Sasha the Fire Gypsy is an amazing fire eater, fire breather, and fire dancer.

As her sensual body flows with the beat of the music, she hypnotizes the crowd with her incredible ability to manipulate the fiery flame as if it were an extension of her own body instead of a burning force of nature.

The crowd watches in silent amazement as Sasha puts fiery torches out with her mouth, dances with a blazing hula hoop, and executes impossible back bends while spinning balls of fire just inches away from her lovely face.

Like a fire-breathing dragon of legend, this beautiful maiden breathes out huge bursting plumes of fire captivating the audience’s imagination.

When asked about how she became a fire performer, Sasha explains that her love of fire began at an early age. She went to Valley Vocational High School, where she majored in metal fabrication. Sasha was the only woman in her class and she was the first female in the history of the school to become certified in welding. Sasha has also completed a blacksmithing apprenticeship, and to this day, she still enjoys metal fabrication and welding. Sasha continues to utilize these skills in creating new fire performance props and tools.

Sasha saw her first fire show in Florida at Clearwater Beach. “I can still remember the night I saw fire dancers as if it was yesterday.” Sasha explains. “I was so hypnotized, inspired, and excited! I told myself that I had to learn, I just had to have fire surround me like that.” After the show she went back to see the fire performers, asking them all kinds of questions. She was hooked. When she got home that night she began researching the fire arts, reading everything she could find. She obtained a tutorial video and began practicing with tennis balls stuffed inside of old tube socks. In just a week, Sasha had learned all the basic moves and a few intermediate moves and decided to go back to the fire dancer show. After the show she met with the fire dancers and showed them what she had learned. They were so impressed with her new skills that they had her do the moves with real fire. Sasha said “I was so excited yet terrified! I took them and set them ablaze. And there I was with the feeling of the fire all around me, the heat patterns caused by the flow path of the poi, that whooshing sound, the adrenaline, it put me into a different state of mind, a trance, a meditation. The fire took control of me. And the fire never let go.”

From that moment on Sasha has continue to practice and study to become the professional fire performer she is today. More recently Sasha has focused on perfecting her dance moves. “I wanted to dance with the fire, not just move it around. As I got better I really focused on moving my body to the beat of the music as well as the fire. Creating a flow of body and fire to the beat.” Sasha the Fire Gypsy has a real passion for her profession. “Combining the energy of the fire and music, the flow took control of me. I feel the music, I feel the fire, I feel my body, and all together, they moved.”

Sasha the Fire Gypsy is an outstanding performer who uses elements of theatrics, choreography and drama to bring her exciting fire show to its climax and yet always leaves the crowd wanting more. The way this amazing woman moves with the fire brings a whole new meaning to the term “Fire Dance”. Sasha performs a multitude of different fire acts that include unique, custom-made props creating an amazing experience that the audience will not soon forget. This Fire Gypsy is highly skilled in an incredible variety of different fire arts and has been performing for audiences since 2006. Sasha the Fire Gypsy is a modern-day fire eater and one of the top fire performance artists in New York.

If you are interested in having Sasha the Fire Gypsy perform at your event go to
FIREGYPSY.COM

In a sideshow the term Giant was used to describe a human being of exceptional height, generally somewhere between 7 feet and 9 feet tall. The unusual height is the result of a condition called “gigantism”, which is caused by an over production of human growth hormone (“HGT”) during childhood. In most cases, the excessive production of HGT is caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland; although a genetic abnormality of the pituitary gland can also cause gigantism.

The pituitary gland, which is often referred to as the “master gland” of the human body, is located just below the brain. The pituitary gland, also called the “hypophysis”, is connected to the brain and controls most of the endocrine system by the secreting a half dozen different hormones into the circulatory system.

Some notable sideshow giants, include the following:

Al Tomaini (married to “Half Girl” Jeanie Tomaini) was seven feet four inches tall, but often claimed to be over eight feet tall.

Charles Byrne, ” The Irish Giant”, was seven feet seven inches tall.

Jack (Jim) Tarver, was seven feet ten inches tall.

Jack Earle, “The Texas Giant“, was over eight feet six inches tall.

Johann Petursson,”The Icelandic Giant”, was eight feet eight inches tall.

Robert Wadlow, “The Gentle Giant”, was eight feet eleven inches tall.

Dwarfism occurs when growth is abnormally slowed or stopped before an individual reaches a normal height. Generally in human beings an adult with a height under four foot 10 inches is considered a dwarf; however, many of the sideshow dwarfs were under three foot tall.  Dwarfism occurs in all races and ethnicities and more than 80 percent of dwarfs have parents and siblings that are of average height .

Dwarfism can result from one of literally hundreds of different medical conditions. However, Achondroplasia, a genetic condition responsible for the most common form of dwarfism found in humans, accounting for nearly 70 percent of all dwarfs. Achondroplasia is caused by a mutation in the FGFR3 gene which controls the growth factor receptor that inhibits bone growth.   Achondroplasia usually produces disproportionately shorter upper arms and legs and a longer body trunk, often referred to as disproportionate dwarfism, in those afflicted with this condition. However, Achondroplasics typically have normal intelligence and the ability to lead productive, independent lives.

Growth hormone deficiency is another cause of dwarfism. This medical condition results from problems with the pituitary gland that cause the body to produce insufficient amounts of growth hormone, also called somatotropin. The pituitary gland is connected to the brain and is often referred to as the “master gland”. This gland, also called the hypophysis, controls many of the human body’s endocrine functions through the secretion of the following six important hormones:

1.) thyroid-stimulating hormone
2.) prolactin
3.) adrenocorticotropic hormone
4.) luteinizing hormone
5.) follicle-stimulating hormone
6.) growth hormone.

There are also a number of ways that growth hormone deficiency can come about including physical damage to the pituitary gland, poor diet, genetic causes, and stress. Unlike Achondroplasia, grow hormone deficiency can now be treated with injections of growth hormone, if the injections are given at the correct developmental stages.

Dwarfism caused by growth hormone deficiency may also differ from that caused by Achondroplasia in that all body parts are proportional smaller. This is often referred to as “proportionate dwarfism”. In the past, a proportionate dwarf was often called a “midget”. This term dates back to 1800’s, during the height of the “freak show” era, and was generally applied to dwarfs who were displayed for public amusement. This is part of the reason it is not considered politically correct to use the term midget today.This term is now considered offensive by most people of short stature  and is no longer used to describe people in polite conversation. Terms such as dwarf, little person, LP, and a person of short stature are all acceptable, but like most human beings, those afflicted with dwarfism would preferred to be called by their name rather than by a label.

Proportionate dwarfism is quite rare today because of medical advances.  However, one of the most severe forms of proportion dwarfism is primordial dwarfism.  This condition is a prenatal condition that results in extreme proportionate dwarfism lasting through the individuals life.  The cause is not known and there are as of yet no effective treatments for primordial dwarfism. Individuals with primordial dwarfism do not usually live beyond the age of 30.  Fortunately, this is a rare condition and it is estimated that fewer than 100 individuals in the world are afflicted with this disorder.

The first individual officially recognized with primordial dwarfism was Caroline Crachami. Not much is know about her. Born in Palermo, Italy in 1815, Caroline traveled with a “Dr. Gilligan” as an exhibit in Europe. In 1824, just before her death, Caroline Crachami was measured by a journalist named William Jerdan. At that time, Caroline’s height was 19 ½ inches, the circumference of her waist was 11 ¼ inches, the length of her foot was 3 1/8 inches, and she weighted 5 pounds.

There are more than 200 different types of medical conditions resulting in an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S. and more than 600,000 people in the world, who are afflicted with dwarfism.  For more details on some of the other types of dwarfism see MORE TYPES OF DWARFISM

In 1957, well-known actor Billy Barty made a public appeal to all people with dwarfism in America to meet with him.  Billy Barty and 20 other little people joined together in Reno, Nevada to found Little People of America (LPA).  Today, LPA has more than 6000 members across the United States and internationally.  LPA is a nonprofit organization that provides support and information to people of short stature and their families. For more information on little people see the LPA WEBSITE.

In the Dwarfism community the word “average” is preferred instead of the word normal. For example: “Average sized parents” rather then “normal sized parents”. As mentioned above, the term midget is considered offensive by this community.

Dwarfism is not a reason to assume that someone is incapable. Little people can do just about anything an average sized person can although sometimes in a different way.  Many members of the Dwarfism community do not feel that they are disabled; however, people with dwarfism are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Sideshow Bearded Lady

Bearded women in the sideshows of the 19th and 20th centuries were very popular with the crowds, but were often fakes (i.e. a man dressed like a woman). A real bearded Lady is a woman who grows excessive facial hair and has a distinct beard. Female beard growth is usually the result of a hormonal imbalance, use of anabolic steroids, eating disorders, cancer, or congential hypertrichosis, a rare genetic disorder.

Congenital hypertrichosis is a condition where fully pigmented, thick hair covers all parts of the body except the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Enlarged gums, often resulting in loss of teeth, are often another sympton associated with this condition. Congentital hypertrichosis is extremely rare; less than 200 cases of this condition have been documented. Congentital hypertrichosis, also referred to as “werewolf syndrome” may be at least partially responsible for the orgins of the werewolf tales.

There are also other types of hypertrichosis that are not genetically related which result in excessive hair growth in women. One type of hypertrichosis exclusive to women and children that results from an excess of androgen is called Hirsutism.

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Contortionists are people that have unusual natural flexibility. This natural ability is often enhanced through intense, and sometimes painful, training to gain even greater flexibility. This extreme flexibility allows the contortionist to perform feats that seem totally unnatural and amazing to the average person.