Dessi España
Encyclopedia
Dessi España was an American and Bulgaria
n circus performer
with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
act, the troupe earned two places in the Guinness Book of World Records, a decoration from the Bulgaria
n Ministry of Culture and the Silver Clown Award. At 13, España broke a world record by swirling 75 silver hoops
simultaneously around her body. She broke her own record twice, with 88 then 97 hoops. The latter feat was broadcast on the "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee" show.
Dessi married Mexican trapeze
artist Ivan España during a Ringling Bros. show in 1992. She occasionally performed in his motorcycle act—standing in the center of a steel sphere as he and other cyclists rode around her. Their children, Zore and Sian, were also training to become circus entertainers.
using chiffon scarves without a safety net 25 minutes into a three-hour show at the Xcel Energy Center
in St. Paul, Minnesota. España was twirling upside-down, hanging by her legs from long chiffon scarves tied to a metal bar when either the silky cloth or a mechanism holding the cloth in place failed and Dessi hit the floor head first.
Chiffon acts traditionally do not use safety nets. España later died at the hospital from her injuries. It was the first fatal accident during a Ringling Bros. circus in a decade.
An old and little-used law
on the books in Minnesota
makes it illegal to allow performers to do high-flying acrobatic acts without a net underneath. Violations are considered gross misdemeanor
s, punishable with a 250USD
fine and up to one year in jail
. It is unclear if the law will be enforced in this case.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n circus performer
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Biography
España came from a family of Bulgarian performers. As part of the Kehaiovi teeterboardTeeterboard
The teeterboard is an acrobatic apparatus that resembles a playground seesaw. The strongest teeterboards are made of oak . The board is divided in the middle by a fulcrum made of welded steel. At each end of the board is a square padded area, where a performer stands on a 45-degree incline before...
act, the troupe earned two places in the Guinness Book of World Records, a decoration from the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n Ministry of Culture and the Silver Clown Award. At 13, España broke a world record by swirling 75 silver hoops
Hula hoop
A hula hoop is a toy hoop that is twirled around the waist, limbs or neck.Although the exact origins of hula hoops are unknown, children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them throughout history...
simultaneously around her body. She broke her own record twice, with 88 then 97 hoops. The latter feat was broadcast on the "Live With Regis and Kathie Lee" show.
Dessi married Mexican trapeze
Trapeze
A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
artist Ivan España during a Ringling Bros. show in 1992. She occasionally performed in his motorcycle act—standing in the center of a steel sphere as he and other cyclists rode around her. Their children, Zore and Sian, were also training to become circus entertainers.
Fatal accident
She died after a fall while performing aerial acrobaticsAcrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
using chiffon scarves without a safety net 25 minutes into a three-hour show at the Xcel Energy Center
Xcel Energy Center
The Xcel Energy Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is named for its locally-based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 18,064, the arena has four spectator levels: one suite level and three general seating levels. The arena is owned by the...
in St. Paul, Minnesota. España was twirling upside-down, hanging by her legs from long chiffon scarves tied to a metal bar when either the silky cloth or a mechanism holding the cloth in place failed and Dessi hit the floor head first.
Chiffon acts traditionally do not use safety nets. España later died at the hospital from her injuries. It was the first fatal accident during a Ringling Bros. circus in a decade.
An old and little-used law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
on the books in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
makes it illegal to allow performers to do high-flying acrobatic acts without a net underneath. Violations are considered gross misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
s, punishable with a 250USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
fine and up to one year in jail
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. It is unclear if the law will be enforced in this case.