Human pyramid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other meanings, see Pyramid (disambiguation).
A human pyramid is a stunt, performed by circus artists — sometimes even doing other tricks such as juggling while up there — or less perfectly by amateurs (often for the fun of failing and falling), whereby participants form a pyramid of layers of persons, each standing (or supporting in another way, e.g. kneeling) on two others one level lower, one half a position to the right and the other to the left.
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[edit] Canada
- At Queen's University in Kingston, Ontariothe engineering students build a human pyramids to remove a tam from a football goal post.
- At the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario officer cadets performed a human pyramid in 1901.
[edit] China
- Human pyramids are often formed to reach for the bun during the Chinese Bun Festival.
[edit] India
- During the Hindu festival Krishna Janmaashtami, young men form human pyramids to reach pots filled with curd and butter and suspended high above the ground as part of the Dahi-Handi ritual.
[edit] Spain
- Algemesí holds a Human Pyramid Festival annually on September 8 as a component of thee Fiesta de La Virgen de la Salud (Virgin of Good Health). The muixeranga, or acrobats, form the human towers. http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/?event_id=13492&fx=event
- The castellers of Catalonia Spain form human pyramids up to ten man heights high. In Catalonia, Spain a statue in the Ramblas Nova commemorate the castellers, or human pyramid builders.
- In Tarragona acrobats form human towers during the Sant Magi festival held annually in mid-August. http://goeurope.about.com/library/phot/bl_tarragona_6.htm
[edit] United States
- It is also used in bonding, e.g. as part of a North American college fraternity hazing ritual, also in a variation called a spanking pyramid, also suitable as a collective punishment, in which the pledges, often divested, are paddled on the conveniently protruded posterior.
[edit] United Kingdom
- Financial & Professional Services will be doing their second annual human pyramid in Leicester Square on Thursday 13th December. It will be a "four rower".
[edit] Cheerleading
- Cheerleaders may perform human pyramids with more difficult stunt sequences and gymnastics incorporated into routines. In cheerleading, pyramids are multiple groups of stunts connected aerially by the flyers. This connection may be made by simple linking of hands or having a multi-level pyramid. The flyers already in the air act as primary bases for another flyer or flyers on top of them.
[edit] Human Pyramids in the Media
- The opening credits of Eight Is Enough show the family forming a human pyramid.
- Popular post-hardcore band Enter Shikari are known to request that concert crowds form a human pyramid during the song "Sorry, You're Not a Winner".
[edit] Scouts
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts may hold competition where the patrol that builds a human pyramid using all the scouts in their patrol the fastest, wins. [1]
