The trapeze was invented in the 18th century by Leotard,
the man who also invented the clothing worn on it, to which
he gives his name. For most of its life it has been a popular
attraction at travelling circuses. It is only recently that
it has gained immense popularity worldwide, as a leisure
pursuit, perhaps due to the same lust for an adrenaline
rush that has spurned interest in bungee jumping and sky
diving. Circuses as a whole had become increasingly common,
with enterprises such as Cirque du Soleil, found in Disney
World, and the Millennium Show in the London's Millenium
Dome relying heavily on circus performers and trapeze artists.
The flying trapeze has also found a market as an expensive
item to have at home. It is not an uncommon event in South
Africa for the richer citizens to be invited to 'trapeze
parties' where they will have a BBQ and fly on a trapeze
in their host's garden. Circus schools have opened worldwide
in major cities such as London. In the past two decades,
Club Med has introduced circus schools to many of its holiday
resorts worldwide. Trapeze at Club Med has become a tremendously
popular activity among the GMs, the guests, who have the
opportunity to practice and perform in weekly shows.
The
trapeze itself is basically a horizontal bar, suspended
by two vertical cables. Performers usually start by swinging
from their arms underneath the trapeze, but the possibility
for tricks is endless. They range from the relatively simple
knee-hang, where the performer hangs upside from their knees,
to more complex flips, and even being caught by someone
on another trapeze.
In this project, I will investigate some of the key principals
involved in the trapeze. On a simple level, the trapeze
is very similar to a playground swing, and as such can often
be modelled as a simple pendulum. The word 'simple' here
is misleading, as even though the motion of a pendulum is
quite easy to approximate, it is actually impossible to
analyse analytically.
The trapeze was invented in the 18th century by Leotard,
the man who also invented the clothing worn on it, to which
he gives his name. For most of its life it has been a popular
attraction at travelling circuses. It is only recently that
it has gained immense popularity worldwide, as a leisure
pursuit, perhaps due to the same lust for an adrenaline
rush that has spurned interest in bungee jumping and sky
diving. Circuses as a whole had become increasingly common,
with enterprises such as Cirque du Soleil, found in Disney
World, and the Millennium Show in the London's Millenium
Dome relying heavily on circus performers and trapeze artists.
The
trapeze itself is basically a horizontal bar, suspended
by two vertical cables. Performers usually start by swinging
from their arms underneath the trapeze, but the possibility
for tricks is endless. They range from the relatively simple
knee-hang, where the performer hangs upside from their knees,
to more complex flips, and even being caught by someone
on another trapeze.