When the show began, The Galaxy Girl, Tina Winn, made her way from behind the curtain and into the sunlight. Her bronze skin glistened as she rubbed oil into her polished muscles. With every mark of a great showman, she appealed to her audience with all of the right gestures and words. Then, harnessless, she proceeded to scale the giant pole.
"I do it because I love being in entertainment," she reflected later. "I really work hard and really love what I do."
About a minute after beginning her ascension, The Galaxy Girl reached the trapeze dangling 80 feet above the ground. In testaments of immeasurable courage, will power, and physical strength, she would dangle and twist around while the audience below cheered her on. Arching her back,
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But the trapeze was just a warm-up. The real challenge was still four stories higher.
At 40, this is Winn's 18th year of performing death-defying stunts in front of audiences. The Florida native was born into the circus life and says she can't imagine being "normal." "An athlete gets paid to play the sport they love," she said. "That's how I feel about what I do. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
While she considers herself an entertainer, Winn can associate her work requirements with many of the demands associated with professional sports. She's in the gym every morning, runs the treadmill, stair climbers, lifts weights, and then practices on the trapeze to maintain form. To describe her abilities, she said she out-lifted everyone in the Ringling Bros. Circus by doing 27 pull-ups.
She needs to be in optimum shape. The Galaxy Girl performs eight to nine months out of the year. She usually climbs up and down her 12-story tower three times per day, which equates to approximately 300 feet per show; 900 feet per day. She's performed all over the world; South America, Europe and now Delaware County.
But aside from all of the physical demands on the job, the most important aspect of Winn's performance is mind over matter. "Mentality is key," she said. "Since I know I'm physically strong enough to do this, I have the confidence I need to go through with it."
After a few more minutes of climbing, Winn would scale the top of the 127-foot pole while the MC below reminded the audience that she has no harness - if she falls it will almost certainly mean death. At the top, the Galaxy Girl spoke into her microphone, while panting from exhaustion, asking the spectators, "Who wants to see me dangle from one foot?" The cheers below were all of the encouragement she needed to go through with it.
The pole she had climbed is called a "sway pole." Twisting above, her platform started to bend from side to side, adding another dangerous element to her death-defying stunt.
And, as though her Manchester on-lookers had not yet received their fill, Winn decided for the grand finale to do a handstand on the top of the summit. While readying herself, a slight gust delayed the moment. "I know it feels like a nice cool breeze down here," said the MC below. "But up there it's a completely different story."
Up there, a gentle gust could send Winn plummeting to her death.
However, the wind subsided and she was able to re-gather herself. In an amazing feat of balance, strength, and determination, of mind over matter, the Galaxy Girl grabbed the platform with both hands, and slowly raised herself until she was perfectly erect 127 feet above the ground.
A few minutes later, Winn was safely back on the ground, accepting a well-deserved ovation. She may have stolen the show at the Delaware County Fair this past week.
"In this kind of business, your mentality goes a long way as you get older," said the daredevil. "I'm glad I get to do what I love."