Tightrope walker

The tightrope walker is a Danseur, Acrobate and Funambule which evolves/moves on a Corde or a wire of brass tended above the ground. Its origin seems to go back to the Antiquité.

As of the establishment of the urban Fair S, the tightrope walker was one of principal attractions: he was going to draw up his Tréteau X on the public place and gave his exercises between the travelling merchant and the smooth talker. Helped of a Beam, it carried out steps of dance on a tightrope, tended to several meters of the ground. Victor Fournel quotes some examples of acrobats celebrated in France as of the 13th century, and reminds that the next century, as the chronicle testifies some to Christine de Pisan, Charles V appreciated a tightrope walker particularly called “the Robber”.

Among the famous families of the 18th century, those of Nicolet and Placide are most important, while with the next century, Miss Malaga and especially Mrs Saqui marked several generations of spectators.

If it is necessary to believe of it the description of Mayeur of Saint-Paul, the tightrope walkers had the reputation to be worrying men, with the mine patibulaire: “ If one did not know these people-there to be tightrope walkers of Nicolet, one would believe being in a wood in the middle of assassins when one meets them on the boulevards. Pants, long Levites, a broad coat, folded back hat, hair rolled up in plait, and a large knotty stick with the hand, here is the setting of these Sirs; to insult everyone, to make wrong to those which they owe, bacchanaler in all the wine merchants of the rampart, there saouler with gredins, here is their control ”.

However the perilous exercises to which they were delivered filled with wonder the crowd, which never missed an occasion to come to applaud them. The chronicle discussed thus on several occasions respective merits of the Ballet and Danse of cord, without being able to decide between one of the other, so much the second was popular. Its vogue ceased besides only with the appearance of the Cirque S organized, which integrated in their travelling troops the acrobats in all kinds.

A Fable of Florian

the Tightrope walker and the Beam

On the cord tended a young acrobat

Apprenoit to dance; and already its address,

Its feats of ingenuity, of flexibility,

Faisoient to come many spectator.

On its narrow way one sees it who advances,

the beam in hand, the free air, the body right,

Hardi, light as much as skilful;

It raised, goes down, goes, comes, higher springs,

Retombe, goes up in rate,

And, similar to certain birds

Which shave while stealing water surface,

Its foot touches, without it being seen,

With the cord which folds and in the air returns it.

Our young dancer, all to trust of his talent,

Says one day: what good is this heavy beam

Which tires me and embarrasses me?

If I dansois without him, I aurois much more grace,

Of force and lightness.

Aussitôt made that known as. The thrown beam,

Our thoughtless staggers, extends the arms, and fall.

It broke the nose, and everyone laughs at it.

Jeunes people, young people, weren't you said

That without rule and brake early or late one succumbs?

the virtue, the reason, the loix, the authority,

In your impetuous desires cause you some sorrow;

It is the beam which obstructs you,

But which makes your safety.

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