous Colombian clown known as Cocoli. Together, they went to the United States in 1976 on a contract with the Flying Segreras; at the time, Miguel was the first flyerAn acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard). to present both a triple and a triple-and-a-half somersaults in the same act (a difficult feat, since the difference of tempo between the two tricks can become quite confusing), and within a few months, the troupe was hired by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

When Miguel's Flying Caceres troupe was eventually put together in 1982, its members were, beside Miguel, his wife, Luz; their son, George; and their daughter, Krizia. The catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. was Jesús Segrera, formerly of the Flying Segreras. The troupe performed in the United States with both the Red and Blue units of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino (in both Reno and Las Vegas), with the Big Apple Circus for the PBS special, The Pops Join The Circus (on which occasion Dolly Jacobs joined the act), and with Bentley Bros. Circus, the Royal Hanneford Circus, and Hamid Circus Royale.

The Flying Caceres have also been featured abroad with Circo Monumental and Circo Mundial in Spain, the Coliseu de Recreiros in Porto (Portugal), Circo Atayde Hnos. in Mexico, and Circo Moscu in the Dominican Republic. They have participated in several circus festivals, including the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, and the Festival International du Cirque de Grenoble (France) in 2006—where George Caceres debuted his new "double-decker" Flying Caceres act, which mixes traditional flying (from trapeze to catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.) with the original form, flying from trapeze to trapeze—both styles being performed on two superposed levels.

Enter George Caceres

George Caceres took over the destiny of The Flying Caceres in 2006, two years after his father retired from performing (he went on to train other flyers). Born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 9, 1978, George began training on the flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) at the age of four. One year later, in 1983, he was the youngest flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) artist ever to participate in the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, and at the age of ten, he became one of the youngest flyers ever to catch a triple somersault.

George performed with different troupes and circuses around the world before re-forming The Flying Caceres—notably with the French all-aerial show Les Arts-Sauts in Australia, Pop Circus in Japan, and the Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth, England. Back to the United States, George built up his original and spectacular new act with Tara Ogren, Erica Hause, Jessica Togni, Colby Balch Ingrid Silva, and quadruple somersaulter Ivo Silva, Jr. Then, following in his father’s footsteps, George’s new Flying Caceres became the featured attraction(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance. of the 140th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2010.

See Also

• Video: The Flying Caceres, flying trapeze at the Big Apple Circus (1985)