Standing Above the Crowd

Inhabitants of Landes by Jean Louis Gintrac


It's not often that my mind turns to the consideration of stilts. But reading the background of Cirque du Soleil CEO, Guy Laliberte, it mentions that he was once a stiltwalker. Wow! That's quite a career change!

Now, I know that stilts have gotten a bad image from association with creepy clowns and Uncle Sam marching in a parade. For fans of superhero comic books, the pathetic supervillain Stilt Man may have left a lasting negative impression. However, stilts have a long history as a viable means of traveling over difficult terrain. Moreover, modern stilt dancers can give some awesome performances.


Stilt Man on the cover of Daredevil v.1 #48 (1969) by Gene Conlan and George Klein


So, let's try to dispel the images of the absurd, creepy, or cheesy.

Alright, let's look at Stilt Man again and try to work the mockery out of our system. ;-)


Stilt Man on the cover of Daredevil v.1 #8 (1965) by Wallace Wood


All good? Then check out these vids of stilt excellence.

Enjoy!!!