Adela Peralta Leppe

Adela Peralta Leppe (13 November 192922 March 2018), also known by her stage name Tiki Tiki, was a Mexican actress, singer, dancer, journalist, clown and union activist. Throughout her career spanning several decades, she stood out as one of the pioneering female clowns in Mexico, while also actively advocating for labour rights within her profession.

Career

Adela Peralta Leppe began her career in 1948 when she joined the artistic company "México Lindo" in Acapulco, and then toured Mexico and Central America with them. She later formed her own ballet company called "Las Leppe Sisters", which performed alongside artists such as Damaso Pérez Prado and Bill Haley & His Comets in Mexico and in Europe. The composer Luis Arcaraz composed the song "Dulce" specifically for her company to perform.

In the 1950s, Peralta Leppe began visiting primary schools to provide entertainment, as many families couldn't afford to hire a clown privately. The singer and composer Daniel Santos gave her the nickname Tiki Tiki, a name she adopted for her six-decade-long career as a clown. She affirmed: "Tiki Tiki was born as a result of my social work." Her dedication to this role earned her the title of "Senior Clown" by the Latin Clown Brotherhood. She died on 22 March 2018, in Mexico City.