Final rehearsal for Circus Sarasota shows resolve after accident

Circus Sarasota officials and performer Nik Wallenda have all said “the show must go on,” and so it did Thursday with the final dress rehearsal before winter season performances begin Friday.

As his foot stepped back onto the safety of the perch after the last trick in his high-wire finale Thursday night, Wallenda embraced a fellow performer in an emotional moment.

The rehearsal underneath the big top at Nathan Benderson Park was the circus’ first performance since five members of the troupe, including two family members, fell at least 28 feet while practicing the eight-man pyramid stunt Wednesday. His aunt and sister were two of the injured, with his sister’s injuries being the most serious.

“We certainly had a rough day and a half here, certainly the roughest day of my life was yesterday afternoon. You know you always know there’s a possibility but you never realize it could become a reality. And yesterday at practice here, as all of you know, it became a reality. It makes you think about life for sure and how precious it is,” Wallenda said to the audience.

He was joined after the act by two performers who fell and were well enough to attend the performance. The wire, Wallenda said, was 28 feet high, and he pointed to the two men, calling them miracles as the crowd cheered. His parents were in the audience.

Wallenda gave reports on the other three injured: his aunt Rietta; his sister, Lijana; and another male performer. They are doing well, he said. Doctors told him each one should be able to walk out of the hospital, but they have a long road ahead of them.

Wallenda added that he got all their of their blessings to perform tonight, saying each one told him “absolutely we want you to do it.”

He walked over and hugged one of the injured men and pointed to the sky.

Circus Arts Conservatory co-founders Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs-Reis walked into the ring under the spotlight at the start of the show. They addressed briefly the tragedy that occurred during Wednesday’s practice. The conservatory owns and operates the circus.

The founders said their hearts are with the Wallenda family and the troupe.

“We wish them well and a full recovery,” Jacobs-Reis said. “At a time like this, you think of the circus people. We’re a breed of our own. ... These words popped into my mind that represented who we are. The tenacity, resilience, nobility, right? Dedication. We put our heart, soul and life into a five-minute act.”

Members of the circus community, friends and family were invited to attend Thursday’s rehearsal.

Al Dawley, who was in the audience, said he was a ringmaster for the Shrine Circus, and he can still recite his favorite introduction, but he has a special connection to the Wallendas. He said he was the ringmaster in a movie about the world-famous family.

Dawley said he heard about the fall, and it jogged a memory of his own time working in the industry.

“When I was announcing, I had a couple people fall. As a ringmaster you go on with the show,” Dawley said.

But for some who attended, the accident only cemented their presence in the stands as they showed support for fellow members of the circus community.

Jim and Dianne Martin said it’s their third year coming to Circus Sarasota.

“We come, not out of curiosity. We had planned to come long before we heard about yesterday,” Jim Martin said.

But when they heard about the fall, they wondered what they would see Thursday night.

“It doesn’t happen very often when they have this type of accident. But when it does, we all feel for them,” Dianne Martin said.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Final rehearsal for Circus Sarasota shows resolve after accident."