Difference between revisions of "Melinda Merlier"

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Melinda Merlier was born Melinda Fölnagy in Tatá (Hungary) on September 1, 1968. She enrolled in Budapest’s State Circus School when she was ten. She had her formal schooling there, while training the rest of the time in all circus disciplines.  
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[[File:Olivier_et_Melinda_1991.jpg|Olivier & Melinda (1991)|thumb|left|250px|Olivier & Melinda (1991)]]Melinda Merlier was born Melinda Fölnagy in Tatá, Hungary, on September 1, 1968. When she was ten years old, she enrolled in Budapest’s State Circus School, where she received her formal schooling as well as her training in all circus disciplines.
  
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In 1985, she met a new French student who had just enrolled in the School, Olivier Merlier, and they began to work together on an acrobatic adagio. In April 1988, two months before their graduation, Olivier and Melinda also became partners in life, and married in Budapest. A few months later, they made their professional debut at the old Hansa Theater in Hamburg, Germany.
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In 1985, she met Olivier Merlier, a French student who had just enrolled in the school. Melinda and Olivier began to work together on an acrobatic adagio. In April 1988—two months before their graduation—Olivier and Melinda were married in Budapest. A few months later, they made their professional debut at the old Hansa Theater in Hamburg, Germany.
  
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In Janauary 1988, [[Olivier & Melinda]] presented their brand new act at the [[Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain]] in Paris; although they didn't win a medal, they caught the attention of the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s talent scouts, and were invited to join the circus's resident company in the United States. They debuted there in the Big Apple Circus summer tour production of 1989.
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===Big Apple Circus Years===
  
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Olivier & Melinda stayed at the Big Apple Circus until 1992, participating in company ensembles, performing their acrobatic adagio, and a teeterboard duet. They separated at the end of the 1992 summer tour, and Olivier returned to France.  
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In January 1988, [[Olivier & Melinda]] presented their brand-new act at the [[Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain]] in Paris. Although they didn't win a medal, they caught the attention of the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s talent scouts, who invited them to join the circus's resident company in the United States. A year later, they made their debut as part of the Big Apple Circus's summer tour.
  
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Melinda, a very versatile acrobat, remained in the Big Apple Circus's resident company until 1998, where she appeared in an amazing variety of acrobatic acts, from acrobatics to flying trapeze, contortion to dancing with elephants! She also became involved with a talented acrobat in the company, Carlos Guity.
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Olivier & Melinda stayed at the Big Apple Circus until 1992, participating in company ensembles. They performed their acrobatic adagio as well as a teeterboard duet. They separated at the end of the 1992 summer tour, Olivier returning to France. Melinda, a versatile acrobat, remained in the Big Apple Circus's resident company until 1998, appearing in an astonishing variety of acrobatic acts, from floor acrobatics to flying trapeze, contortion to dancing with elephants. During this period, she became romantically involved with a talented acrobat in the company, [[Carlos Guity]].
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After she left the Big Apple Circus, Melinda went on to work at Sea World, in Orlando, Florida. She was featured in an aerial tissu act with [[The Panteleenko Brothers|Maxim Panteleenko]] in [[Cesar Aedo]]’s ''The Flight of the Condor''. Meanwhile, Melinda had married Carlos Guity in June 2001. She left ''The Flight of the Condor'' to give birth to her son, Noah, in April 2002.
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Then, Melinda returned to Sea World, and was featured in another company with a web act, and later an aerial hoop act; she also worked as company manager. The show closed at the end of August 2008, and Melinda left after a five and a half years run.
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===Settling In America===
  
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Subsequently, Melinda went on to study massage therapy; she is also an ACE certified Personal Trainer and a Pilates instructor. Melinda, Carlos, and Noah live in Orlando, Florida.
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After leaving the Big Apple Circus, Melinda went on to work at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. She was featured in an aerial tissu act with [[The Panteleenko Brothers|Maxim Panteleenko]] in [[Cesar Aedo]]’s ''The Flight of the Condor''. Having married Carlos Guity in June 2001, she left ''The Flight of the Condor'' to give birth to her son, Noah, in April 2002.
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Melinda later returned to SeaWorld, where she performed a web act and an aerial hoop act in another show, for which she also worked as company manager. The show closed at the end of August 2008, after a five-and-a-half year run. Then, Melinda went on to study massage therapy. She is also an ACE certified personal trainer and a pilates instructor.
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Melinda, Carlos, and Noah currently reside in Orlando, Florida.
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
  
 
* Biography: [[Olivier & Melinda]]
 
* Biography: [[Olivier & Melinda]]
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* Video: [[Olivier_and_Melinda_BAC_Video_1989|Olivier & Melinda, Hand-to-hand duet]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Grandma Goes West'' (1989)
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* Video: [[Big_Apple_Circus_Comedy_Flying_Act_(1989)|Melinda Merlier, Comedy Flying Act]], with [[Les Casaly]] and [[Taso Stavrakis]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Grandma Goes West'' (1989)
 
* Video: [[Olivier_and_Melinda_BAC_Video_1990|Olivier & Melinda, Acrobatic Adagio and Teeterboard Act]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Ballerinas, Horses and Clowns...'' (1990)
 
* Video: [[Olivier_and_Melinda_BAC_Video_1990|Olivier & Melinda, Acrobatic Adagio and Teeterboard Act]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Ballerinas, Horses and Clowns...'' (1990)
 
* Video: [[Olivier_and_Melinda_BAC_1991_Video|Olivier & Melinda, Teeterboard Act]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Greetings from Coney Island'' (1991)
 
* Video: [[Olivier_and_Melinda_BAC_1991_Video|Olivier & Melinda, Teeterboard Act]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Greetings from Coney Island'' (1991)
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* Video: [[Bill_Woodcock_Elephants_and_BAC_Company_BAC_1996_Video|Acrobats and Elephants]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''The Medicine Show'' (1996)
 
* Video: [[Bill_Woodcock_Elephants_and_BAC_Company_BAC_1996_Video|Acrobats and Elephants]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''The Medicine Show'' (1996)
 
* Video: [[Bill_Woodcock_Elephants_BAC_1996_Video|Melinda Merlier and the Woodcock Elephants]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''The Medicine Show'' (1996)
 
* Video: [[Bill_Woodcock_Elephants_BAC_1996_Video|Melinda Merlier and the Woodcock Elephants]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''The Medicine Show'' (1996)
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* Video: [[Woodcock_Elephants_and_Acrobats_(1997)|Melinda Merlier and the Big Apple Circus Company with the Woodcock Elephants]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Twenty Years!'' (1997)
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* Video: [[Statue_Act_Video_BAC_(1997)|Melinda Merlier, Regina Dobrovitskaya, Carlos Guity & Julian Stachowski, Living Statue Act]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Twenty Years!'' (1997)
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==Image Gallery==
  
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[[Category:Artists and Acts|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Acrobats|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Teeterboard|Olivier & Melinda]][[Category:Aerialists|Merlier, Melinda]]
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<Gallery>
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File:Olivier_et_Melinda_1991.jpg|Olivier & Melinda (1991)
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</Gallery>
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[[Category:Artists and Acts|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Acrobats|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Teeterboard|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Hand-to-Hand Balancing|Merlier, Melinda]][[Category:Aerialists|Merlier, Melinda]]

Latest revision as of 18:48, 11 June 2014

Acrobat, Aerialist

By Dominique Jando


Olivier & Melinda (1991)
Melinda Merlier was born Melinda Fölnagy in Tatá, Hungary, on September 1, 1968. When she was ten years old, she enrolled in Budapest’s State Circus School, where she received her formal schooling as well as her training in all circus disciplines.

In 1985, she met Olivier Merlier, a French student who had just enrolled in the school. Melinda and Olivier began to work together on an acrobatic adagioAcrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.. In April 1988—two months before their graduation—Olivier and Melinda were married in Budapest. A few months later, they made their professional debut at the old Hansa Theater in Hamburg, Germany.

Big Apple Circus Years

In January 1988, Olivier & Melinda presented their brand-new act at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris. Although they didn't win a medal, they caught the attention of the Big Apple Circus's talent scouts, who invited them to join the circus's resident company in the United States. A year later, they made their debut as part of the Big Apple Circus's summer tour.

Olivier & Melinda stayed at the Big Apple Circus until 1992, participating in company ensembles. They performed their acrobatic adagioAcrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood. as well as a teeterboardA seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air. duet. They separated at the end of the 1992 summer tour, Olivier returning to France. Melinda, a versatile acrobat, remained in the Big Apple Circus's resident company until 1998, appearing in an astonishing variety of acrobatic acts, from floor acrobatics to 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), contortion to dancing with elephants. During this period, she became romantically involved with a talented acrobat in the company, Carlos Guity.

Settling In America

After leaving the Big Apple Circus, Melinda went on to work at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. She was featured in an aerial tissu(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks) act with Maxim Panteleenko in Cesar Aedo’s The Flight of the Condor. Having married Carlos Guity in June 2001, she left The Flight of the Condor to give birth to her son, Noah, in April 2002.

Melinda later returned to SeaWorld, where she performed a web act and an aerial hoopA heavy metallic hoop used as a variance of trapeze, usually with contortion moves. (Also called Cerceau.) act in another show, for which she also worked as company manager. The show closed at the end of August 2008, after a five-and-a-half year run. Then, Melinda went on to study massage therapy. She is also an ACE certified personal trainer and a pilates instructor.

Melinda, Carlos, and Noah currently reside in Orlando, Florida.

See Also

Image Gallery

  • Olivier & Melinda (1991)

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