Trapeze artist Erendira Wallenda performed a daring, eight-minute-long aerial "ballet" from a helicopter over Niagara Falls Thursday, at times hanging only by her teeth.
While dangling over the Falls under overcast skies, a smiling Erendira performed a series of moves to music that only she could hear through headphones.
At times, Erendira, 36, was hanging from the chopper by only her teeth, wearing a customized mouthpiece.
Erendira told reporters afterward that "it felt amazing" to be high above the Falls, but she wasn't expecting it to be so windy.
"I felt good enough to where I was able to hang by my teeth a second time," she said.
The stunt coincides with the fifth anniversary of Nik Wallenda's historic 550-metre tightrope walk from the New York side of Niagara Falls, into Canada.
In accordance with New York State labour law, Wallenda was tethered to the helicopter as she performed her stunt.
In a news conference Wednesday, Erendira said she was excited to perform the stunt, which she called a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
After her daring feat, she also had a message of female empowerment for young fans.
"If a guy can do it, a girl can do it, too," Erendira said. "We just do it with a little more grace."
Nik told reporters that he's looking to build a permanent, family-friendly attraction on the U.S. side of the Niagara Falls that would showcase his family business.
Nik Wallenda said the reason Erendira's stunt was performed at 8:30 a.m. was to maximize exposure for viewers and capitalize on a full day of media coverage to promote the Niagara region. "The global attention is huge," he said. "It's like a worldwide TV commercial."
