The Flying Caceres

Flying Trapeze

By Dominique Jando

The Flying Caceres troupe, today headed by George Caceres (as of 2012), was created by Miguel Caceres in 1982 for the 112th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Born in Paz de Rio, Colombia on December 17, 1952, Miguel Caceres was the second child in a family of six children. His father was a miner, and his mother stayed at home to take care of her large brood. It was not an easy life, and when he was about thirteen years old, Miguel "ran away and joined the circus," as they say.

Miguel Caceres

Miguel 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) artist. His wife, Luz Guttierez, was born in La Dorada, Colombia on February 9, 1954; she was the daughter of a clownGeneric term for all clowns and augustes. '''Specific:''' In Europe, the elegant, whiteface character who plays the role of the straight man to the Auguste in a clown team., Rafael Guttierez, better known in Colombia as Cocoli. Together, Miguel and Luz went to the United States in 1976 on a contract with the Flying Segreras; at the time, Miguel was the first flyerAn acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard). to present both a triple and a triple-and-a-half somersaults in the same act (a difficult feat, since the difference of tempo between the two tricks can become quite confusing), and within a few months, they were hired by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The Flying Segreras, with Miguel as their main flyerAn acrobat that is propelled in the air, either in a flying act, or in an acrobatic act (i.e. teeterboard)., participated in the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo in 1977.

When Miguel's Flying Caceres own troupe was eventually put together in 1982, its original members were Miguel, Scott Osgood, Laura Rappa, and the catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. John Zimmerman. Later, Miguel's wife, Luz, their son George and their daughter Krizia would be part of the act. In 1983, Miguel Caceres returned to the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo; his troupe included his son, George, Alix Giutterez, and the catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. Manuel Zuniga. The Flying Caceres performed in the United States with both the Red and Blue units of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino (in both Reno and Las Vegas), with the Big Apple Circus for the PBS special, The Pops Join The Circus (on which occasion Dolly Jacobs joined the act), and with Bentley Bros. Circus, the Royal Hanneford Circus, Tarzan Zerbini Circus, Hamid Circus Royale, among many others.

The Flying Caceres have also been featured abroad with Circo Mundial in Spain, the Monumental Circo do Coliseu do Porto, in Portugal, Circo Atayde Hnos. in Mexico, and Circo Moscu in the Dominican Republic. They have participated in several circus festivals, including the Festival International du Cirque de Grenoble (France) in 2006—where George Caceres debuted his new "double-decker" Flying Caceres act, which mixes traditional flying (from trapeze to catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air.) with the original form, flying from trapeze to trapeze—both styles being performed on two superposed levels.

Enter George Caceres

George Caceres took over the destiny of The Flying Caceres in 2006, two years after his father retired from performing (he went on to train other flyers). Born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 9, 1978, George began training on the 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) at the age of four. One year later, in 1983, he was the youngest 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) artist ever to participate in the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, and at the age of ten, he became one of the youngest flyers ever to catch a triple somersault.

Before re-forming The Flying Caceres, George performed with different troupes and circuses around the world—notably with the French all-aerial show Les Arts-Sauts in Australia, Pop Circus in Japan, the Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth, England, and the Big Apple Circus in 2001, where he was part of The Jokers troupe. Then George built up his original and spectacular new act with his sister Krizia Carr, Elena Egorova, Colby Balch, and expert wire-walker Walter Guerrero, who helped him design the apparatus.

The new Flying Caceres became the featured attraction(Russian) A circus act that can occupy up to the entire second half of a circus performance. of the 140th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2010, with a troupe that included Tara Ogren, Erica Hause, Jessica Togni, Colby Balch, Ingrid Silva, and quadruple somersaulter Ivo Silva, Jr. After Feld Entertainment, Ringling's parent organization, revived the circus after a long hiatus in 2023, the Flying Caceres were back in the fold with a spectacular flying actAny aerial act in which an acrobat is propelled in the air from one point to another. performed in a cross, and featuring bar-to-barA flying trapeze act in which flyers leap from a trapeze to another, instead of from a trapeze to a catcher as is most commonly seen today. as well as traditional bar-to-catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air. flying .

See Also

• Video: The Flying Caceres, flying trapeze, at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)
• Video: The Flying Caceres, flying trapeze, at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
• Video: The Flying Caceres, flying act, at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (2012)
• Video: The Flying Caceres, flying act, at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (2023)