The Carrillos

High Wire

By Dominique Jando

Born in Cali, Colombia and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Pedro Carillo, Jr. is the son of the legendary high-wire artist Pedro Carillo. When he was eighteen, Pedro, Jr. began his professional circus career as a catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. for the Flying Españas. Two years later, he joined his father’s high-wire act. He continued his training, gradually acquiring his father’s outstanding skills as a wirewalker.

Tatiana Scetkovska was born in Dagupils, Latvia. She began training in circus acrobatics when she was thirteen, eventually becoming a highly skilled hand-balancer, contortionist, and aerialistAny acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc.. She and Pedro met while performing in Berlin. They decided to get together, and Tatiana began training on the high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire.. At the same time, she and Pedro worked on a trapeze act, taking advantage of both Pedro’s experience as a catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. and Tatiana’s experience as an aerialistAny acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc..

In 1995, Pedro and Tatiana married. They left Pedro Carillo, Sr.'s act and went on their own with their trapeze act and a new high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. act. Two years later, the duo grew into a trio with the addition of a partner, Capitolino Mitrovich Acevedo. A native of Bogota, Colombia, Capitolino was born into a family of wirewalkers. He made his debut on the high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. at age twelve. With the addition of Acevedo, the Carillos could do all of Pedro's father's tricks—and more. Among their more daring innovations was a rare high-wire somersault.

The Carillos have performed their high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. act all over the world, including a two-year engagement with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, a season with Circo Mundial in Spain, and another with the Big Apple Circus in New York and other U.S. cities. They were awarded a Silver Clown at the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo in 1991. Pedro appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for the greatest number of consecutive rope jumps on the high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire., with 780 jumps. In 2004, Pedro and Tatiana separated, and Tatiana left the act.

See also

• Biography: Pedro & Tatiana Carrillo
• Video: The Carrillos, High Wire, in the Big Apple Circus production of Carnevale (2003)