Leona Dare, from the New York Public Library's collection. That costume! Those brows! Many more photos after the jump....
Leona Dare (1855-1922), one of Encyclopedia of the Exquisite‘s brightest stars, is someone you should know. She was a circus queen in the late 19th century, thrilling audiences across Europe and around the world by going up in a hot-air balloon, then dangling below it from a trapeze and performing acrobatic tricks. How great is that?
Her love life was tempestuous—and litigious. Her costumes were beyond. And her jaw was iron-strong. Below the hot air balloon she clung to life by clamping her teeth around a special apparatus and hanging there. Occasionally, she held the equipment in her teeth while someone else held on for dear life. That is, until one very unfortunate day when Leona’s strength gave way and her performance partner, Monsieur George, plummeted to his death. Gasp. Apparently, that was part of the twisted thrill of watching old time acrobatics.
Here, an excerpt from Dare’s New York Times obituary, May 25, 1922:
“Leona Dare, Acrobat, Dead: Noted for Daring Exploits on Trapeze Hanging from Balloon
SPOKANE, WASH., MAY 24—Mrs. Leona Dare, who risked her life many times in making balloon ascensions in various parts of the world, is dead here at the age of 67, after an illness of four months.
Mrs. Dare entered her dangerous profession as a girl. She possessed a scrapbook containing clippings in many languages, telling of her expolits. She once drifted over London, England, hanging by her teeth from a pendant on the trapeze, it is said…”
Dare at the Folies-Bergere. Is she nude?
Dare, looking intense.
Dare, wearing a frothy lace getup in 1876.
Dare performs at the Hippodrome in Paris.
Princess Sisi
/ December 7, 2010Fascinating. She’s Freda Kahlo meets Nadia Komenich!
jessica
/ December 7, 2010Dear Princess Sisi,
You are so right!
With a dash of Mae West’s bravado, for good measure.
Thanks for writing,
Jessica
Christopher Fox
/ June 2, 2012Leona Dare aka Susan Adeline Stuart was my great grandfather Meredith Leonard Stuart aka Charles, sister. I have heard several stories about her and have glean a lot of information about her including photos. One of her headstone in Spokane is shared by her niece, my grandfather’s sister. Leona Dare Stuart was companion and purported to be her personal secretary. There were laws passed because of her. Basically pertaining to putting children in danger. I think Leona Dare started when she was 12 or so learning the trapeze and later performing under a hot are balloon or holding her later to be husband by her teeth, known as a strong jaw act. She traveled though out Europe and met many crowned heads of Europe. Her balloon had been once hit by a train and in Russia, they were attacked by russian peasants. She knew Buffalo Bill Cody and had many influential friends while she lived in Paris. She moved to Staten Island in New York then came to Spokane WA where she died of cancer. Her niece Leona died a couple of years later in Spokane also of cancer.
jessica
/ June 3, 2012Dear Christopher,
How fascinating! From everything I’ve read, Leona Dare/Susan Stuart sounds like quite a character. Thanks so much for writing and filing us in on some of the details. Incredible story!
All my best,
Jessica
sorin
/ October 31, 2012in October 1889 Leona Dare was in Bucharest. She became first woman above this city
Simone O'Brien
/ December 12, 2012I would love to hear more. I am about to direct a trapeze act of women under hot air balloons and would love any more information or images about her please.
jessica
/ December 12, 2012Dear Simone,
How wonderful! Best of luck with your new trapeze act. I wrote about Leona Dare in Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, so you might check there.
Best wishes,
Jessica