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 around on either the inside or outside of the hoops the whole apparatus rotates. Performers also do balancing type skills with the wheel stationary.

The "Wheel of death" is said to have originated in America during the early 1930's and was also known as the "Space wheel". Some early versions were performed by a single artist and incorporated a counterbalance on the other end. Following fatal accidents the apparatus fell out of favour for a considerable time until it was re-introduced in the 1970s under the name "Wheel of Death". [cite web
url = http://www.sabungee.co.za/wheel.htm
title = The Wheel of Death
publisher = G. A. Bungee
accessdate = 2007-11-06] For its 2007 touring edition, Ringling Bros. started using the name "Wheel of Steel", as death was not seen as family friendly from a PR perspective. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/arts/30circ.html Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus - New York Times ] ]

Noted artists who have performed with the wheel include Elvin Bale. Claude Pinkellmann was the last person to die using the wheel, in November 1982. Henry Thompson and his wife Sondra performed the "Wheel of Death" in the 50's and 60's in various circus venues around the country, such as, Kelly Miller Bros., and Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. They also performed in Cuba in the 1950's during Castro's takeover. In 1962 they changed the name of the performance to " The Girl on the Flying Saucer".

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2007/07/19/hippodrome_july07_wheel_of_death_feature.shtml BBC Norfolk feature]
* [http://www.josecolecircus.com/photos/wheel.htm Article about "The Amazing Garcia" performing the wheel with the Jose Cole circus]

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