A Tight Rope Walk To Inspiration
I just finished work on a film and am currently in that in-between time that all artists go through. Painters call this their "Blue Period." Usually, when I feel like this I can lure myself out of it by visiting museums, spending time with friends, going to the beach, reading autobiographies, watching inspirational stories on TV (which means I am glued to my OWN channel) or what I can find on-line.
So, I began to scour the internet for inspiring stories when I vaguely remembered a story that I heard when I was younger, it was a story that seemed more fantastical than reality based. I remembered hearing a about a man who walked across the World Trade Center on a tight rope - yes - that's right A TIGHT ROPE.
A quick google search lead me to the infamous Philippe Petit a French, world renown high wire artist. On August 7, 1974 Petit completed an unauthorized high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.
Petit not only walked the 200 ft gap between the towers he danced, laid down, and jumped up and down on the wire. In total Petit spent 45 minutes on the wire and made 8 crossings that day; he was 1,368 ft off the ground and he did it all without a net people!!!!
At the time t was described as "The Artist Crime of the Century." He did not have a permit, he just took it upon himself to do this illegally. (Then again, how do you file for a permit to do something like this)
Petit had done similar stunts, or Performance Art as it is more aptly referred to. He walked between the towers of the Notre Dame de Paris, also the towers of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Austrialia; none were as elaborate as his walk across the Twin Towers.
It took 6 years to plan. Though the wirewalk occurred when the Towers were basically completed they were unfinished at the time Petit was prepping. He would sneak onto the then construction site and take measurements, study the area, the security, and made a scale model of the Towers.
On the night of August 6th, 1974 Petit and his crew fastened the wire he would walk on (a 450-pound steel cable) from one side of the tower to the other with of all things a bow and arrow. (Here's to keeping it simple, right?)
This is a photo of Philippe Petit performing his wirewalk across the Twin Towers on August 7, 1974
I also found a cool snippet of a documentary called: Man On Wire. Some of it is in French which I adore so hearing the language makes me happy, but most is in english. You will have to follow the link to view that video.
Philippe Petit traverse le World Trade Center by Tubulamarok
Watching the video I became inspired, especially when Philippe Petit talks about how he felt right before he went out on the wire:
This sounds like a perfect description of what some of us actors feel right before a performance (sans the whole "close to actual death" thing; though I have to admit it can feel that way at times... I digress)
POST 9-11
* In the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks Philip Petit was invited by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to visit the World Trade Center site while the new building is under construction but Petit declined saying, " I cannot judge a building in the making."
The design for the new World Trade Center - known as The Freedom Tower - is of one lone building, that when completed, will stand as the Nations tallest building at 1,776 feet. Petit's statement regarding the new design is simple:
Here are some take-aways:
So, I began to scour the internet for inspiring stories when I vaguely remembered a story that I heard when I was younger, it was a story that seemed more fantastical than reality based. I remembered hearing a about a man who walked across the World Trade Center on a tight rope - yes - that's right A TIGHT ROPE.
A quick google search lead me to the infamous Philippe Petit a French, world renown high wire artist. On August 7, 1974 Petit completed an unauthorized high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.
Petit not only walked the 200 ft gap between the towers he danced, laid down, and jumped up and down on the wire. In total Petit spent 45 minutes on the wire and made 8 crossings that day; he was 1,368 ft off the ground and he did it all without a net people!!!!
At the time t was described as "The Artist Crime of the Century." He did not have a permit, he just took it upon himself to do this illegally. (Then again, how do you file for a permit to do something like this)
Petit had done similar stunts, or Performance Art as it is more aptly referred to. He walked between the towers of the Notre Dame de Paris, also the towers of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Austrialia; none were as elaborate as his walk across the Twin Towers.
It took 6 years to plan. Though the wirewalk occurred when the Towers were basically completed they were unfinished at the time Petit was prepping. He would sneak onto the then construction site and take measurements, study the area, the security, and made a scale model of the Towers.
On the night of August 6th, 1974 Petit and his crew fastened the wire he would walk on (a 450-pound steel cable) from one side of the tower to the other with of all things a bow and arrow. (Here's to keeping it simple, right?)
This is a photo of Philippe Petit performing his wirewalk across the Twin Towers on August 7, 1974
One of the officers, Sgt. Charles Daniels, later reported his experience:
"I observed the tightrope 'dancer'—because you couldn't call him a
'walker'—approximately halfway between the two towers. And upon seeing
us he started to smile and laugh and he started going into a dancing
routine on the high wire....And when he got to the building we asked him
to get off the high wire but instead he turned around and ran back out
into the middle....He was bouncing up and down. His feet were actually
leaving the wire and then he would resettle back on the wire
again....Unbelievable really....Everybody was spellbound in the watching
of it."
I also found a cool snippet of a documentary called: Man On Wire. Some of it is in French which I adore so hearing the language makes me happy, but most is in english. You will have to follow the link to view that video.
Philippe Petit traverse le World Trade Center by Tubulamarok
Watching the video I became inspired, especially when Philippe Petit talks about how he felt right before he went out on the wire:
"I
had to make a decision of shifting my weight from one foot anchored to
the building to the foot anchored on the wire. This is probably, I don't
know, probably the end of my life to step on that wire and on the other
hand something that I could not resist and I didn't make any effort to
resist; called me upon that cable. And death is very close."
This sounds like a perfect description of what some of us actors feel right before a performance (sans the whole "close to actual death" thing; though I have to admit it can feel that way at times... I digress)
POST 9-11
* In the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks Philip Petit was invited by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to visit the World Trade Center site while the new building is under construction but Petit declined saying, " I cannot judge a building in the making."
The design for the new World Trade Center - known as The Freedom Tower - is of one lone building, that when completed, will stand as the Nations tallest building at 1,776 feet. Petit's statement regarding the new design is simple:
"The shape is majestic and it evokes great strength.
But nothing can replace them [the towers]."
Philippe Petit's Performance across the Twin Towers in 1974 is admirable and awe-inspiring.
I now have another metaphor for life (which one can never have enough of) and more tools that I can use to stay on my path and remain inspired.Here are some take-aways:
- Listen and trust your inner voice, your intuition.
- Once you've made the decision to stop sitting on the sidelines and to walk on life's tight rope - don't second guess your decision. (see #1)
- Do not look too far ahead just stay in the moment
- When doubt seeps in (and it will) stay focused on forward movement. Continue to place one foot in front of the other. Stay in action.
- Breathe, breathe, BREATHE
- We all have one life to live so live it don't resist it. Staying stuck is a decision get out there and live life.
- Life is about taking calculated risks. Sometimes when we hear the word "risk" we think is means throwing ourselves into action without a plan. Couldn't be further than the truth. Its all about taking calculated risks, just like Philipe Petit's high-wire walks. Get inspired, make a plan, stay open to the universe creating that plan with you and go. (see #2 and #1)
Ooooh I absolutely LOVVEEE this!!! What a wonderful story of passion, following your truth and being fully and completely who you are with no fear, no concern for what others are doing, or what others think is right, what others deem normal- aaaaaahh :) I just love it!!
ReplyDeleteAnd even though there was so much courage involved in this act (on so very many levels!!) it is never discussed, because I believe in those moments... when you are soo connected to your truth to your passion to your full god self, you often aren't even present to the courage required of you because you're not looking at the fear, you're looking at something far greater!! Aaaaah (big sigh of peace :) Thank you for sharing this awesome story!!! And thank you for sharing so much of yourself!!! (beautifully might I add :) I LOOVVEEE YOU!!!!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It means so much to me!
DeleteI loved reading this, and in particular, your seven take-aways. Your seven take-aways rang very true and are on the mark (or rather I should say, "right on the tight-rope"...never mind LOL)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading more of your blogs!