MTV got a special view of the artist’s dangerous stunts before she performed at the 2009 VMAs. By Eric Ditzian Pink performs at the 2009 VMAs Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage Anyone who has seen one of Pink’s acrobatic stage shows — in which she flies upside-down through the air while managing to sing beautifully — knows that the talented 30-year-old puts herself at risk nightly. MTV News got an inside-look at what it takes to put together such a perilous act when Pink performed at the Video Music Awards last September. And after a harness reportedly malfunctioned and Pink fell onto a steel barricade during a show in Germany on Thursday, we immediately thought back to what we learned from seeing her VMA rehearsals and talking with a show insider. “There’s a lot of danger,” VMA creative director Lee Lodge told us last year. “You may see it, and you may think it’s amazing, but what people don’t understand is how technically difficult it is to do that — and do it while singing live.” During last year’s Funhouse Tour and this year’s Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour, the singer has been executing high-flying move after high-flying move, everything from trapeze flips to whirling rope spins. It’s eye-popping stuff, and something only a professional would be able to pull off. “She’s trained as a gymnast,” Lodge explained. “She does so much aerial work in all of her concerts. Pink is an amazing performer who probably doesn’t get enough credit as she should — vocally and as a songwriter, but also in terms of what she can do onstage.” Her stage show is so impressive that it ended up setting the tone for the rest of the VMA performances, from Lady Gaga’s to Jay-Z’s. “Our executive producer, Jesse Ignjatovic, flew to London to see the concert, and as soon as he saw the concert, Pink was the very first act booked on the show,” Lodge said. “And because it was the first act booked for the show, it raised the bar for the rest of the performances, in terms of they all had to have a sense of spectacle or scale or theater or drama. The whole direction of the show was started a long time ago when Jesse saw Pink’s show.” When an artist is flying 60 to 80 feet above a stage, there is always a concern about safety, but Lodge emphasized that Pink’s crew was experienced and safety-conscious. “For us, you have to check the safety of the performance,” Lodge said. “It’s dangerous, but for Pink, the fact that she does it every night and has been doing it for a couple of months, made everyone feel safe.” Have you seen Pink perform her stunts live? Share your experiences in the comments below. Related Videos Pink’s ‘Funhouse’ Tour Acrobatics: An Inside Look Related Artists P!nk
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Pink’s Acrobatic Stage Show: An Inside Look
