Category: Circus Geeks Blog
The CircusGeek blog, from kitten juggling to plasticine tight-wire. Circus and other odd things.
Beta Testing Video
Our latest video from our show
Video of the Week – Quintuple Somersault
Flying trapeze artist Han Ho Song from the National Circus of Pyongyang, North Korea pulling a Quintuple (5) somersault in Germany. :-0
Merry Christmas
Video of the week – Class of 64
According to YouTube: “New Year 1963-64. Graduates of the All-Russian Workshop for Stage Artistic. Parts of their acts. Performers: Kolmogorov brothers, Bukhtiyaroiv & Ozernov, Rzhavinski & Danilkin. Teachers: Lev Maslukov and Tamara Abramova”
BETA TESTING – CREATION WEEK 5
The 5th of 9 weeks of residency awarded by the Propellor Prize and our first in the Creation Studio at Circus Space National Centre for Circus Arts.
I’ve been lucky enough to use the Creation Studio for a few previous projects so it feels comfortable to be in the space. For a project like Beta Testing it’s perfect; good size, light, sound and WiFi. What more could a juggler ask for?
We spent 3 days recapping material we had produced up till now. It was our intention to work on a new scene as well, focusing on juggling all the furniture in the show. Unfortunately we got a little sidetracked relearning and cleaning previous work, we had a showing at the end of the week and wanted to present some close to finished material so we side tracked a little.
Mid way though the week we had a photoshoot in a functioning school science lab, it was a cool location to shoot on, if not a little strange. Jon reverted to a cheeky school boy in front of my eyes, strange what architecture and memory does to us all. Matt took one for the team putting some free (thanks to the monger on the right in Dalston market) fish in his mouth.
Back in the studio the chair juggling turned out to be pretty demanding and a little scary at times, we thought it would be pretty straight forward to create a slightly classic style act with furniture but this time we were a little ambitious.
Matt and Jon managed a brief cascade, while it may not be the most inventive thing we’ve come up with it certainly adds a different dynamic to the show, I hope we can work it in.
We also worked on a short everyday object duet with Jon and Matt, it promises to have a different feel to other bits in the show. It was fun for me to be outside eyes.
On the penultimate day we had a showing for some of the staff at Circus Space. The showing itself went well- we’ve produced a new 20 mins, add that to the material we already had and we are well on track to our premier in April.
However the next day was supposed to be spent working on more chair juggling but after a full week and focus of a showing it was pretty difficult to get back to making and throwing.
But with the vast majority of creating time over we’re happy and excited with what we have. Next up we have a private showing at Jacksons Lane, email me if you are interested in attending.
Video of the week – Sven Hopla TEDxBristol
Another circus artist giving a TED talk, this time focusing on something close to our heart, failure. http://lifesbestsword.wix.com/svencircus
Cirque du Soleil Clown Interview
Thanks to our new Tumblr account we stumbled upon this interview with Cirque du Soleil clown/character John Gilkey from A Fool’s Idea.
The interview covers a lot of ground, focusing around John’s history and thoughts on Clown and his career.
If you’re not familiar with Gilkey’s work you can see one of his numbers below.
Video of the Week – Fingers
I’ve been interested in finger dexterity for a while, it directly relates to my job. So I enjoyed this new finger dance video that’s doing the rounds. The idea is not new- finger dances have been around for a while but it’s nice to see things moving in different directions. Also worth a look is Greg Irwin’s finger ballet/fitness (video below).
An average day 2
A year ago I recorded an average November day, here’s an update…
I’m currently touring with Smashed in France so things are a little more hectic than my average London days -mainly lots of traveling and very few good coffees to be found. 
My 16th of November 2013 was reasonably standard for a touring schedule, perhaps a little heavy on the travel side:
7:00 Get up
7:15 Taxi to train station
8:06 Train 1.5 hours
9:45 Coach 2.5 hours
11:20 Car pick up – drive to hotel
11:35 Hotel – Juggling in my room, read.
13:00 Lunch in a local restaurant
14:00 Hotel – emails & rest
16:00 Theatre – juggling practice
19:00 Meal local restaurant
20:00 warmup & set
21:00 Show
23:00 Hotel – sleep
I wonder how my day will look in a years time…
101 Lessons
‘101 Things I Learned in Film School ®‘ by Neil Landau & Matthew Frederick is a beautifully concise book which caught my eye when browsing the Tate Modern gift shop. I thought it would be nice exercise to go through the book and apply some of the lessons to circus. I’ve picked and adapted 39 lessons which I think could easily be applied to circus performance.
1) Start strong
Prompt intrigue
Suggest the central theme
Revel back story
2) Start late
Cut the first 30 seconds of a piece.
3) Show, don’t tell
4) Three stages of show making
Pre-production – meetings, fundraising, planning etc
Production – rehearsing
Post-production – selling the show etc
5) Audiences want to be as close to the action as possible.
6) Conceal the action.
Creates curiosity and intrigue
7) Story telling -> Beginning – Middle – End
- Act 1 – Establish the problem
- Act 2 – Complicate the problem
- Act 3 – Solve the problem
Establish • Complicate • Solve
8) Practice the perfect pitch.
High concepts can be explained in one sentence.
9) A good title says what the show is.
10) Create memorable entrances.
11) Create a show on different scales.
12) Every scene must revel something new.
13) What can the human eye process?
14) Set rules early, clearly and simply.
15) If it can be acted why do it with circus?
16) Make the setting a character.
17) Define the relationship to the 4th wall.
18) Beware working with children & animals.
19) Have a plan but enjoy the detours.
20) Signs of novice circus.
It’s a dream, all black costumes, sequins, bare feet, m
Amely sound track,
21) Leave breathing room.
Both theatrically and practically.
22) Place figures in uncomfortable proximity.
23) Ensure everyone is making the same show.
24) Have some show stoppers.
Big tricks, tear jerkers, hilarious jokes etc.
25) Every show is drama, conflict and suspense.
26) Dig deeper.
Do fewer things better.
27) Good writing is good rewriting.
Write->leave->revisit->rewrite->repeate
28) When you receive a no write back thanks.
29) Different spaces, venues, audiences might be better for a different kind of show.
30) Rhythm / Tempo
Larger pace created by the show / pace of scene or act
31) Don’t cast by looks.
32) Actions speak louder than words.
33) If you want to make circus, see circus.
34) Work in the trenches.
Take less than ideal gigs, learn around your subject / ultimate goal.
35) Let it go already.
Make->assess->move on->repeat
36) Play well with others.
37) Make it shorter.
38) Don’t over use cliches or coincidences.
39) “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Video of the week – Slackline Worldcup 2013
Beta Testing – Creation week 3
We find ourselves in Cherbourg at La Breche one of the best buildings setup for circus creation in the world. We have our own space – a permanent big top and the mission of creating a tight routine set to music, pretty far from what we were working on in the previous weeks – all spoken word.
Myself and Jon had a few days head start on Matt, working on some raw new patterns which would then make more exciting when Matt arrived. As a plan it seemed to work out pretty well and we now have the sketchings of a 5 minuet routine. We’ll try and smooth it out in the next few days while we work with visual artist Howie Bailey on some projections which will compliment the piece.
Circus Hackathon
I’ve been reading a bit about new ways technology is allowing people to collaborate, things like Google Drive, GitHub etc. It seems as usual circus has a bit of catching up to do!
In Wired a while ago I read an article about Hackathons and thought it would be great to see/take part/organise a circus equivalent. Hackathons are a chance for coders to meet up, work like crazy in small teams and produce a sketch version for a new service or product.
Earlier this year when I was in Montreal I spotted Impro Cirque, something quite close to my idea. Unfortunately I left before it took place but from video it looks pretty fun…
I’d love to see a more informal version done in the UK, perhaps no ‘public’ audience. No one gets paid- All it would need is some interested circus artists and some space (perhaps some pizza and beers at the end of it). Perhaps two days manic work and a fun showing at the end of it? Best team performance judged by a panel wins a years supply of Apple products (or not)?!
Just a thought….
Beta Testing – Creation Week 2
The week started with packed days spent working on various scenes which were constructed in the first week. Trying to tie down ideas and begin to set a couple of the sketches.
Every day we worked on our solo juggling and group technique, which will hopefully go into the final show. Juggling takes time to solidify and become familiar so we’re trying to put the hours in at this early stage of the project.
We had an unsuccessful prop hunting trip to IKEA but will send Matt back next week armed with his van and unusually short-sharpened pencil. Talking of Matt, he spent a couple of hours in his workshop making the first drafts of some exciting props and set for us- more on this later…
Myself and Jon spent the end of the week working on our work-in-progress showing at Out There festival in Great Yarmouth. Matt already had commitments so Jon and I had to rework a couple of old bits and present a couple of new ideas. Under the watchful eye of Matt we managed to slot a rather unusual show together.
The showings went fairly well (I forgot my lines a couple of times, learning speaking parts is still fairly new to me) and we received some kind feedback and ideas on how to improve bits later down the line. Onwards and upwards or just sideways, hopefully not backwards.
Now I’m spending my few days back home soaking up some culture as it’s London Design Festival and there’s lots of inspiring work to be seen.
Next week we’re off to La Breche. Exciting times.
Beta Testing – Creation Week 1
We’ve spent a taxing yet rewarding week working on new material for Beta Testing, some planned from the initial stages of the project, some thought of in the morning mind mapping sessions.
Our average day has run something like this:
8something AM – Get up, breakfast etc. (not for Arron he likes his sleep and can run on air for a few hours)
9ish AM – Go to a supermarket and buy lunch (often various kinds of chicken)
10 AM – Start. Sit around a table with whiteboard laid flat (why is this not sold as a product?!), mind-map, discuss, suggest, joke, inspire, timetable.
11ish AM – work on more spoken word based work.
12:30ish PM – 1 hour lunch – much chicken, listen to Radio 2 ‘Death Hour’, make phone calls, send emails.
1:45 PM- work on new juggling technique needed for the show.
Midafternoon PM 10 min Coffee Break! <– No Such Thing!
4:45 PM – Club Passing practice
5:27:34 PM (allow 15 min-ish discrepancy) Endurance Practice & 6/7 technique
6goingon6:30 PM finish
7SomethingStillPM Craft Beer Pub – drink/food or both if you’re feeling rich!
ApproxPM – bed
We finished the week feeling exhausted, probably juggling more in the week than we had collectively done in the last 3 months. Celebrated a birthday, laughed a lot, picked up far too many props off the floor and probably spent more time than is healthy with each other. All this whilst avoiding getting hit over the head with a chair.
Excited for it to all start again on Monday.
Creating feels good.
Here’s a video of us failing…
Popular Lies* About Circus
A few months ago while I was perusing in Shoreditch I came across a book ‘Popular Lies* About Graphic Design‘, as someone with a vague interest in such things I bought myself a copy and read it on a long flight that same day. Since then it’s been popping up in the back of my mind fairly often as it ties into a few other ideas for a project I had planned in my own line of work, circus.
I decided to write my own list of lies told by the circus industry, which I briefly presented at the Lab:Time night at Jacksons Lane a few weeks ago. I was going to go into detail but instead I’ve decided to let you fill in the blanks, there’s an example for the first chapter title to get you going in the right direction…
Circus lies as told by the industry…
Cirque du Soleil is bad
Taking an anti-Cirque stance seems to be the cool thing to do, common to over hear circus students running the company into the ground. Criticising everything from its mega y corporation status to artistic vision.
Sure some of the shows are not my cup of tea but O is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Cirque has produced so much work. Taking into account sheer quantity and breath means it’s very probable you just haven’t seen the right Cirque performance for you.
Their artist care is second to none, from salaries to working conditions no other circus that I’m aware of offers the levels of comfort and care Soleil musters. Sure it’s a business that turns a profit (most of the time) but I don’t buy into the argument that this implies they are evil.
In general Cirque du Soleil’s influence on circus has been massively positive, from changing the publics perception of what circus actually is to pushing artists and disciplines to new heights.
Knowing about circus is pointless
Black costumes are cool
Juggling is boring, acrobatics is fun
Using melancholy music means it’s art
A good idea doesn’t require a budget
Being original and being artistic are the same thing
People will want to watch my show
Longer deadlines lead to better work
The bigger, better known companies make the best work
Sequins are bad
Circus communities = collaboration and better work
Nothing is original anymore
People care about circus
I’m sure some you will disagree with some of my lies and there are other lies you could suggest. I’d love to hear them, comment below or on Twitter.
I’m planning to give a keynote on circus lies told by the public later this month at the Fringe if I can find somewhere suitable to present it.
Here is a draft for my ‘Circus Lies Told By The Public’:
The Circus is full of Wild Animals
Clowns wear red noses/not funny
It’s just showing off
Circus takes place in tents
Trapeze and Tight-wire are the same thing
Circus is overpriced
Cirque du Soleil are the best
Circus is just for kids
Circus is old fashioned
Circus artists are freaks
Love to hear your feedback on this, anyway enjoy finding your own truth in circus.
Sewing vintage circus costumes – the epic journey!
Over the past eight years of circus performing I have botched, slaved, shed blood, sweat and tears, and sacrificed many long nights to sewing my own costumes.
My latest project was possibly one of my most ambitious to date – to create two 1940s vintage dresses and accessories for my show ‘Life On Wheels’. These had not only to convey a sense of character and era, but to be suitable for aerial and roller skating circus shenanigans. And they had to be ready in two weeks.
One of the things I like most about costume making is the combination of complex problem solving with physical making and creativity.
The problems I faced with this project were many; how to make them look authentic yet stylized? How could I make them easy to move in and wash? How can they be safe and durable? And what about going upside down in them without flashing our pants?
My first thought was to trawl the vintage and secondhand shops for something I could adapt. I found masses of inspiration at Scarlet Rage Vintage in Couch End (http://scarletragevintage.blogspot.co.uk/). This treasure trove has tons of reasonably price, beautifully preserved, vintage pieces. This little visit made me realize that Dr Google alone was not always the best form of research!
However most of these dresses were delicate and likely to be torn apart when faced with aerial equipment.
An interesting bit of information from the owner was about colour – in the 1940s red was very rarely worn. It was seen as a shocking, chosen only by women of ill repute, or jazz club singers, and besides, the dye was very difficult to get hold of during the war years.
This was a bit of a blow as I had set my heart on making the piece very stylized, with the two central characters always dressed in varying shades of red and blue. Two bright, bold, primary colours that marked them as the centre of the piece and heightens the drama of the costumes.
In the end I decided to go with style over authenticity – sorry vintage fanatics!
Next stop was the V & A costume rooms one of my favorite places in London, and free to visit year round. I filled my phone with photos of buttons and lace, popular cuts and tailoring of the era, whilst imagining an unlimited budget and months of time…
Time to get practical. After a bit of ebay trawling I discovered a brilliant seller, vintage pattern shop: (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/vintagepatternshop?ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1181), and finally picked two beautiful 40s patterns.
One was for a character who, although working-class, is a bit of a social climber, so I picked up something a bit glam for her. I imagined she might have made it from an old pair of curtains in her spare time, hoping no one would realize. The second was a bit girlier, motherly. These costumes will serve as the base wear of the characters from an age range covering 18 to 80, so they need to convey many aspects of their personalities over time, helped by additional accessories such as aprons and headscarves.
I cant recommend this seller enough. The patterns came with a very clear booklet of instructions/sizing conversion charts/measurement sheets and garment diaries. All our questions were answered straight away and the patterns sent out in a rush when we said what a panic we were in to get them. Brilliant.
The fabric I bought from Goldhawk Road – a literal goldmine of good value specialist fabric shops. I would particularly recommend A1 Fabrics for their upstairs haberdashery and trimmings department, and Fabric House for a massive range of patterned stretchy material.
I decided to go for a lightweight jersey. Not authentic, but with many plus sides. Washable (circus costumes have a tendency to get pretty sweaty!), lightweight enough to hang well, two way stretch (perfect for wearing over a bulky harness and allowing for lots of movement). I then used bright coloured silks for the trimmings and bias binding because, well because I have a weakness for pretty fabrics!
The next challenge was the knicker flashing issue. I decided to experiment with culottes (shorts that are baggy enough to look like full skirts). I found instructions on making the pattern on this blog (http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/those-culottes-tutorial.html) that was simple and clear and seemed to work wonders.
After many attempts at dodgy pattern cutting in the past, ive learnt the value of a large cutting area – a big table or even floor area, so you don’t get confused. Setting up a proper cutting area, sewing area and ironing area has made my costume all nighters so much better! As has radio 6 music.
Another problem I encountered at about 2.30am one sewing night was that the sizing on old patterns bares no relation to modern sizes – people were pretty tiny back then! Realising this, luckily just in time, I then did the classic mistake of over compensated so much that I made both the dresses enormous! Well better to big than too small…
In addition to the dresses I made small aprons, headscarfs, and ordered vintage bed jackets from ebay, for different scenes. As the rehearsals for the show get underway im sure there will many more additional bits and bobs to add to the characters long lives, all chosen in varying shades of blue and red to give the characters a clear separation and difference as we show the passing of time. Another interesting extra we picked up were some roller skating tights – the verdict is still out on whether these make us look as bit too sci-fi, or whether they make the skates blend into the costumes…
I tend to find my costumes evolve over time, with extra little bits being added on or adapted as we find out what works best, and what needs changing through rehearsals. In our technical rehearsal I was horrified to realize that although the culottes worked for short periods of the choreography, in one section where I was upside down for a prolonged period of time we were still showing too much! No! For future performances I will have to add on either coloured shorts as part of the dress, or even make a feature of it with some frilly knickers that we want to be seen! For now a leotard underneath the dress does the job.
After all those long nights I was very pleased with the results, and the comments were that they complimented the piece very well. Each costume project is its own steep learning curve and this one with its research, zips, buttons, gatherings etc. has been a worthwhile up-hill struggle!
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Video of the week – Petit Bus Rouge
The Mathematics of Juggling
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