Trapeze Artist's New Year's Drop Confounds, Entertains

MARIETTA, GA -- Now that any possible hangovers have been slept off, we can officially report that yes, Marietta: a half-naked trapeze artist did actually descend from that cube in Marietta Square to ring in the new year.

Daniel Stefek, the artist who was lowered as a symbolic ball to count down the seconds until 2016, is an Alpharetta native who works with the Proia Dance Project in Marietta, the Marietta Daily Journal reports.

Prominent Marietta Realtor Jim Glover asked Proia to be involved in the new year’s fun, and mentioned Stefek when director Alexandre Proia felt uncomfortable with using ballet dancers with the evening’s country music theme, according to the MDJ.

To keep Stefek’s performance a surprise, event planners said that the large cube he would eventually be dropped from was the actual item that was to be dropped to signal the beginning of a new year.

The shirtless Stefek emerged from the suspended cube just before midnight and began performing stunts 35 feet off the ground, a move which has caused a stir on social media.

“Very sad that this is the best that the city of Marietta could come up with. Was very confused they stopped the countdown before midnight and then the Half Nude Dude Flop made no sense,” Janice Campbell commented on a Facebook video showing Stefek’s drop. “Right now I’m kinda embarrassed to say I’m from Marietta, GA.”

On the other hand, Kerri McShane said she was “[g]rateful for Marietta putting on a great NYE. Thank you! I was really impressed.

I understand there are mixed reviews on the “person drop” and the countdown was a little off, but let’s be gracious and positive... Too much to be thankful for so let’s stop complaining. Thank you volunteers! Happy New Year.”