The Human Cannonball

Rossa Richter thrilled audiences in Europe and the United States by being shot out of a cannon.

Under her stage name Zazel, Rossa began performing this complex and dangerous circus act in 1877, when she was a teen. A talented gymnast and aerialist, Rossa trained for years to master her craft. It worked like this: Rossa, as Zazel, would lower herself into a large cylinder with an inner platform sitting atop a huge spring.

Once she was in place, her partner would make a great show of lighting a fuse, which didn’t really ignite the cannon but made an impressive bang. The spring was released by a lever, and Zazel flew through the air, landing precisely in a net.

The act was particularly dangerous because of the intense G-forces on the body during launch and landing. Zazel had to tense her body, holding it flat and completely still during the flight through the air. If she wavered, her bones would break.

Zazel’s story interests me because she faced great criticism in the press. Reporters questioned whether she was strong enough for such an act. Some people said she was a man pretending to be a woman. P.T. Barnum, her employer, said that his wife would give Zazel a bouquet of flowers if she wore a prettier costume. Imagine having the ability to fly through the air, and people quibbling about whether your clothes were right?

The harshest criticism questioned whether she was a proper woman at home. To counter that criticism, the circus planted stories that she was a good cook and housekeeper, sewed all her own costumes, and was a beloved wife and stepmother. Reports portrayed her as a “practical little lady and a good and affectionate mother to her husband’s little children.”

It can be hard to be a successful woman, even when you are not being shot out of a cannon. You may face questions like:

·       Why don’t you get a real job?

·       You have lots of free time since you work from home. Can you pick me up at the airport?

·       Why are your prices so high?

·       How come you aren’t posting more on social media?

I recommend you borrow Zazel’s strategy. She didn’t engage with her critics, she just kept training, performing her act, and allowing her results to speak for themselves.

Fly high, my friend!

P.S. To learn more about early circus performers, read Jumping Through Hoops by Betsy Golden Kellem