Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-06-16
WIZARDS OF THE AIR.
DaComas, Mile Irwin and Other
Celebrities, with Ringing
Bros Circus.

There is probably no single feature
OF a circus programme that claims so
much breathless attention or that
thrills an audience to greater degree
than an intrepid performance upon
the flying trapeze. This is particularly
true of the DaComas, the wonderful
aerial family who will be seen with
Ringling Bros Worlds Greatest
Shows during the engagement in this
city, Wednesday, July Sth. This
notable family of gymnasts comprises
one gentleman and vwo ladies, and
their act is not only unique, but alsGGr
far superior to anything of the kind
ever before seen in this country. They
actually fly through space, turning
single and double somersaults in mid
air, and never failing to catch each
other at the critical moment of descent.
The crowning feature of the perform
ance is one in which the younger girl
exhibits precision rarely acquired by
gymnasts, even after many years of
experience and success. Swinging un-
der the immense dome, head-dOwn,
forty feet apart, Lewis and Marie toss
their sister Fancion across the interven-
ing space catching her with outstretched
hands, and repeating the maneuver
until the audience Is fairly electrified
by the startling dexterity of the per-
formance. The beauty of the exhi-
bitiOn given by the DaComas is greatly
enhanced by the physical grace of the
performers and the superb manner in
which their act is costumed, and while
their mid-air evOlutiOns are startling in
the extreme, they also constitute
series of pictures that attract and de-
light the artistic eye. In addition to
the DaComas, Ringing Brothers offer
many other brilliant aerial specialties.
The performance of the Three PicardOs
upon the aerial bars is novelty and
worthy of being classed with the best
of high-class arenic acts. Europe has
never before sent us anything so clever
in this line. 1t is thrilling, unique and
entirely new to the United States.
Mile Irwin, known the wide world
over as the "human top" is also at
tracing unprecedented attention. This
marvellous lady combines with
fascinating personality and picturesque
figure the most astonishing strength of
jaw. She is drawn to the dome of the
amphitheatre on a cable stretched at
an angle of As degrees, and then, sus-
pended by the teeth, glides to the
ground with the rapidity of a cannon
shot. Another feature of Mile Irwin's
performance, and the one which, per-
haps, arouses the greatest enthusiasm
is the dizzy speed with which she
spins while thus suspended high above
the heads of the audience, turning with
such rapidity that the contour of her
figure is lost i'm perfect maze of ar
tistic motion. The balancing of
William Irwin is also a memorable in
cident of the show, which comprises all
the worlds greatest riders, the incom-
parable Nelson Family of acrobats, all
the worlds greatest gymnasts, acrobats,
contortionists and arenic specialists;
the finest horses, the cOstliest mena-
gerie, the most replenish Introductory
spectacle, the most exciting, realistic
real Roman hippodrome and the grand
est free daily street parade ever seen in
this or any other country.