Carnival & Fair News

For as long as she can remember, Cyndel Flores has performed for audiences. Growing up in a family of daredevils, Cyndel spent her childhood and young adult years riding in the globe of death and participating in other acts. As an integral member of the Fearless Flores Thrill Show, she was featured on America's Got Talent in 2011 alongside her father, Ricardo, mother, Arcelia, and younger brother, Volorian. Recalling her experience on America's Got Talent she mentioned how she “was 13 at the time, but everyone was so friendly. The other competitors were singers and dancers, so it didn't feel like we were actually competing against each other.” Years later, Cyndel graced the America's Got Talent stage again, but this time it was on AGT Extreme, where other stunt performers and globe riders competed for the prize. This experience was much different than her first time. Instead of performing with her family, Cyndel went on the show alone and competed against other extreme acts on the breakaway sway pole instead of the globe of death.

According to Cyndel, there are “only two breakaway sway poles in existence that we know of, and we have both of them,” making her act especially unique to the show. As a tenth generation performer, Cyndel grew up with many role models that she watched before she attempted anything herself. When it comes to the sway pole, she reminisced on watching her “mom on the sway pole growing up, and she always had long, dark hair and amazing costumes that reminded her of Wonder Woman, and she thought, ‘that was the coolest, but also craziest thing'.” Following in the footsteps of the older women in her family, Cyndel went on to perform the sway pole herself, and chose that act for what she wanted to bring to AGT Extreme.



On the day of her audition, Cyndel traveled to Georgia in the “middle of her season, having to drive overnight from Tennessee to perform.” Working on 4 or 5 hours of sleep is not necessarily unusual for extreme acts, but to add to the circumstances, it started raining, causing the sway pole to get wet and slick. Although the staff on the show were “so nice and accommodating” considering her situation, she had never performed the breakaway sway pole in the rain or after it had rained.

Cyndel mentioned how they delayed filming for the rain, but she wanted to perform anyway. She recalls saying how she “came there to audition, and although it is extreme, the rain will only add to that and [she] knew [she] could do it, even if [she] had never done it before.” Looking down at her younger sister while performing, Cyndel managed to complete the act safely, and went on to receive a golden buzzer from extreme stuntman Travis Pastrana. In that moment, Cyndel found it “life-changing considering he has seen and performed almost every extreme stunt, so to impress him was pretty neat.” After receiving the golden buzzer from Pastrana, Simon Cowell even expressed his jealousy of Travis for pressing the button before he did, proving that her act was more than worthy of the buzzer. Seeing their reactions to an act she performs on a weekly basis puts into perspective the hard work and dedication that she and her family put in to create their act and share it with the world.


Once Cyndel received the golden buzzer, she made it to the top seven before being eliminated, but still considers her time on the show a worthwhile and fun experience. After both seasons of America's Got Talent, Cyndel continued to perform at fairs, carnivals, and events all over, with the rest of her family. Although her life remains similar to how it was before America's Got Talent, she gained a following from both seasons that continues to support her at events she attends with her family's act. She spoke about how “people remembered me from the first time I was on America's Got Talent, and sent me direct messages and comments about how much they enjoyed my performance.” Conversations like these and the support she has received from fans and followers opened up new opportunities to grow her fan base while also traveling and performing. Not only does she get recognized more often, but she is also able to use her experience on AGT to market her act. Considering the popularity of the show, having Cyndel perform at a fair, carnival, or event immediately opens up the opportunity for fans to see a TV show contestant in person. Cyndel commented on how she has had “people drive 100 miles to see” her and the family perform after watching them on TV which “was really flattering.”


As for her next steps, Cyndel mentioned that they are still “working, traveling, and, as always, looking for more events and opportunities to perform.” Cyndel loves that she is able to work with her family on a regular basis, and describes their situation as “living the dream.”
 
Although she grew up in the entertainment industry, Cyndel's parents always stressed the importance of safety before their children attempted any of the stunts. With the nature of their extreme acts, there are some activities that the children were not allowed to try until they turned 18, including the sway pole, proving they were responsible enough to try. The sway pole is an extremely risky act, and Cyndel speaks about how they “are not in control when [they] are performing, and the only person to stop an injury or a disaster is [yourself].”



Falling is always a possibility, so preparation and readiness for the task is imperative prior to the attempt of any stunt. Luckily, the Fearless Flores Family prioritizes values safety and preparation over anything else, creating an environment where they do not have to perform if they are worried. Beyond safety, Cyndel emphasized the importance of family to her, and the unique opportunity she must continue her family's legacy through her performance on the breakaway sway pole.