Darryl Ski Somersault
Posted By thecircusblog on September 10, 2010
This is a back yard snipe shot of Darryl Ferges practicing the ski somersault. I do not know where he got this crazy idea but it worked. I’ve never seen this trick done by anyone else. Most likely this is how Hot Dogging on snow skis got started………. Interesting comment made by Darryl Ferges…….. See blow click on comment.
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thecircusblog
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
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Hey Ivan…fun circus story about flips with skis…Parley Bear was friends with Aspen Ski Co. marketing director who was looking for trampoline act to do ski shows and wear ski outfits. Parley reached me and my sister and I almost immediatly started doing flips with skis in my head. Russ Saunders (my most important coach) and I were doing risley and teterboard acts together on Ted’s show and it was not far to Trampoline Inc where holding a spotting belt Russ helped me through first ones. Incidentally Russ was from Canada where he told me he did “Pole Flips” with skis on in 1936. I was with him on the Ice at Polar Palace ice rink 1956 when he did first somersault that I know of on the ice.
When I showed up in 1965 in New York city for first ski show I created a sensation that perfectly fit in with the times. Racing was giving way to new colors and other ideas about sking that welcomed acrobatic sking and that tour affected my career immensely. I took the skis to the circuses we did and got to take our comedic acrobatics to the ski shows. In one week in 1976 we went from Harry Leonard ski show in New York (I directed the show, it was the first big use of wireless guitars by my brother Terry) to Miami and the Mike Douglas show where we wore our “ski costumery”, did our act with skis and then got the co-host that week Jackie Gleason to bounce on our trampoline. The footage is epic. We were in route to circus in Venezuela with skis…..