Nik Wallenda
Encyclopedia
Nikolas Wallenda, known as Nik Wallenda born January 24, 1979 is an American
high wire artist
, acrobat
, daredevil
and Guinness Book of Records world record
-holder. A direct descendant of Karl Wallenda
(founder of the The Flying Wallendas
), Nik is known for performing death-defying stunts on highwire without a safety net. On October 15, 2008, during a live broadcast of Today, Wallenda walked and then bicycled across a suspended highwire 13 and 1/2 stories
above the ground off the roof of the Prudential Center in Downtown Newark
, New Jersey
for a Guinness Book of Records world record
for longest and highest bicycle on a highwire.
, began performing with his family at an early age. As the seventh generation of the Wallenda Family, he first performed at the age of two (dressed as a clown), began walking the wire at age 4 and had his first professional wire performance at 13. In 1998, while 19 years old, he participated in the re-creation of Karl Wallenda's seven-person pyramid on the highwire in Detroit, Michigan
by his father Terry and mother Delilah and decided to make a career of it.
, Canada
before a packed house of 18,000 people.
Wallenda and his wife own and operate Wallendas Inc., a premier entertainment company that produces thrill shows around the world. They also have three children - Yanni, Amadaos and Evita.
for an eight-person pyramid on the high wire—a feat practiced intensely for over five months. He cited his great-grandfather Karl Wallenda as his primary inspiration for the stunt, stating, "It was a landmark experience for our profession, as well as our family and me personally."
In recent years, he has developed many broad scale productions for amusement parks and similar venues all over the world, including water stunts, diving and other daredevil exploits, often featuring him and his wife. They have worked with their respective families on acts including sway poles, the highwire, skywalks
, the wheel of death
, incline motorcycles, silks, lyras
, the cloud swing
, motorcycles in a cage
, and even a dog act.
In 2007 and 2008, Wallenda was a featured performer in the Ringling Brothers' production Bellobration, performing with Bello Nock
on a newly contrived, double version of the Wheel of Steel. The double wheel of steel was invented, designed, and constructed by Wallenda and Nock.
On June 4, 2011, he completed a high-wire crossing between the two towers of the ten-story Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico
, on a wire stretched 37 metres (121 ft) above the pavement; this was the crossing that killed his great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda
. The younger Wallenda cited the pioneer as his "biggest hero in life".
on high wire. He has already secured the permits.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
high wire artist
Tightrope walking
Tightrope walking is the art of walking along a thin wire or rope, usually at a great height. One or more artists performs in front of an audience or as a publicity stunt...
, acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
, daredevil
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
and Guinness Book of Records world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
-holder. A direct descendant of Karl Wallenda
Karl Wallenda
Karl Wallenda was the founder of The Flying Wallendas, an internationally known daredevil circus act famous for performing death-defying stunts without a safety net.-Personal life:...
(founder of the The Flying Wallendas
The Flying Wallendas
The Flying Wallendas is the name of a circus act and daredevil stunt performers, most known for performing highwire acts without a safety net. They were first known as The Great Wallendas, but the current name was coined by the press in the 40s and has stayed since...
), Nik is known for performing death-defying stunts on highwire without a safety net. On October 15, 2008, during a live broadcast of Today, Wallenda walked and then bicycled across a suspended highwire 13 and 1/2 stories
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
above the ground off the roof of the Prudential Center in Downtown Newark
Downtown Newark
Downtown Newark is Newark, New Jersey's major central business, retail, and cultural district. It is located at a bend in the Passaic River.Downtown is the site of the original Puritan settlement of Newark. The first settlers, led by Robert Treat, landed not far from the present site of the New...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
for a Guinness Book of Records world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for longest and highest bicycle on a highwire.
Early life
Wallenda, born in Sarasota, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, began performing with his family at an early age. As the seventh generation of the Wallenda Family, he first performed at the age of two (dressed as a clown), began walking the wire at age 4 and had his first professional wire performance at 13. In 1998, while 19 years old, he participated in the re-creation of Karl Wallenda's seven-person pyramid on the highwire in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
by his father Terry and mother Delilah and decided to make a career of it.
Personal life
In 1999, Wallenda proposed to his future wife Erendira, on bended knee on a wire 30 feet high during a performance in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
before a packed house of 18,000 people.
Wallenda and his wife own and operate Wallendas Inc., a premier entertainment company that produces thrill shows around the world. They also have three children - Yanni, Amadaos and Evita.
Career
Upon establishing himself as a highwire entertainer, Wallenda continued to perform with his family and eventually convinced them to attempt their next monumental feat. In 2001, he appeared at Japan's Kurashiki Tivoli Park in a family troupe that set the Guinness World RecordWorld record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for an eight-person pyramid on the high wire—a feat practiced intensely for over five months. He cited his great-grandfather Karl Wallenda as his primary inspiration for the stunt, stating, "It was a landmark experience for our profession, as well as our family and me personally."
In recent years, he has developed many broad scale productions for amusement parks and similar venues all over the world, including water stunts, diving and other daredevil exploits, often featuring him and his wife. They have worked with their respective families on acts including sway poles, the highwire, skywalks
Tightrope walking
Tightrope walking is the art of walking along a thin wire or rope, usually at a great height. One or more artists performs in front of an audience or as a publicity stunt...
, the wheel of death
Wheel of death (Space wheel)
The Wheel of Death, in the context of acrobatic circus arts, is a large rotating apparatus on which performers carry out synchronized acrobatic skills. The "wheel" is actually a large space frame beam with hooped tracks at either end, within which the performers can stand. As the performers run...
, incline motorcycles, silks, lyras
Aerial Hoop
The aerial hoop is a circular steel apparatus suspended from the ceiling, on which circus artists may perform aerial acrobatics. The hoop sometimes has a hand loop and a bar across the top...
, the cloud swing
Cloud swing
The cloud swing is an aerial act that usually combines static and swinging trapeze skills, drops, holds and rebound lifts....
, motorcycles in a cage
Globe of death
The globe of death is a circus and carnival stunt where as many as seven performers ride motorcycles inside a mesh sphere simultaneously. It is similar to the wall of death, but in this act riders can loop vertically as well as horizontally. There have been three performance related deaths...
, and even a dog act.
In 2007 and 2008, Wallenda was a featured performer in the Ringling Brothers' production Bellobration, performing with Bello Nock
Bello Nock
Bello Nock , usually known simply as "Bello", is a clown performed by Demetrius Alexandro Claudio Amadeus Bello Nock. A performer for three years with the one-ring Big Apple Circus early in his career, he later joined the Ringling Bros...
on a newly contrived, double version of the Wheel of Steel. The double wheel of steel was invented, designed, and constructed by Wallenda and Nock.
On June 4, 2011, he completed a high-wire crossing between the two towers of the ten-story Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, on a wire stretched 37 metres (121 ft) above the pavement; this was the crossing that killed his great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda
Karl Wallenda
Karl Wallenda was the founder of The Flying Wallendas, an internationally known daredevil circus act famous for performing death-defying stunts without a safety net.-Personal life:...
. The younger Wallenda cited the pioneer as his "biggest hero in life".
Future plans
Wallenda intends to honor the memory of his great-grandfather Karl, and walk across the Grand CanyonGrand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
on high wire. He has already secured the permits.