It takes your breath away: The Robles tightrope walkers, who are accompanying Circus Nock on its tour this year, jump, ride bicycles and form a seven-person human pyramid. And all this on a five-millimetre-thick wire rope eight meters above the ground.
"It's an adrenaline rush every time," says Julio Robles (36), leader of the Colombian tightrope walking group The Robles. "We have to be totally focused on our work. If someone does something wrong, it can have fatal consequences for everyone." Only a narrow airbag is available in the circus ring for rescue. "You can't think about the things you have to do afterwards."
It seems as if the seven artists have never done anything other than tightrope walking, skilfully walking across the tightrope, jumping over teammates and landing back on the five-millimetre-thick tightrope at a height of eight meters. The Colombians can even move along the tightrope on bicycles.
The big highlight is the three-storey human pyramid
The big highlight is the three-storey tightrope pyramid, performed for the first time on a European circus tour. The four men carry the three women over the eight-metre deep abyss in pairs - connected by poles attached with a special shoulder construction. Robles can't say exactly how long the troupe practiced for the act. "We've been practising circus acts since we were eight years old, so we've all already got a lot of skills."
Nevertheless, they have to practice hard every day to get everything right. "We usually practise in the evening after the shows, as it's cooler in the tent then," says Robles, adding that the seven team members got to know each other through life in the Colombian circus. "So we're not related to each other," says Julio Robles. "But we're all good friends!"
Daredevil: Keeping a cool head in this chair is a major challenge.
The motto of this year's tour - "Ritmo Y Pasión" - suits the Colombians. "As a Colombian, I naturally like to dance salsa," says Robles. And the troupe is also making the most of its time in Switzerland. "We've already been able to see a few venues. The Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen have been the most impressive so far."
Circus life is not always easy. "Unfortunately, my two children can't be there," says Robles. "They live with their mother in Germany." But he has to live with that, as the circus is his life. "In five years' time, I want to pass on my skills to them so that they can walk the tightrope too," he says. "After all, they have circus in their blood!"
Julio Robles cannot yet say what will happen after Circus Nock. "That always depends on the contracts that are negotiated." In any case, a return to Circus Nock is not out of the question. "We can still improve," he says, adding with a laugh: "There's still room for more bikes on the tightrope!"
Circus Nock Tour 2016: "Ritmo Y Pasión"
Switzerland's oldest tent circus has been on the road since 1860. This year, Circus Nock's tour is all about Latinos and Latinas. The program is wide-ranging: In addition to The Robles, there are also flamenco dancers, aerial acrobats on the straps, pole dancers, equilibrists, an extra clumsy yet skillful trampoline jumper and dressage acts with horses, ponies, llamas and even camels. The program is rounded off by two Brazilian clowns: the Mustache Brothers bring a smile to the faces of young and old alike.
