My thoughts and prayers go out to the aerialists on Ringling that fell Saturday, and I thank God that they are all going to make a full recovery! I do not know the reason the rigging fell in this case, nor is this a time for speculation. Having personally worked for Felds, I know that they take the safety of their performers very seriously. As performers, we are a family, connected by our dedication to the artistry and skills integral to our trade and by our love of performing. I truly believe that those of us in the performing industry must come together to take steps toward establishing standards for rigging in our industry that would be referenced for design and installation within the entertainment world. I am deeply concerned that if we as performers, who have knowledge gained from years of study and practice in our field, do not proactively take control of the development of these standards, it will not be long before bureaucrats with little (if any) knowledge of our industry will force their standards upon us. As we know, our industry is often attacked by interest groups who jump at any negative headline to further their cause against us. I could support a government mandate of compliance with a set of standards, but only when these standards are developed by engineers, riggers, and performers within our industry. As performers, we understand that there will always be risks by the very nature of our art, and we knowingly take these risks because of our love of performing and our joy in thrilling an audience. However, those risks should never be related to the integrity of our rigging design, construction, or installation. Though we have yet to learn the reasons behind this particular accident, we can acknowledge that the vast majority of prior incidents in our industry are not related to a lack of skill or expertise by the performer, but to a rigging related flaw. I never met my great grandfather, not because he could not continue to walk the wire, but because he was unable to cope with the improper rigging conditions. My suggestions that the entertainment industry be governed by certain standards are not about requiring performers to wear harnesses, helmets, or other safety gear, but about taking the steps to avoid regulations that would require this very thing! If we as performers take the steps to establish standards of design based on proper safety factors, as well as ensuring the qualifications of those installing and inspecting our rigging, we can limit the risks of rigging failure, and keep those from outside our industry from levying restrictions that would prevent us from performing our art according to our heritage and traditions. We MUST be pro-active, or the government will do so on our behalf! I hope that my comments do not offend anyone, and if I have, I do apologize. My hearts intent is first and foremost, that we never unnecessarily lose a member of our performing family; and second, to protect our industry from overreaching outside intervention.
Posted on: Tue, 06 May 2014 11:51:14 +0000
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