Meet the woman behind Dubai's death-defying sky-high swing stunt

Dubai: A daredevil woman has broken the internet after dangling on a sky-high swing suspended from an airship 1,000 ft above the iconic Dubai skyline, before leaping into a freefall.

Meet Magali Folkner Braff, whose death-defying stunt was shared by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai on Thursday.

Speaking to Gulf News over the phone soon after she landed back in her country, Belgium, the daredevil behind the stunt that captivated more than a million people in just 10 hours shared the details of what no one else in the world has achieved.

The Guinness World Record–holding professional skydiver and co-founder of an indoor skydive institute in Belgium revealed that she spent almost a week executing what she describes as “the most ambitious and technically demanding stunt” of her life.

“Skybreaking” was a word she coined to describe her sky-high feat.

"At that moment, you're actually alone, hanging between the buildings or above the sea," Magali said.

"The only thing you can think is, 'Whoa, this is real. Wow. It's only me. I'm flying above a city that I love deeply, and I see the sun rising, and every second the light changes.'"

She described the experience as “a dream made visible — something I will carry forever, and gratitude to the whole team and the extraordinary city of Dubai.”

"Watching the sun rise between the buildings from such a height, on a view that maybe nobody has seen before, was truly a moment of deep meditation. You need to stay still. You need to stay focused," she added.

The stunt coincided with the start of the Dubai Shopping Festival. Magali was suspended from a large airship emblazoned with the message “15 years of rising above ordinary,” swinging past the most iconic Dubai landmarks — Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Frame, Ain Dubai, Bluewaters Island, among others.

For Magali, this was more than another extreme stunt. It marked a personal full-circle moment. She first jumped over the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai 15 years ago, during the early days of Skydive Dubai, which orchestrated this stunt to celebrate its 15th anniversary. She said she felt truly special to be invited for the milestone.

"Dubai is really close to my heart. Joining this project was a true honour," she explained.

What appeared effortless on screen was the result of meticulous preparation. Magali designed her striking red dress herself, working alongside fellow skydiver Ludovic Lang to create a garment that was both visually stunning and aerodynamically sound.

"I really wanted to bring some femininity, some movement in the air," she said. "It was technically challenging to find the right designer, so I decided to design the dress myself."

Every detail was purposeful: the right sleeve was shorter than the left to allow for parachute deployment, the front hemline was raised for safe landing, and the back extended dramatically for visual flow. The dress was engineered to integrate the parachute container without tearing during the BASE jump that concluded each flight.

"I wanted to create something that was beautiful, safe, and respectful of the culture of Dubai, while also being graceful," she explained.

Though she has achieved a world-first feat and some have likened her to a superwoman, Magali says, "every woman is a superwoman."

While the BASE jump and freefall might seem terrifying, Magali revealed that standing up on the swing proved most nerve-wracking.

"Standing up is the scariest part because you have the dress and need to manage to stand gracefully at 1,000 feet on something that's shaking. You have to engage all your muscles and find the right balance," she said.

"When standing on the swing, you need constant muscle engagement in your legs and arms. It was heavy. But when your body and mind are focused, you don't realise your body is tired."

Magali revealed the project unfolded over almost a week, with approximately an hour of flight each day, totaling six hours on the swing.

The first day involved practice jumps from the airship gondola, the enclosed cabin beneath the blimp where people ride and equipment is housed.

"It was to get used to the feeling of low jumps because I had to BASE jump, which is lower than skydiving," she explained.

Subsequent days included ambitious flights over the sea, iconic landmarks, and multiple landing spots.

"When you're skydiving, everything goes really fast, but here everything was slow until the jump — and when you jump, it goes fast again," she said.

After the final successful flight, Magali was overwhelmed.

"I had tears in my eyes. It was a relief that everything went well. I am enormously grateful to the team for doing everything needed. I was happy it was over and that it all went safely, beyond words," she said.

The most overwhelming moment, however, was Sheikh Hamdan sharing the video, which garnered over a million views in just 10 hours.

"It was deeply emotional. It captured something I could not fully feel in the moment: the magnitude, the beauty, the grace, and the historic nature of the stunt. My reaction was a mix of shock, pride, gratitude, and disbelief — watching myself suspended above Dubai as if floating inside a postcard. It validated months of preparation, courage, and creative vision.”

Recalling her encounter with Sheikh Hamdan, she said: "I have goosebumps...I crossed paths with him once at the drop zone. We never spoke, but I'm beyond words to explain my gratitude. My goal with this stunt was to put Dubai on the map. I think he understood, and he posted it. I'm super grateful."

Starting her skydiving journey in 2007, Magali has since built an impressive career with nearly 3,500 skydives, 88 hot-air balloon jumps, and 150 BASE jumps. In 2013, she and her husband Steve Braff established Belgium's first indoor skydiving facility, followed by a second in 2019.

Known for bringing "a unique blend of femininity, discipline, and flying awareness into traditionally male-dominated environments," Magali specializes in world-record formations, technical flying, and unique aerial performances.

This year alone, she achieved a California State Record, a South American head-down record, and a World Record in large head-down formation. She has also participated in high-altitude jumps, balloon jumps on a swing in Brazil, and the UAE head-up record.

Beyond her daredevil persona, Magali credits much of her success to her husband Steve, who serves as her mentor.

"The skydiver I am today is thanks to him, because he mentored me," she said.

The couple, who had their wedding in the sky, are often in Dubai escaping European winters. They plan to return to the city in January.