7 Facts About ‘America’s Got Talent’ Viral Trapeze Act, Duo Transcend
Youtube Reading Time: 4 minutes
It’s no secret that Duo Transcend has become one of the bigger names in the Got Talent danger category since their time on America’s Got Talent season 13. Meet Tyce Nielsen and Mary Wolfe-Nielsen the trapeze artists behind the act.
This married couple was one of the last 10 acts standing on America’s Got Talent season 13 and have had quite the journey since the show. Here are eight things you should know about this married couple.
1. Duo Transcend Met While Performing
This couple had their own talents before ever meeting one another. Wolfe-Nielsen got her start by performing in musical theatre and ballet, while Nielson got his start in high diving and trampoline wall. The couple met while performing in a cliff diving show and eventually went on to get married and have their son, Jaxx Nielsen.
After their marriage, the couple began creating and performing their own trapeze and roller skating acts. Their skills have led to opportunities at major large-scale productions including The Great American Variety Show, Circus Flic Flac, Cirque De La Mer, Le Grand Cirque Adrenaline, and Cirque Du Soleil.
2. Nielsen Has an Eye Condition
The couple talked about how Nielsen suffered from a progressive eye condition on America’s Got Talent. It was determined that he had keratoconus which causes the cornea to thin and bulge over time. He was diagnosed with this disease in his early teens. Nielson’s condition was so bad that he couldn’t read or see anything clearly a few feet in front of him without his specialized contacts. It was shared on the show that Nielsen’s condition was so bad that he would need a cornea transplant.
Since then, Wolfe-Nielsen has explained that they had found a doctor in Los Angeles who specializes in keratoconus. Typically, this condition is fixed in a process called cross-linking which involves scraping of the cornea to strengthen collagen fibers using ultraviolet light and eye drops. The couple originally was told Nielsen would need a cornea transplant in his 40’s. The Los Angeles doctor was able to help the situation. He remains legally blind in his right eye, but the treatment prevented him from completely losing his sight in that eye. The entire procedure is posted on YouTube if you’re interested in how it works.
3. Duo Transcend Went Viral on AGT Season 13
This act is one of the most memorable because one of their performances went extremely wrong. During their Judge Cut performance, Nielsen dropped his wife head first on to the stage. Luckily, she landed safely on the stage and got up to live the story. Duo Transcend asked to perform their trick again and the judges reminded them that a mistake makes them human. They were put through to the live shows despite the mistake in the round.
Mistakes like that are always a risk in danger performances, but Wolfe-Nielsen eased viewer nerves by explaining that stunt artists are trained on how to fall if something like that happens. From there, they went on to be the first trapeze act to reach the finals.
4. They Returned For AGT: The Champions Season 2
After their successful debut, they returned to the AGT competition again in 2020. Fans were excited to see this group return to the stage once again. Their on stage act got bigger, better and more exciting. They made it clear that they came back to the competition to win.
Their finale performance involved both of them doing aerial tricks blindfolded. This act left the audience and judges on the edge of their seat. They totally crushed this competition, finishing as runner up behind V. Unbeatable.
5. They Don’t Just Perform on The Trapeze
Fans of the series saw a little bit of their roller skating skills during the semifinals of AGT: The Champions, but Duo transcend also performs on only roller skates as well. Their roller skate act involves Nielsen spinning his wife around in circles while she does tricks in the air. Although this talent is different than the trapeze, it’s another one that needs to be practiced often for performers to get right.
6. Their Six Year Old Son, Jaxx, is Showing Interest Their Act
Duo Transcend recently shared a video of Tyce and Jaxx Nielsen on roller skates in their home. In the caption of the video, the couple shared that their son wanted to join their roller skating practice. Within the video, Jaxx takes the spot of Mary. His father skates in circles and helps him do tricks in the air. It seems like Duo Transcend might become Family Transcend when Jaxx is old enough to join the act.
7. Duo Transcend is Currently Performing in AGT Las Vegas Live
In 2021, Duo Transcend returned to the AGT stage to perform with Deadly Games as a guest performance. After this performance, it was announced that both groups would be apart of the series’ Las Vegas residency at the Luxor Resort. This group is still performing at the resort at this time.
