High-wire act success on opening night of Circus Sarasota

For opening night of Circus Sarasota, the finale, a high-wire act featuring famed aerialist Nik Wallenda, went off without a hitch.

Friday night was the official first night of “Synergy,” Circus Sarasota’s winter season show, and Wallenda’s second time performing on the high wire since five performers fell and were injured practicing an eight-man pyramid stunt Wednesday. A dress rehearsal on Thursday night marked Wallenda’s return to the wire.

Just as he did Thursday, Wallenda addressed the full-house crowd gathered under the big top at Nathan Benderson Park Friday night, updating the crowd on the status of his injured colleagues.

“I always knew it was a possibility but never knew it could become a reality. And it did,” Wallenda said.

He also explained a lingering question for many: Why get back on the wire?

“What you have to understand is this is our passion. This isn’t a job to us, this is our life. My great-grandfather said, ‘Life is on the wire, everything else is just waiting.’ I can tell you I feel no greater peace than when I’m on that wire,” Wallenda said.

He added the group had been practicing the stunt for about two months up to eight times a day in training.

“Through tragedy we always say. ... I’ve said my entire life, the Wallendas continue on through triumph and tragedy,” Wallenda said.

Two performers who fell stood with him Friday, even performing, as Wallenda pointed out.

The other three injured, including his sister, Lijana, and aunt, Rietta, are still recovering in the hospital, Wallenda said. He continued to call all those recovering “miracles.”

True to his own motto, he encouraged the crowd to “never give up.”

As Wallenda and other circus leaders have said, “the show must go on,” and for the second night in a row, it has done just that. When he stepped off the high wire, Wallenda again embraced a fellow performer, this time he could be seen wiping tears from his eyes before he climbed down.

After the show, Wallenda and his troupe gathered at a table set up outside the big top to sign autographs for adoring fans who lined up for the chance to shake hands with the performers.

Nora and Ken Gross, who attended Friday’s performance, stayed shortly after the show to get their program signed, which Nora proudly showed off.

The high-wire act was the highlight of the show for the couple.

“I was surprised they even came out, I didn’t think they would,” Ken Gross said.

“You would have never known (about the fall), they were so professional,” Nora Gross said of the act.

Hearing from Wallenda at the end of the show helped Nora and Ken understand how the group got back on the wire so quickly. Nora called it a “heartwarming” speech.

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 10:48 PM with the headline "High-wire act success on opening night of Circus Sarasota."