First-year Student Ariana Wunderle Breaks Guinness World Record

By Emily Hung ’23, October 13, 2022

Tightrope walker walks almost 640 feet in 4-inch heels.

Ariana Wunderle broke the Guinness World Record while a student at Bellows Falls Union High School.

(Photo Submitted)

If there’s a type of person who you’d expect to break the Guinness World Record for longest tightrope walk in high heels, it’s Ariana Wunderle ’26. The exploratory program student quite literally grew up in a circus family. Her parents worked at Circus Smirkus, a nonprofit arts organization, based in Greensboro, Vermont, and she’s been touring with the circus since she first appeared in a ring when she was just two years old.

Since that time, she’s gone from being a clown, to a flyer at the top of the pyramids, to a talented acrobat and aerialist, before eventually specializing in tightwire.

So, in some ways, her record-breaking 639-foot, seven-inch walk, which she accomplished while wearing four-inch heels on a tightrope seven feet off the ground in the gym at Bellows Falls Union High School, wasn’t too big of a shock. But considering the previous record of 50 feet, set by Oxana Seroshtan of Russia, she even surprised herself with the distance she walked.

“I went into it thinking my biggest goal that I didn’t even think I was going to beat was to double it. I was hoping to get 100 feet, and I ended up getting over 600.”

Ariana Wunderle ’26

“I went into it thinking my biggest goal that I didn’t even think I was going to beat was to double it,” Wunderle said. “I was hoping to get 100 feet, and I ended up getting over 600.”

Wunderle, who undertook the challenge as part of her senior project, in which she raised money for Circus Smirkus, had invited her family and school to watch her attempt — which took place over the course of an hour.

Wunderle has been touring with a circus since she was two years old, and was introduced to the tightrope at the age of seven. (Photo submitted)

“I had told the principal that I wouldn’t walk anything more than 25 minutes, because that was the longest I had ever done, and that was on the low wire,” Wunderle said. “So, I was like ‘yeah, there’s no way I’ll break it. It won’t go that long.’ And then I walked for 55 minutes.”

In fact, she walked for so long the end-of-day school bell rang, and students left the gym to catch the bus.

“There was a moment where a whole bunch of people stood up to leave and made all this noise, but wire requires so much focus, so I didn’t even really notice it,” she said.

Wunderle had first attempted to break the record about four years ago but was too young to apply and be accepted to compete by Guinness World Records. She also didn’t realize there were other requirements she needed to meet, such as wearing heels that had to be four inches and walking on a tightrope at least six feet off the ground.

However, armed with that knowledge, and more years of experience and practice, the old record didn’t stand a chance.

“It’s incredible to realize how much stronger I am mentally and physically than I gave myself credit for,” she said.

First introduced to the tightrope at the age of seven after seeing it in a show, Wunderle walked up to the wire coach afterward and asked if she could teach her how to walk the wire.

“Ariana is certain to push far beyond her own boundaries and remain ‘officially amazing,’ wherever life takes her.”

Melissa Wooton, record content support manager for Guiness World Records in North America

“I saw all these older kids doing these crazy things, and I was like ‘that’s so cool’,” she said. “Wire walking was something that wasn’t really in the circus show a lot because not many people were doing it just because it’s a much more of a specialized specialty.”

Wunderle eventually chose the tightrope as her circus discipline. She spent several summers drilling down the basics and was cast in a wire act the year after she began training.

“I’m really grateful for it because I would not be as advanced in wire today if it wasn’t for that,” Wunderle said. “I don’t remember the first time I’d seen high heels on the wire, but I knew it was a thought that I had for maybe five or six years now.”

Melissa Wooton, record content support manager for Guiness World Records in North America, said Wunderle will go far with her bravery and determination.

“Ariana didn't let doubts or fears stop her from walking a tightrope (in high heels!) to a Guinness World Records title,” Wooton said. “She is certain to push far beyond her own boundaries and remain ‘officially amazing,’ wherever life takes her.”

“You make eye contact with the audience, and you form these really fun connections. It helps you feel like you’re more than just yourself. It helps you feel like you’re doing more in the world, even if you’re just doing what you love. You’re still making an impact, and that’s something I really love about performing.”

Ariana Wunderle ’26

This summer, after 16 years with the organization Wunderle completed her last tour with Circus Smirkus. Joshua Shack, the organization’s associate artistic director, said the circus has watched her develop over the years.

“Over the past few years, she has become a first-rate wire walker; her high-level technical skill matched by her beaming smile, a sparkle in her eye, and natural charisma developed through her lifetime of performing for thousands of audiences,” Shack said.

Performing in the circus has always been part of Wunderle’s life, and she hopes to continue it at Ithaca College, and is looking into IC Circus, a student organization dedicated to teaching and helping students learn about the circus arts.

“You make eye contact with the audience, and you form these really fun connections,” she said. “It helps you feel like you’re more than just yourself. It helps you feel like you’re doing more in the world, even if you’re just doing what you love. You’re still making an impact, and that’s something I really love about performing.”