Thursday, July 15, 2010

Amazing 'one slip and its all over' feats over a cliff by extreme artists

Bodies intertwined, these daredevils risk life and limb by balancing above a 300m cliff edge without showing any fear.

In extreme artist Eskil Ronningsbakken's latest stunts he also teeters on a pile of chairs placed on the Kjeragbolten boulder wedged precariously between two rock faces over a 1,000 metre drop in Rogaland, Norway.


More daring displays in the name of art show Eskil performing a handstand at a lookout platform over the winding Trollstigen road, Norway.

Eskil, 30, has also been training others how to make bold shapes at dangerous spots.

Spectacular pictures show how he balances 300 metres above a lake locked in gymnastic poses with one of his students, Kenyan Moses Wepukhuli, 25.

The amazing 'one slip and its all over' feats were caught on camera at lofty locations around Norway.

Sure-footed Eskil, a Norwegian, has been pulling off his jaw-dropping balancing acts around the world for 25 years.

Sometimes walking for up to six hours to get to the locations for his endeavours, Eskil uses yoga to train and prepare for his bold shapes in dangerous places.

Describing himself as an 'educated balancing performer', he has been sculpting his abilities since the age of five. The skills have taken him through circus troupes and across the globe.

Describing his performances as 'expressions of art', Eskil is currently touring with a team of 10 people as part of a documentary about his incredible achievements.


The crew have been visiting some of Eskil's playgrounds, recording brand new stunts for the first time - like the unicycle at Trollveggen mountain - and improving on old performances for camera.

He said: 'I prepare myself for the stunts a little different every single time, depending on the locations and my planned moves. I do warm ups, yoga and meditation every time before performing.

'I like to call it 'fuelling the power of nature'.

'Yoga and different breathing techniques helps me to stay focused, and hit the right wave of energy.
'You have to become one with the nature and your surroundings, and never try to force it to follow you. The consequence might happen to be your last decision if you do so.'

For the documentary, which will be screened in Scandinavia next year, Eskil had to perform each stunt several times to make sure the crew had the shots they needed.

'It was my first time doing so many heavy balancing acts within a short period of time,' he said.


'And it was very demanding. But when I return to normal life, I get cravings to return to the mountains.

'I'm addicted to mountains and heights and combining it with balancing. It is simply my passion.'

Seeing an Indian yogi on television calmly balancing inspired the younger Eskil to devote his life to the precise art.

'Living in the countryside of Norway helped,' he said.

'My mother would be screaming at me to come down from heights all the time, but my dad would be saying, "Wait a minute, let me take a picture first."

'You learn a lot from that kind of play in environments like that. You learn to respect the height and danger.'

Joining a circus at 18, Eskil finely perfected his craft under the expert tutelage of Peter Jakob, a trainer with the Moscow State Circus.

Developing his abilities over several years, Eskil has now reached a level of athletic excellence mixed with spiritual calm.

However, he says he is always acutely aware of the risks he takes with his balancing.


'I feel fear, of course I do,' he said. 'We are humans and we have a natural sense of self-preservation.'

'However, I must control that fear before I undertake any new project because otherwise it would lead to lethal mistakes.

'If I ever find myself totally fearless then that is when I will stop what I am doing.'

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