Fun Holidays - Walk on Stilts Day

Participants in carnival processions, clowns and jugglers in the circus use stilts to add entertainment to their performances Moving on wooden poles with steps for your feet requires skill and skill Today, animators and circus performers possess balancing skills, but 300 years ago, stilts were used by people in everyday activities They moved through quicksand and wetlands, grazed herds, maintained vineyards and rice fields, pruned fruit trees and harvested crops July 27 is Stilt Walking Day During Walk on Stilts Day, performances by tightrope walkers and animators take place on city streets, making them feel like part of a traveling troupe Tall figures are the dominant feature of any performance - they attract attention without decorations or additional props Stilts have been used in mystery plays, farces and other genres of public theater since its inception The artists, towering above the crowd, did not require a platform or stage; a large number of spectators watched their performances The surface of the circus arena is too soft for performing on stilts Therefore, they are rarely used when staging numbers Although the famous Cirque du Soleil began work in 1984 as a team of stilt walkers One of its founders, Canadian Guy Lalibert, walked 90 km on wooden poles to receive a grant from the state to open a circus The troupe's performers still participate today in paired acrobatics, juggle, perform somersaults and other mind-blowing stunts on stilts Archaeological finds indicate that walking on wooden sticks with slings was practiced as early as the 6th century BC in Ancient Greece Stilts were most popular during the Middle Ages They were used by both postmen and ordinary townspeople who forded rivers and swamps to move through swampy areas Shepherds in the south of France watched their flocks while standing on stilts, and hairdressers did high hairstyles for ladies In the Belgian city of Namur, unusual street fighting was practiced since 1411 Participants in knightly tournaments climbed on stilts and fought with each other, proving their strength, skill and dexterity The last time such competitions were held was in 1841 The revival of the folk tradition took place after the end of the Second World War In honor of this event in 1945, a group of "Royal Stilt Walkers" walked through Belgium and most countries in Europe Not only professionals, but also amateurs take part in Walk on Stilts Day The holiday is a good reason to learn more about stilts, learn how to stand and move on them Poles with slings are an excellent solution for people who have problems with their short stature On stilts they can feel like giants and look down on the world