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THE ARATAS
The Aratas performed a truly original and outstanding tight wireA tight, light metallic cable, placed between two platforms not very far from the ground, on which a wire dancer perform dance steps, and acrobatic exercises such as somersaults. (Also: Low Wire) act, which was very successful in Europe in the 1960s and early 1970s. The act originated in 1957 as a trio, with Anna Arata, and her younger brothers, Billy and Vittorio. At that time, Anna performed an amazing wire crossing with her brother Billy, who was head-balancing on her head. Following Anna’s retiring from the act in 1962, Vittorio and Billy continued to work as a duet (and continued to perform together Anna’s original head-to-head balancing trickAny specific exercise in a circus act.).
The Aratas came from a large Italian circus family that originated in the late nineteenth century. Its founder, Amedeo Arata (c.1872-1947), was a strongman from Massa Carrara who worked on the fairgrounds. Amedeo married Claudia Rizzoli, a Bolognese tight-wire dancer, and together they created the Circo Tea Arata, which remained active until 1943. Amedeo and Claudia had five children: Alfredo, Elena, Fanny, Violetta, and Guido. Guido (1911-?) married Cleofe Denji, who came from another Italian circus family, and together they had three children, Anna (b. January 5, 1940), Vittorio (b. January 26, 1942), and Francesco, known as Billy (February 23, 1946- April 25, 2004).
Circo Tea Arata was not prosperous enough to support such a large family, especially after the siblings had reached adulthood. Guido, his wife and their children left the family cocoon and, in the mid-1950s, went on to work with Circus Medrano-Swoboda in Austria, where Guido presented a perch-poleLong perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures. act with his daughter Anna. It was the final years of the famous Austrian circus (before it went bankrupt and became an Italian circus), and the Aratas returned to their country, where they worked for a time with Circo Gerardi. Meanwhile, Guido began to put together a low-wire act for his children. (more...)
New Biographies
- The Faltyny Family, Acrobats, Unicyclists
- The Aratas, Tight Wire Artists
- Foottit et Chocolat, Clowns
- Rose Gold, Aerialist
- Cirque Prin, History
New Videos
- Les Castors, Icarists (1971)
- Erdene Nerguy Troupe, Acrobats (2015)
- Sergey Volkov & Xeniya Elkina, Aerial Chains (2015)
- The 7 Lukacs, Teeterboard (1955)
- Duo Amazons, Double Trapeze (2015)
Featured Oral Histories
- Oleg Popov, Russian Television Feature (2014)
- Albert Fratellini, French Television Interview (1957)
- Nikolai Pavlenko, tiger trainer - Interview (RIA Novosti, 2012)
- Alberto Zoppé, Equestrian - Interview (McCutcheon & Distasio, 2003)
- Olivier Taquin, Mime - Interview (Jando, 2008)
A Message from the Editor
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. So keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.
- Dominique Jando
- Editor/Curator
