Flying Trapeze

Discipline where a flyer leaps from one swinging trapeze to another, catching either the bar or the wrists of another aerialist. Famously invented by one of circus' ancient superstars, Jules Leotard, flying trapeze has been around for 150 years and is a nearly pure skill – one where the difficulty of the tricks is paramount – and the history of the discipline can be traced by the milestones of such and such a number of turns of this somersault or that pirouette. It's not that common in a contemporary circus context for this reason, and because there are few theatres long enough to accommodate the rig. A couple of notable exceptions are NoFit State Circus, who've used a petit volant (miniature flying trapeze) in their tented shows, and the French company Les Arts Sauts, who made flying their speciality until they disbanded in 2007 (several of the members reforming a few years later as CirkVOST).

a.k.a.: Petit Volant, Grand Volant