Jules Leotard and the Trapeze
Jules Leotard was born on August 1, 1838 in Toulouse, France. His father was a gymnastics teacher who shared his knowledge and love of the art with his son. What separated Jules from other gymnasts were the tricks he practiced above his father’s pool. By age 18, Leotard gained a variety of acrobatic skills including trapeze, ropes, and rings.
On November 12, 1859, Jules Leotard debuted his show “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze”. The performance was a sight to behold at Cirque Napoleon, and Jules quickly became a superstar. It was the first time a performer completed a somersault mid-air to travel from one trapeze to another.
Jules became known for his outfit: a skin-tight, one-piece knitted garment he called a ‘maillot’. Leotard designed the outfit himself which allowed him to move with agility as well as show off his physique. Eventually, the outfit became known as a ‘leotard’ and made its way to the ballet around 1886.
Sadly, Jules died of smallpox at the young age of 32. Although he lived a short life, he paved the way for ingenuity in aerial arts.
