Artistic adventure by Arron Sparks
Over the last couple of months I’ve been touring with Gandini Juggling. I decided to document my travels a little, to give a feel for what it’s been like. The videos not so juggling focused but might be interesting for any circus artists, even if your not a massive juggling fan…
Photos and video all filmed on a iPhone 4S and edited in iMovie for iPad. I like Apples.
It is with great sadness that I bring the news of Yukihiro Suzuki (known onstage as YukkiYoYo) passing away on the 27th June 2012. My heart goes out to his friends and family and I thought it might be fitting to share a few thoughts here…
Around 2000 when internet videos were starting to really open my eyes to the wider yo-yo community I came across a few videos of a ridiculously talented boy doing things with two yo-yos that I didn’t know we’re possible. I’d watch them over and over hoping some of it might rub off.
In 2002 I watched Yukkis worlds freestyle, it floored me. It was the most raw freestyles I’d ever seen (and possibly will ever see). Such style and energy.
A few years later in France I had the pleasure to meet Yukki in person, I remember being genuinely nervous meeting someone who I had admired and watched for years. Yukki struck me as a humble, kind and generous person. I spoke to him about circus school and performing, at the time I was in a similar position to him, although I was just starting out at circus school.
I remember Yukki talking about originality, being true to yourself on stage and finding your personality in the technique. Sometimes a slightly abstract concept but with Yukki you could really see this ideal on stage.
Yukki had the rare insight and abilities to combine a supreme understanding of technique with a truly unique aesthetic, provoking emotion like any great piece of art. Yukki was a true Yo-Yo Artist.
The world is a worse off place without Yukki, so many audiences robbed of seeing such a talent, ideas the world will never see, such style…. Gone.
This beautifully made video by Benedict Campbell features The Ken Fox Troupe, one of a very few families still performing “The Wall of Death” in Europe.
I wonder if anyone is performing the bicycle version anymore? If not perhaps it would be a fun project for someone to do*?!
*Lions optional
Thanks to Howie for pointing this one out!
I’ve been interested in the use of technology in circus for some time. The performance of Quixotic Fusion at TED merges dance and elements of aerial work to produce some interesting results.
To be honest the over all performance is not to my taste but it’s great to see companies succeeding in the tricky business of blending technology with live performance.
Here are 5 (of many) things that suck about the average circus artist website…
Recently a few people have asked me questions about iPads and Apps so I thought it might be useful to write something specifically for circus artists.
For the record I should state that (sadly) I’m not on the Apple payroll and that other (lesser) tablets are available… Yes ok this is basically an unpaid advert for Apple but hopefully someone will find it useful!
Why do I need an iPad?
You don’t. But do you need more than 1 pair of shoes? The iPad offers enough computing power and screen space to read, watch movies, create simple documents (like invoices) and answer e-mails. And yet it’s small, light and strong enough to alway have in your bag. Just watch some iPad adverts, I can’t sell as well as Apple can!
Will it replace a laptop?
It could. Last year I went on tour for 7 weeks and managed perfectly well without my laptop, thanks to my iPad. With the release of iPhoto and iMovie Apps along with iWork means you can probably do all your office work from an iPad. Having said that, if you’re into serious photoshopping or powerhouse video editing then you might want to hang onto your trusty laptop or desktop (remember them!?).
What Apps do I need?
Which iPad model should I get?
Don’t get the iPad 1 as some of the more hardware intensive apps won’t run on it (iMovie). At the moment Apple are still selling the iPad2 and iPad3, ebay is also worth a look but is obviously more of a gamble. Don’t get the 16GB version, you will fill it up. 32GB would probably be enough but depends on how long you go away for and how many movies you want to take with you. The 3/4G models mean you can connect to the net almost anywhere but you will have to get a contract and pay if you use it abroad! A better option might be to add tethering to your current mobile contract (if you have a smart phone).
What extras do I need?
Case is a good idea, stylus optional.
Will an iPad make me better at one arm handstands?
Probably not, but then there are Apps that can teach you almost anything 😉
This circus video game (set to be released for the main stream) is being used to help with stroke recovery, looks pretty interesting (despite the slightly garish aesthetic!)…
A few days ago I performed with Gandini Juggling in Bergamo, home to some of the best pizza in the world, inventor of Stracciatella ice-cream and the resting place of one of the greatest and most influential jugglers of all time, Enrico Rastelli.
Even though it was only a short trip to Italy we managed to fit in a visit to Rastelli’s grave, a first for me and something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
As an atheist it felt a little odd to wonder through a grave yard so heavily entrenched in religious symbols. But it was a fitting time and location to reflect on Rastelli’s achievements. While I don’t believe his spirit was looking down on us as we placed the flowers by his feet I’d like to think that if Rastelli were alive then he’d appreciate the gesture.
It was nice to know I was treading in the footsteps of other jugglers who had been to the grave before me. It also reminded me that I really must get round to visiting Cinquevalli‘s grave in South London.
Perhaps as jugglers we care more about pioneers of our art than other circus performers or perhaps we’re just more pompous. I’ve never heard of aerialists or acrobats visiting the grave of someone who pushed their particular discipline, but I could easily be ignorant of the facts. I hope so.
If you’ve ever visited the grave of a famous circus performer or proprietor I’d love to know more, leave a comment below.What a great way to start May…
Thanks to Jon Udry for pointing this one out to me. Anyone fancy doing a translation? Juggling starts at 16:38. Enjoy!
And if you don’t know who he is then (where have you been?!)…
The full Undermän show (as part of CircusFest) was live streamed on the Guardian website here and you can still watch it!
I personally loved the show, so much so I gave a breif testimonial for the show. Obviously the video isn’t as good as seeing the show live but if you haven’t had a chance to catch the show yet have a gander!
Happy, merry, festive April Fools’ Day!
The above video is of occasional Circus Geek contributor David Eriksson with his friend Eddy from the world famous KGB Clowns, filmed in 2008. Makes me laugh every time.
Happy birthday CircusGeeks!
We’ve been online for year now, had over 30,000 views, with close to 200 posts. Hopefully providing some interesting and entertaining circus related content.
As ever we’re always open to suggestions and new authors so keep your comments and questions coming in.
Here’s to the future!
Arron
Jugglers prepare for depression/inspiration (depending on your philosophical out look on life), Wes Peden has released his most recent pay for view video digital download, entitled ‘Synthetic’. And it’s epic.
I should probably write a little more on the contents but I’m not going to bother, you all know the deal. If Wes puts 18 months into a project you know it’s going be worth €15!
Buy ‘Synthetic’ here!
I guess if you really need to know more then have a read of this blurb by Wes…
Synthetic is a film displaying the new work of Wes Peden. The material was inspired, in a concrete way, by the strength of each prop and how to best take advantage of these qualities. The general aesthetic of the juggling was particularly influences by asymmetry, clarity, and trick shape.
The video is 45 minutes long and comes with an additional 25 minutes of bonus tricks and remixes. inside you will find 3 club slapping sequences, the coolest 5 ball pirouette Wes has ever done, 25 new ring patterns, a German 6 ball piece, 3 balls and a sweater, THE THROWING AWAY SECTION, the holy club/cuphead/ball part, site specific head rolls, flipping forehead balances, the 2012 five club routine, and so very much many more!
After reading ‘Who Was Philip Asteley?‘ by Nell Stroud (co-founder of Giffords Circus) I got thinking about the lack of modern day circus celebrities.
I think it’s important to define what I mean by ‘circus celebrity’. I mean an individual widely known throughout society who becomes and stays famous because of their circus work.
In the past when circus was one of, if not the primary form of entertainment there were many minor circus celebrities and a few superstars such as Philip Astley and Jules Léotard.
Older members of the public might know the name of some past famous clowns but it’s unlikely they will know the names of any trapeze artists or acrobats. But artists from other circus disciplines have made it to the top of the bill and become household names in the past. It may surprise some of you to know that there have been few juggling celebrities equivalent to the David Beckhams of the world today. Both Enrico Rastelli and Paul Cinquevalli enjoyed fame and fortune, with sell out shows and even product endorsements.
As circus lost it’s status as the number one entertainment destination house hold circus names went in decline. Cinema and then TV created starts of their own that were better suited to their medium. The best way to become famous in the past was to appear on TV or in a film, if the guys in charge wen’t interested in you then your were out of luck.
But now we have the internet.
We all have access to our own publishing company and film studio. Society is diversifying. Individuals are forming their own tribes of like-minded people, no longer held back by geographic constraints. Within these communities artists and experts appear and become ‘micro-celebrities’. These tribes are linked by individuals who belong to more than one tribe and share an aspect of one tribe to another. Often these connecting individuals will share their favorite artist or expert, turning a micro-celebrity into a ‘hyperlink star’.
I think it’s a matter of time till a circus performer/entrepreneur becomes famous, someone will be at the right place, at the right time, have the right attitude, image and work. And it could be good for all of us. Someone able to interest society at large in circus would mean more ticket sales and more competition, resulting in a better standard of work.
It’s what Philip Astley, P.T. Barnum and Guy Laliberté did. Only when they did it they could rely on interruption marketing. Shouting on a street corner and hoping people would stop. But now everyone is shouting. So you have to create your own tribe and rely on connectors sharing your art on Facebook, Twitter and the rest. Build your fan base and let your fans build you. But people will only share your work if it is remarkable.
So make remarkable work that others can share, become famous and then share your success. Simple.
Jorian Ponomareff has the skills!
Occasionally I hear circus artists/directors/random people who feel their opinion is important talk about ‘how to make circus more than just an act’, about how we can use circus to ‘tell stories’. As Mr. Wilson has so eliquentley commented on this before I’m inclined not to comment as I would be just wasting keystrokes.
However if you must layer on a storyline do it well. This video could help you do that:
I love old circus posters.
I love the colours, fonts and (obviously) the circus that go towards the make up of a great poster. I love the thickness, size and feel of them. I love the stories from old circus families of poster wars, where completing circuses would tear down or worse, cover the competitions posters with their own. I hope that in an age of Facebook adds and pay per click that the humble circus poster still has it’s place in the marketing budget.
I recently came across CircusMuseum.nl which has some great images and really easy to search database. Here are a couple of my favourites…
Make sure to have a read of the Taschen circus book, full of great circus posters.
If you have a favourite poster please share the image link below.
Juggler, rope walker and friend of mine Chris Patfield recently wrote this article for the Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/19/beauty-of-highwire-walking
This bit reminded me of an older post I shared here…
It saddens me to see that this great discipline is increasingly rare in contemporary circus, which no longer invests as much in high-risk performances such as the highwire or trapeze.
CircusGeeks.co.uk 
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