An audience cheering on trapeze performers on US television show America's Got Talent was aghast last night when an acrobat slipped through her partner's hands and landed on the stage, which was in flames.
Husband and wife team Duo Transcend were performing their routine when Mary Wolfe-Nielsen fell through the grasp of Tyce Nielsen.
The gasping audience members and judges reacted in shock — but Mary quickly got back up again, indicating she was not hurt.
The couple showed off various lifts and started their routine with Tyce holding Mary by her neck, her legs dangling in the air.
But things took a turn for the worse when blindfolded Tyce failed to catch Mary after she dropped from above him.
The team's son and his grandmother were watching when the accident occurred.
When Mary got up she smiled and waved, and Tyce joined her on the stage to give her a kiss.
"We wanted to step up our act, so we added some new elements that we've never worked with before — the fire and the blindfold," Mary said.
Tyce said he was relying on a music cue to catch Mary, as he could not see.
"I knew right away, I could feel her slipping through my hands and that feeling is just terrifying," he said.
"It felt like it lasted so long. It was really uncomfortable."
CNN reported Mary wanted to attempt the trick again but was rebuffed by the audience.
"This is not America's Got Perfection. It's America's Got Talent. Nobody can do this," CNN reported one of the judges, actor Ken Jeong, as saying.
Despite the fall, the couple will continue to compete this season.
The couple's website says they met while performing as high divers in a cliff-diving show.
Their show credits include theatrical producer Cirque du Soleil.
