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Lilly Yokoi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lilly Yokoi
Yokai in 1978
Born(1929-01-16)January 16, 1929
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 11, 2026(2026-05-11) (aged 96)
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationAcrobat

Lilly Yokoi (November 15, 1929 – May 11, 2026) was an American bicycle acrobat known as "The Ballerina on the Golden Bicycle". Yokoi toured with her family, going solo after her appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and became one of the most sought-after circus performers of her time.

Background

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Yokoi was born on November 15, 1929 in New York City to a family of circus and vaudeville performers.[1][2] Her Tokyo born father Eizo (also known as Shonan) learned how to do tricks after receiving a bicycle from an American friend when he was a teenager. Later he abandoned pursuing a law degree as he began performing trick cycling, eventually all over the world along with his wife.[3] They trained their children in the art form becoming the Yokoi Family Bicycle Troupe or simply Yokoi Troupe and settled in the United States.[4] Performing together as a family Lilly became the stand-out for her difficult tricks, most notably the "Boomerang Swing" where she swings herself around the bike several times in quick succession while the bike is in motion.[5][6]

Solo career

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According to research by the University of Sheffield, in 1956 Yokoi had her breakthrough after appearing without her family on The Ed Sullivan Show, which began her solo career.[2]

Earlier in her solo career Yokoi toured with the Harlem Globetrotters, where she performed before the main event and between breaks.[7][8] In 1959 owner Abe Saperstein said she was "the greatest performer we've ever had with us".[6]

After receiving an 18 karat gold-plated bike as a gift,[9][10] Yokoi became known as "The Ballerina on the Golden Bicycle".[11] In 1961 she performed at Radio City Music Hall where she took apart and reassembled the new bike while in motion. Variety noted her "fantastic gymnastics, balancing feats and other daring deeds".[10]

Throughout her career Yokoi appeared on various television shows such as What's My Line?, The Paul Daniels Magic Show,[12] and the Royal Variety Performance,[13] and shared the stage with many circus luminaries around the world.[14] About her performance while touring with the Circus Knie in 1962, Variety stated, "Working on a golden bike, she has lost none of her charm and grace nor the amazing skill with which she handles her vehicle though some of the Impact seems to wear off with repeated viewing."[15]

Yokoi was in such high demand that the Bertram Mills Circus had to book her four years in advance for their 1963 BBC television special.[16] In Mills' 1967 book, Bertram Mills Circus: Its Story, he stated Yokoi "... was one of the greatest performers I ever engaged. She was an artiste down to her fingertips..."[17]

In the mid-1960's Yokio was featured in the documentary film Rings Around The World about the world's 19 greatest circus acts of the time,[18][19] performed in the Las Vegas stage show Hello, America[20] and made another appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.[21] In the 1970s she toured with the Greatest Circus on Earth,[22] again with the Harlem Globetrotters[23] and performed at Blackpool Tower Circus in Lancashire,[24] where in 1982 Yokoi made her last known appearance.[14]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Yokoi was known to be a private person. She married Ronald Johansson in 1955,[25] a Swedish acrobat known as Rolando with whom she had a daughter.[26][27] After she and Johansson divorced she moved to Japan.[27] Yokoi died in Tokyo on May 11, 2026, at the age of 96.[1][27]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Sandomir, Richard (July 28, 2026). "Lilly Yokoi, Acrobat Who Dazzled on a Golden Bicycle, Dies at 96". The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Yokoi, Lilly, Born 1929 | Discover Our Archives". archives.shef.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Sports Show Brings Cyclists to Coliseum". The Spokesman-Review. 1957-03-03. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  4. ↑ "Bicycle Act at Exhibition Has Long, Interesting History". The Ottawa Journal. 1954-08-27. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  5. ↑ "Trick Cycling Act Performed By Japanese Family Of Seven". The Morning Call. September 18, 1954. p. 28.
  6. 1 2 "An Added Attraction". The Sun-Advocate. March 12, 1959. pp. Third section: 4.
  7. ↑ "Ballerina of the Bicycle With Globe Trotters". Three Forks Herald. 1956-10-11. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  8. ↑ "Under The Marque". Billboard. 13 April 1957. p. 90.
  9. ↑ "Lilly Yokoi". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 1, 1977. p. 8.
  10. 1 2 Wear, Mike (December 20, 1961). "29th Annual Repeat of 'Nativity' At Radio City Music Hall Glows and Grows". Variety. p. 54.
  11. ↑ Tatarsky, Daniel (2016-10-01). The Splendid Book of the Bicycle: From boneshakers to Bradley Wiggins. Portico. ISBN 978-1-911042-63-1.
  12. ↑ "Christmas Day". Leicester Mercury. December 24, 1980. pp. Supplements: XIV.
  13. ↑ Delfont, Bernard Baron (January 25, 1989). Curtain Up!: The Story of the Royal Variety Performance. Robson. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-86051-629-3.
  14. 1 2 "- Remembering Lilly Yokoi "The Ballerina On The Golden Bicycle"". CapoVelo.com. 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  15. ↑ "Circus Review". Variety. June 13, 1962. p. 64.
  16. ↑ "Going To The Circus". Evening Sentinel. 1963-03-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  17. ↑ Mills, Cyril Bertram (1967). Bertram Mills Circus: Its Story. Hutchinson. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-906798-22-5.
  18. ↑ "Rings Around the World (1966)". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  19. ↑ "Free Kids' Show Set at Paramount". The Post-Star. 1968-06-21. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  20. ↑ Scott, Johnny L. (1966-03-09). "'Hello, America' -Chapter 2". The Los Angeles Times. p. 78. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  21. ↑ "Ed Sullivan". Globe-Gazette. 1965-10-08. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  22. ↑ Constantino, Romola (1977-03-07). "Astonishing, dazzling circus". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  23. ↑ "Sequin Shimmers". Amusement Business. April 1, 1978. p. 34.
  24. ↑ "Sequin Shimmers". Amusement Business. June 19, 1978. p. 25.
  25. ↑ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 3 March 1956. p. 91.
  26. ↑ "Finger Walker's Torso More So". The Courier-Journal. 1955-02-14. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  27. 1 2 3 "Lilly Yokoi, 'Ballerina on the Golden Bicycle' held to be one of the greatest-ever circus artistes". The Telegraph. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.

Works cited

[edit]
  • Tatarsky, Daniel (2016-10-01). The Splendid Book of the Bicycle: From boneshakers to Bradley Wiggins. Portico. ISBN 978-1-911042-63-1.
  • Delfont, Bernard Baron (January 25, 1989). Curtain Up!: The Story of the Royal Variety Performance. Robson. ISBN 978-0-86051-629-3
  • Mills, Cyril Bertram (1967). Bertram Mills Circus: Its Story. Hutchinson. ISBN 978-0-906798-22-5.

Further reading

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  • "The Illustrated London News". Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited. January 25, 1963
  • Renevey, Monica J. (January 25, 1977). "Le Grand livre du cirque". Bibliothèque des arts
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