Nikolas Wallenda, known as Nik Wallenda born January 24, 1979 is an American high wire artist, acrobat, daredevil and Guinness Book of Records world record-holder. A direct descendant of Karl Wallenda (founder of the The Flying Wallendas), Nik is known for performing death-defying stunts on highwire without a safety net. On October 15, 2008, during a live broadcast of Today, Wallenda walked and then bicycled across a suspended highwire 13 and 1/2 stories above the ground off the roof of the Prudential Center in Downtown Newark, New Jersey for a Guinness Book of Records world record for longest and highest bicycle on a highwire.^[1]

Early life[link]

Wallenda, born in Sarasota, Florida, began performing with his family at an early age. As the seventh generation of the Wallenda Family, he first performed at the age of two (dressed as a clown), began walking the wire at age 4 and had his first professional wire performance at 13. In 1998, while 19 years old, he participated in the re-creation of Karl Wallenda's seven-person pyramid on the highwire in Detroit, Michigan by his father Terry and mother Delilah and decided to make a career of it.^[2]

Personal life[link]

In 1999, Wallenda proposed to his future wife Erendira, on bended knee on a wire 30 feet (9.1 m) high during a performance in Montreal, Quebec, Canada before a packed house of 18,000 people.^[3]

Wallenda and his wife own and operate Wallendas Inc., a premier entertainment company that produces thrill shows around the world. They also have three children - Yanni, Amadaos and Evita.

Career[link]

Upon establishing himself as a highwire entertainer, Wallenda continued to perform with his family and eventually convinced them to attempt their next monumental feat. In 2001, he appeared at Japan's Kurashiki Tivoli Park in a family troupe that set the Guinness World Record for an eight-person pyramid on the high wire—a feat practiced intensely for over five months.^[4] He cited his great-grandfather Karl Wallenda as his primary inspiration for the stunt, stating, "It was a landmark experience for our profession, as well as our family and me personally."

In recent years, he has developed many broad scale productions for amusement parks and similar venues all over the world, including water stunts, diving and other daredevil exploits, often featuring him and his wife. They have worked with their respective families on acts including sway poles, the highwire, skywalks, the wheel of death, incline motorcycles, silks, lyras, the cloud swing, motorcycles in a cage, and even a dog act.

In 2007 and 2008, Wallenda was a featured performer in the Ringling Brothers' production Bellobration, performing with Bello Nock on a newly contrived, double version of the Wheel of Steel. The double wheel of steel was invented, designed, and constructed by Wallenda and Nock.^[5]

On June 4, 2011, he completed a high-wire crossing between the two towers of the ten-story Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on a wire stretched 37 metres (121 ft) above the pavement; this was the crossing that killed his great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda. The younger Wallenda cited the pioneer as his "biggest hero in life".^[6]

Future plans[link]

Wallenda intends to honor the memory of his great-grandfather Karl, and walk across the Grand Canyon on high wire. He has already secured the permits.^[7]

Wallenda also intends to walk across the Niagara Falls on high wire crossing New York to Ontario on June 15, 2012, (ABC is going to require him to wear a safety harness http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2012/05/22/abc-orders-wallenda-to-wear-harness-for-falls-walk ), a stunt that has not been allowed for over 100 years. In February, 2012, Nik Wallenda received official approval of the New York state and Ontario provincial governments and their respective parks department to do the stunt. The plan is to cross the Niagara River and its 200 feet (61 m) deep gorge from the American side at Goat Island or at the smaller Luna Island and make his way across the river to land at the Canadian side near the site of Table Rock. The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls would be behind him and to his right while the Canadian Falls will be on his immediate left and behind. As part of his contract with the Discovery Channel, the network will have near exclusive rights on showcasing the event on cable television. The event is highly anticipated around the world, and permission for such a stunt could be given theoretically only once every 20 years. In preparation for the event and to dispel myths about the stunt’s short-term effects on the sagging local economy, municipal authorities on both sides of the border are meeting to discuss the longer-term economic impact of the stunt, and to efficiently capitalize on the large draw of tourists who will gather in record numbers at the falls. Above all safety is the number one priority, and Wallenda’s manager and team have made arrangements with water rescue officials and security to ensure the event goes as planned. Nik Wallenda plans to eventually make the Niagara Falls region a centerpiece for his business. ^[8] On May 11, 2012, ABC and Lincoln Square Productions announced they had secured universal broadcasting rights for the stunt. Some readers of a local Niagara paper have already spoken in opposition to the requirement for Nik to wear a safety harness. With this disclosure the potential huge tourist draw may see interest decline. Nik could request hotels charging fees for VIP access to cover ABC's fees and then proceed without a harness, or hotels and others profiting from the event could offer refunds for this now, less than death defying stunt. NPC could revoke approval if ABC insists on a harness since the Niagara Parks Commission indicated it was unaware of such a requirement when they were considering approval of the stunt. Now such events will be allowed once every 20 years. Death defying? Now, not so much.^[9]

References[link]