Posted 8/18/2006 2:27:49 PM by Ed Limbach
News from James Cole viewed 2496 times
Friday, August 18, 2006 - Peru, IN
Circus City Festival's "Fire of the Phoenix" flying trapeze act favorite of former trapeze great.
Left to right, Top: Cameron Cooper, Trainer-Bill Anderson, David Christensen, Kenny O'Brien. Front: Chelsie Day, Tori Bakehorn, Tony Steele, Molly Baldwin, Hanna Brunner
July 21,2006.... Tony Steele, the first flying trapeze artist in history to complete the three and a half somersault (Sept. 28, 1962, Durango, Mexico), was a recent guest at the Peru Indiana, Amateur Youth Circus. At the youthful age of 70, Tony stays fit by still working out on the trapeze rigging at his Florida home. His love and dedication to the trapeze is never ending, and Tony is the first to acknowledge other great trapeze flyers such as Tito Gaona, Miguel Vasquez, Fay Alexander and Peru's own Brian Miser.
At age 15, Tony traveled from his home in Boston to the Gainesville (Texas) Community Circus (one of America's first youth circuses) to begin perfecting his life long love affair with the trapeze. It wasn't long before he was hired by the Gil Gray Circus to perform a single trapeze act. The rest is pure circus history. Tony expanded his aerial skills to become one of the world's most celebrated flying trapeze artists. He has traveled and performed world wide, being featured on nearly every major circus. He also wrote a book, "The ABCs of Flying Trapeze".
Tony was extremely honored to have been invited to Peru for the annual Circus City Festival, and was very impressed with the entire youth circus. However it was not difficult to tell that the "Fire of the Phoenix" Flying trapeze act was his favorite.
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