Quick Facts
LeoBiography
Jules Léotard ([leɔtaʁ]; March 1, 1838 – August 17, 1870) was a French acrobatic performer and aerialist who developed the art of trapeze. He also popularized the one-piece gym wear that now bears his name and inspired the 1867 song "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" sung by George Leybourne.
Early life
Léotard was born in Toulouse, France, the son of a gymnastics instructor who ran a swimming pool in Toulouse. Léotard would practice his routines over the pool. He went on to study law.
Career
After he passed his law exams, he seemed destined to join the legal profession. But at 18 he began to experiment with trapeze bars, ropes and rings suspended over a swimming pool. Léotard later joined the Cirque Napoleon.
On 12 November 1859, the first flying trapeze routine was performed by Jules Léotard on three trapeze bars at the Cirque Napoleon.
The costume he invented was a one-piece knitted garment streamlined to suit the safety and agility concerns of trapeze performance. It also showed off his physique, impressed women and inspired the song sung by George Leybourne.
In addition to having the leotard named after him, Jules Léotard was immortalised as the subject of the 1867 popular song, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze.
Death
According to notes from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Jules Léotard died in 1870 from an infectious disease (possibly smallpox). They list his year of birth as 1838.