THE BALLOON MAN

Circus Calling

 

Carl Wong
performed acrobatics with his family's Jim Wong Troupe.
From left, Lum (cousin), Carl, Arlene (sister-in-law), Jack (brother) and Sang (uncle). Courtesy Carl Wong
from:  dallassymphony.com
Posted Monday, July 09, 2012
By Chris Shull
Carl Wong's resume must have listed some interesting job skills when in 1980 he joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as an assistant stage manager:
Good balance
Thrill seeking
Fearless concentration
Loves to travel
Able to do handstands
Not afraid of heights
The last point was important for Wong's job prior to joining the DSO. Wong was a circus acrobat. For three decades, he specialized in a death-defying "high pole" act, performing with regional circuses such as Gil Gray Circus, at the State Fair of Texas, and with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Balanced atop a swaying 100-foot pole, Wong would do tricks above the dazzled crowd.
"I like height," Wong says matter-of-factly. "I just like height."
read more at:
https://www.dallassymphony.com/blog/2012/7/9/carl-wong,-dso-stage-manager,-retires.aspx