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==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
  
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===THE FALTYNY FAMILY===
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===GENE MENDEZ===
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[[File:The_Faltyny_Troupe_(2014).jpeg|right|400px]]
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Faltyny is a household name in the Czech circus world. The Faltyny family’s real name is Faltynek (plural: Faltynkovi), and they trace their roots to an old circus family from South Moravia. Its story began in the familiar fashion common to many circus families: In the late nineteenth century, in the small village of Kladky, some one-hundred kilometers north of Brno, the son of the miller Faltynek ran away with a troupe of itinerant acrobats for the love of a beautiful wire dancer.
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Young Faltynek had fallen in love with the daughter of an acrobat named Flaks, who had visited the village with his family’s acrobatic troupe. The Flakses were traveling entertainers who performed outdoors on village squares and at local fairs. The lovely Miss Flaks had a slack wire act, with which she captured the heart of the miller’s son: Faltynek left his village and his family, and joined the troupe, married Miss Flaks, and eventually developed his own tight wire act.
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Gene Mendez (1937-1993) is a legendary figure among high wire artists, a talented and fearless performer who helped popularize the style of the solo “daredevil” high-wire artist—as opposed to the often slow-moving high wire troupes that were the norm until the early 1970s. Energetic, nimble, with a wonderful “Latino” temperament, he worked without a balancing pole and without a net, in the manner of low wire artists such as Con Colleano.
  
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The Faltynkovi had a son, Vojtěch (1904-1988), who became a foot juggler; in time, Vojtěch married another circus performer, Fanny Kockova. They had their own small traveling outfit with which they performed outdoors, touring Moravia and Slovakia. Vojtěch and Fanny had eight children, four boys and four girls. Their second son, Frantisek (November 15, 1931-November 7, 2003), originated the present Faltynek (Faltyny) circus line.... ([[Faltyny Family|more...]])
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He was born Giner E. Mendez in 1937 in Moca, in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, when Gene was still a child. He wanted to be a circus artist; it was not just a vague childhood dream: As a teenager, he began to train seriously in gymnastics (notably on the horizontal bars) and did some bodybuilding. In 1951, after seeing Harold Alzana in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily show at Madison Square Garden in New York, Gene began self-training in wire walking… in his mother’s apartment! He quickly developed a talent for the craft, and eventually participated in a televised talent show in Philadelphia, where Karl Wallenda noticed him.... ([[Gene Mendez|more...]])
  
 
==New Biographies==
 
==New Biographies==

Revision as of 00:06, 1 November 2016

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Circopedia is a project of the Big Apple Circus,
inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

In The Spotlight

GENE MENDEZ

Gene Mendez (1937-1993) is a legendary figure among high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. artists, a talented and fearless performer who helped popularize the style of the solo “daredevil” high-wire artist—as opposed to the often slow-moving high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. troupes that were the norm until the early 1970s. Energetic, nimble, with a wonderful “Latino” temperament, he worked without a balancing pole and without a net, in the manner of low 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: Tight Wire) artists such as Con Colleano.

He was born Giner E. Mendez in 1937 in Moca, in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, when Gene was still a child. He wanted to be a circus artist; it was not just a vague childhood dream: As a teenager, he began to train seriously in gymnastics (notably on the horizontal bars) and did some bodybuilding. In 1951, after seeing Harold Alzana in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily show at Madison Square Garden in New York, Gene began self-training in wire walking… in his mother’s apartment! He quickly developed a talent for the craft, and eventually participated in a televised talent show in Philadelphia, where Karl Wallenda noticed him.... (more...)

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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
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