The cradle (also known as aerial cradle or casting cradle) is a type of aerial

circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...

act in which a performer hangs by his or her knees from a large rectangular frame and swings, tosses, and catches another performer. The

aerialist Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro ...

being swung is referred to as a flyer, while the one doing the tossing and catching is referred to as a catcher or caster. The flyer usually starts and ends standing on the frame above the catcher. The flyer swings holding on to the catcher's hands, performs releases at the top of the swing, and is re-caught in mid-air. The frame can be static or swinging. A variant called the

Russian cradle Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: * Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and pe ...

or Korean cradle has the catcher/caster standing, secured by a safety belt. This type of aerial performance has been used in many circuses, both in "big tops" and on stage, including by

Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 ...

and the Moscow State Circus.

External links

Duo Vertigo - Aerial Cradle Performance Specialists

ciae Irrationael - Aerial Cradle Performance Specialists
{{Circus skills Circus skills

See also

External links