At the age of three, Tito Gaona knew he wanted to perform in the circus. Born in Mexico as the fifth-generation son of circus owners and performers, Tito spent his school vacations traveling with his father and watching him perform. He made his professional flying debut at seven and was billed as the "youngest trapeze flier in the world."

Today, he is a living legend with an illustrious 40-year career. Over the years he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, on the cover of New York

Instructors make sure you know the ropes

Times magazine and in Time and Newsweek. He thrilled audiences at The Clyde Beatty Circus, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Big Apple Circus, and on tours all over the world. Known as the First Family of the Air, Tito and The Flying Gaona's received the prestigious Golden Clown Award as top performers at the International Circus Festival, presented by the Royal Family of Monaco. His family is celebrated at the Circus Ring of Fame at St. Armands Circle and honored as Sarasota Circus Celebrities of the Year by The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Tito is an inductee of The National Acrobatic Society's Hall of Fame and has frequently been acclaimed as the world's greatest high-flying trapeze artist of our times.

You would think he'd be happy to rest on his laurels. But the only resting he does is on a pedestal bar with his students before nudging them into flight. Once he retired from professional flying he launched a new mission: to share the wonderful world of circus arts and let others live the dream.

The dream goes beyond physical skills, flexibility and stamina. At the Tito Gaona Flying Trapeze Academy, students learn confidence, self-esteem and risk-taking in a safe and nurturing environment. A harness, safety lines, belts and a safety net are used at all times. Whether or not you decide to take your act on the road, the academy staff safely teaches you the ropes.

Students range in age from 3 - 80; tiny tots, school chums, adults and seniors have all found pleasure in leaving problems behind, learning to focus and embracing new challenges. Families come for fun and bonding, as mothers, daughters, fathers and sons learn to fly on his unique tandem trapeze together.

The Academy is located at the former Ringling winter quarters in Venice, where circus stars performed and Guenther Gebel-Williams trained circus animals for 30 years. The historic grounds are also home to Tito's Circus Adventure Park, where students can learn to juggle, walk the wire and do acrobatics.

Tito's latest project is the non-profit Venice Circus Arts Foundation, an organization he founded to make circus arts even more accessible to the public. He plans to build a circus museum as part of a new attraction that will delight visitors and heighten their appreciation of circus history and arts. His ultimate dream is that thousands of children and adults will experience the thrilling circus life through his unique programs. It's a huge commitment, but when it comes to thinking big and following through, Tito Gaona is over the top.

For more information, visit www.titogaona.com, or call 941-412-9305.