Anthony Gatto
{{short description|American juggler (born 1973)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anthony Gatto
| birth_name = Anthony Commarota
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|4|14}}
| birth_place = Manhattan, New York
| occupation = {{hlist|Juggler|entrepreneur}}
| website = {{URL|http://anthonygatto.com}}
}}
Anthony Gatto (born Anthony Commarota on April 14, 1973) is an American juggler who holds several juggling world records. He began performing in Las Vegas at the age of ten.
Early years
Born in ManhattanGatto, From Vaudeville Acro-Cat to the King of Juggling, Produced by Alan Plotkin and growing up in Ellicott City, Maryland,Smith, C. Fraser (January 24, 1983). "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/377551340/ A 'peacock' juggles in Ellicott City]". The Baltimore Sun. p. D1. he learned to juggle at the age of 3, taught by his stepfather, Nick Gatto, a retired Vaudeville performer.Holzberg, Janene (March 15, 2009). "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/252326213/ The Natural: Cirque du Soleil juggler learned at dad's shop]". The Baltimore Sun. p. A3. By age 5, his skills had exceeded his father's. He was a juggling prodigy: world-class by the age of nine, when he won a gold medal at Circus Mondial in Paris."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/145826691/ Juggler, 12, sets own high goals]". Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey). p.G8.
He made his first television appearance at the age of 8 on the program That's Incredible!{{cite web|url=http://grantland.com/features/anthony-gatto-juggling-cirque-du-soleil-jason-fagone/|title=Dropped |publisher=grantland.com|accessdate=August 28, 2020}}Gatto, Anthony. "History of Gatto Ent?" May 5, 2008. [http://www.anthonygatto.forumco.com Juggling Talk.] {{Webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181215224235/https://anthonygatto.forumco.com/ |date= December 15, 2018 }} At the age of 13, he came in third place in the individual competition at the 39th annual convention of the International Jugglers Association."[https://www.newspapers.com/image/498243023/ Convention attracts 700 jugglers and one teen prodegy]". Associated Press. The Leader-Post (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada). p. C14. His family moved to Las Vegas when he was 14 in order to take advantage of the career opportunities located there.Boiler, Donna E. (July 19, 1989). "[https://www.newspapers.com/image/377979072/ Juggling his way through life]". The Baltimore Sun. p. HCS2.
Adult career
In 1998, Gatto met his future wife Danielle, who became his assistant during his performances. A professional dancer, Danielle added circus-style skills to her résumé to accompany her husband on circus tours. Danielle and Anthony married in 1999 and they have two children.
Gatto performed in Midnight Fantasy when it premiered in 1999. As he performed largely without speaking, he quickly juggled hula hoops, swiftly thrown clubs, and balls aimed for baskets.{{cite news |last=Paskevich |first=Michael |date=November 19, 1999 |title='Midnight Fantasy' too much of a throwback |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/0FD39252A422BEFA&f=basic |newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal |accessdate=August 1, 2024 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240801103956/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/0FD39252A422BEFA&f=basic |archivedate=August 1, 2024 }} Joe Delaney of the Las Vegas Sun said that the audience most liked the part of the show where Gatto juggled.{{cite news |last=Delaney |first=Joe |date=November 12, 1999 |title=Plenty of flesh on display in 'Midnight Fantasy' |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/nov/12/plenty-of-flesh-on-display-in-midnight-fantasy/ |newspaper=Las Vegas Sun |accessdate=August 1, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801103714/https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/nov/12/plenty-of-flesh-on-display-in-midnight-fantasy/ |archivedate=August 1, 2024 }}
In 2000, he became the first and so far only juggler to win the prestigious Golden Clown award at the 24th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo.{{cite web |title=List of previous award winners |publisher=International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo |url=http://www.montecarlofestivals.com/siteweb/palmares_precedentes.html |accessdate=October 16, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Between 2007 and 2009, Gatto's performance was a part of Cirque du Soleil's show Koozå. From 2010 to 2012, he was part of Cirque du Soleil's show La Nouba.
In 2012, Anthony Gatto retired from performing in Cirque Du Soleil in order to run a concrete resurfacing business "Big Top Concrete Resurfacing LLC" under his birth name of Anthony Commarota. The business was founded by him in August 2012 and is located in Orlando, Florida.
Skills
Gatto formerly shared the record for most rings juggled and caught at least once. He currently holds the following 7 juggling world records:
;Rings
- 7 rings for 15 minutes 5 seconds in 2011.{{cite web |title=List of Numbers Juggling Records |publisher=Juggling Information Service Committee on Numbers Juggling (JISCON) |url=http://www.juggling.org/records/records.html |accessdate=February 20, 2011 }}
- 8 rings for 1 minute 17 seconds in 1989.
- 9 rings for 235 catches in 2005.
- 10 rings for 47 catches in 2005.
;Clubs
;Balls
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{URL|http://anthonygatto.com|Anthony Gatto's commercial page}}
- {{URL|https://www.youtube.com/user/ator1a1m|Anthony Gatto's YouTube channel}}
- {{URL|http://juggling.tv/search/anthony+gatto|Videos of Anthony Gatto juggling}}
- {{URL|http://bigtopcr.com/|Anthony Commarota's concrete resurfacing business}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gatto, Anthony}}