| Leotard was born in Toulouse, France in 1872. His | | | | pulling in huge crowds and turning him into a major |
| father was a gymnastics teacher and so it is not | | | | music hall star. With his fame came money: |
| too difficult to see why the young Jules showed | | | | Leotard became a very highly paid entertainer. |
| an interest in gymnastics and, in particular, | | | | The Legacy of Leotard |
| acrobatics. | | | | Apart from being a famous acrobatic innovator, |
| As time passed, Jules Leotard became a highly | | | | Leotard has become known for two other |
| able gymnastic acrobat but headed down a more | | | | reasons: a song was written about him and he |
| traditional road of education, training for a law | | | | invented an item of clothing that is still popular |
| career. But, as Jules entered his eighteenth year | | | | today. |
| his love of acrobatics took off when he began to | | | | In 1867 George Leybourne penned the lyrics to |
| experiment with ropes, rings and the trapeze. | | | | the song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying |
| Fuelled by a real passion for acrobatics, Leotard | | | | Trapeze" about Leotard, which became quite the |
| enlisted into the Cirque Napoleon, and made his | | | | popular hit of its day. Leotard's more famous |
| debut public performance on the trapeze in | | | | legacy though is the gymnastic or dance leotard. |
| November 1859. Leotard became an overnight | | | | Leotard designed a figure hugging |
| success largely due to the fact that he | | | | “maillot”, which was fashioned in |
| performed a number of unique acrobatic tricks; | | | | such a way as to give him unrestricted |
| he was the first performer to perform a mid-air | | | | movement to perform his acrobatic routines. As |
| somersault and also the first to leap from one | | | | he was also an entertainer, Leotard also wanted |
| trapeze bar to another. | | | | the skin tight maillot to highlight his muscular |
| The public positively swarmed to see the | | | | stature. |
| innovative Leotard perform his relatively short act | | | | Leotard's maillot became highly popular in the |
| (it lasted around 12 minutes), the mainstay of | | | | circus as other performers emulated Leotard. The |
| which was Leotard’s impressive leaps | | | | virtues of the garment became accepted by |
| between multiple trapezes before he performed a | | | | others in the performing arts world to the point |
| somersault “dismount” to his | | | | where its usage also became popular in Parisian |
| safety mat on the ground. In fairness, his safety | | | | ballet studios. |
| net comprised of a couple of mattresses draped | | | | Unfortunately for Leotard he died from an illness |
| with a few coverings. | | | | (possibly cholera or typhoid) whilst he was touring |
| Jules Leotard's act was deemed so radical and | | | | in Spain in 1870. He was only 28 years old. |
| progressive that his co-artistes sponsored both a | | | | Leotard’s maillot lived on however, |
| commemorative medallion and a banquet in his | | | | although by 1876 people had begun to call it a |
| honour. | | | | leotard. Jules Leotard may have been amused to |
| From the circus, Leotard translated his trapeze | | | | know that although his maillot was renamed a |
| act for the music hall. In 1861 he opened his debut | | | | leotard, the word maillot in France is nowadays |
| show at London’s Alhambra Theatre. The | | | | synonymous with swimming costumes or jerseys. |
| audiences loved him. His shows were a sell-out | | | | |