What type of person would do a handstand on top of four balanced chairs on a 3,300-foot-high boulder? Well, he's either brave or crazy. That act is just one of feats Eskil Røn- ningsbakken has accomplished on what he calls his Balancing Tour. The Norwegian daredevil took a few moments away from courting death to e-mail answers to questions that Windy City Times posed to him. I'm sure I don't have to say this, but I will: Don't try this at home.
Windy City Times: When and why did you start becoming interested in stunts?
Eskil Røn- ningsbakken: First of all, I don't call it a stunt. A stunt is something that I connect to films, or impulsive actions done by crazy base-jumpers. My actions are more an art of balance; they take a lifetime to master. It's poetry !
WCT: What types of exercise help you do your stunts? Do your workouts differ depending on what you do?
ER: A lot of technical exercises that I do are based on the skills that I use. There's a lot of balancing and jogging/running to keep in shape. I also make sure to get enough sleep.
WCT: What steps do you take to protect yourself?
ER: I practice a lot. My mental health is also important, so I'll do something like send people from the team home who have had a bad day; I like to be around positive people.
I also check all the props more than once.
When I start practicing outside, I begin with low heights and [ gradually ] move higher. I aim to work together with elements of nature ( e.g., wind, light, temperature etc. ) . Again, I stress that sleep is important.
WCT: What's the scariest thing you've done?
ER: [ Recently ] I balanced on a 86-meter- ( 282-foot- ) high hotel roof in Copenhagen, Denmark, while the wind was blowing at 11 meters/second ( 24.6 miles/ hour ) . It was quite scary, but it wasn't impossible.
WCT: What inspires you to perform your next stunt?
ER: I always think about the good feeling I had the last time I mastered balancing on an object. I've been balancing since I was 5. ( Now, I'm 25. ) It's my life, and it's a good life. Who wants to leave a good life ?
WCT: What's your next dangerous performance?
ER: [ The 1,667-foot-tall ] Taipei 101 [ skyscraper ] in Taiwan is my final goal so far, but I'll visit a lot of places until then. I might next be in the United States. If anyone wants to invite me, I'm available.
E-mail Eskil at eskil@elegant.no.