Difference between revisions of "Olivier and Melinda"

Revision as of 19:03, 15 January 2009

Acrobatic Adagio

By Dominique Jando

Olivier Merlier was born in Valenciennes, France, and was not at first destined to become a circus artist: He worked as a welder on nuclear plant construction(French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction." sites, and, in his spare time, practiced kickboxing and karate. While visiting his sister who was studying at the State Circus School of Budapest, Hungary, he was asked by the School to organize a workshop in kickboxing for the students.

The teachers at the school were impressed enough by Olivier's strength and flexibility to propose him to enroll in the school. Since it was more fun than welding on construction(French) A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction." sites, Olivier accepted. Thus, in 1985, he began to train in all classic circus disciplines, to learn Hungarian, and to pay attention to another student, Melinda Fölnagy.

Olivier and Melinda started working together on an acrobatic adagioAcrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood.. In April 1988, two months before their graduation, Olivier and Melinda also became partners in life, when they married in Budapest. A few months later, they made their professional debut at the old Hansa Theater in Hamburg, Germany.

In Janauary 1988, Olivier & Melinda presented their brand new act at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain; they didn't win a medal, but caught the attention of the Big Apple Circus's talent scouts, and were invited to join the circus's resident company in the United States. They debuted there in the Big Apple Circus summer tour production of 1989.

Olivier & Melinda participated in company ensembles, performed their acrobatic adagioAcrobatic act, generally involving a man and a woman, presented in a slow or romantic mood., and created a teeterboardA seesaw made of wood, or fiberglass poles tied together, which is used to propel acrobats in the air. duet at the Big Apple Circus until 1992. At the end of the the 1992 summer tour, they separated. Olivier returned to France, where he became a flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. in the groundbreaking and very successful aerial show, Les Arts-Sauts. Melinda, a very versatile acrobat, remained in the Big Apple Circus resident company until 1998, where she appeared in an amazing variety of acrobatic acts, before embarking on a career of her own.

See Also

• Video: Olivier & Melinda, Teeterboard Act in the Big Apple Circus production of Greetings from Coney Island (1991)