Category Archives: Performance

An Artist’s Work is Never Done – Or is It?

Takin’ it back to the studio!

Hello Dear Danglers! I found the blog post below while zooming around the interwebs the other day, and thought I’d share it with you! The author, Michael Roberts, has a great site called Revive Your Creativity dedicated to helping artists get organized and “get the work done” – you can check it out here (because seriously – you need to get the work done).

As a aerialist, I have a full repertoire of performance-ready pieces, but every single one of them has gone “back to the shop for repairs” as my skills grow, my strength improves, or my artistic vision for the act changes. Ever gone back to a piece or watched video and had a giant “oh-sweet-heavens-what-was-I-thinking-face-palm-moment”? Yep – me too. As circus artists, we are in the unique position of working in what I call a “fluid medium”, meaning that many of our creations can be considered both complete (performance ready) and never finished at the same time – how awesome is that?

I really like what Michael says about our art needing an audience, what it means for our piece when we can’t find one (back to the drawing board!), and letting go of the fear of the criticism of our work. Remember: no one ever died because Jane the Circus Critic said their work was le poo and their feet were sickled. Tell Jane to go jump in the lake, take a good long look at your act, and (for the love of God!!!) fix those feet. Have a read – hope you like it! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Seeking Validation as Artists

by Michael Roberts, Revive Your Creativity (used with permission)

How do you decide when you should feel good about your art? How do you decide when something is “good enough”? How do you know when an artistic project is actually done?

These are some of the questions that haunt artists. I’ve heard plenty of stories of artists who could never be happy with the work they produced. If they keep fidgeting with the work, then perhaps they will suddenly achieve some sort of perfection – even though true perfection isn’t even possible.

But why do we give in to this sort of indulgent behavior? Why do we go back for the twenty-fourth revision?

The Excuse of “In Progress”

As long as our work is “in progress”, then there is a plausible excuse for the flaws that are present. As long as the work isn’t completely finished, then we’ve given ourselves a chance to fix it. Just maybe we’ll avoid the harsh criticism of the audience. Even more importantly – maybe we’ll be able to catch the audience’s attention in the first place.

There are difficult truths we have to realize in these vulnerable stages.

We can’t be perfect. No matter how hard we try. No matter how many revisions. We just can’t do it.

We can’t improve by staying in a perpetual state of revision. Art needs an audience. If the art can’t find its audience, then that problem is telling to problems that may need to be fixed. If the art meets with just criticism, then the artist can find ways to improve for the next project.

People will always have issue with what you create. We can’t please everyone in any area of our lives. Why would a deeply personal expression like art be any different?

Accepting and Letting Go

To many artists, the toughest point of creation is letting go, of showing someone else the artwork for the first time. It’s terrifying. We put ourselves into our art, and then we readily release it to a world who may or may not appreciate it.

But, art is communication. Communication is rather inefficient if we keep it to ourselves.

There are artists who create only for themselves, but the work can’t grow. It can’t reach anyone if it isn’t shared.

If we can never overcome the fear of sharing and the fear of rejection, then we can never grow as artists.

Start small. Don’t show someone your biggest project that you’ve been working on for years. Show a quick project to someone and experience the emotions that come with the possibility of rejection. Then, build your way up.

We don’t have to throw ourselves into the worst situations so that we can somehow earn more merit by “suffering as artists”. Protect your heart. You’ll need it for all the beautiful works you’ve yet to create.

To read more cool stuff from Michael, head on over to http://reviveyourcreativity.com/.

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Phony Tails, Spanx, and Glitter – Essential Pieces for Faux-Fabulous Performing

I write this to you from a gig, Dear Danglers, where I am minutes away from spackling on my makeup, squeezing myself into my Spanx, and gluing my lids together as I apply my lashes. Now, do you NEED all of this? Maybe, maybe not – depends on the show and your personal performing preferences. But, for today’s chat, let’s look at some of the things you may want to have in your bag-o-tricks for your average event.

  • Phony-tail . Does your hair explode into a glorious Brillo pad at the first sign of humidity? Are your locks looking a hair limp (HA!)? Enter the phony-tail! Fake pony tails or hair pieces that fit over your bun & can take you from zero to glam in the time it takes you to stab yourself in the head with a few bobby pins. Worth a look if your hair needs help or if you just don’t want to deal with it. Also? Hairspray – it can double as rosin in a pinch.
  • A wide assortment of flesh-colored seamless undergarments. Thongs, body shapers if that’s your jam, over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, tights, etc.
  • Makeup! We use Ben Nye color wheels a lot, as well as cheap red lipstick (is there any other kind?), false lashes, GLITTER GLITTER GLITTER, black eyeliner, and loose translucent powder to adhere the whole mess to your face. Don’t forget the baby wipes to take it all off.
  • An emergency bag with thread and needles (black, your nude, & white), Band-Aids, small scissors, bobby pins, Nu-Skin liquid bandage, safety pins, duct tape, ibuprofen, etc.
  • A good bodice-ripper (trashy novel), magazine, or other reading material that doesn’t require too much concentration.
  • Neat, clean warm up clothes in black – those ballrooms get CHILLY. Bonus if they look polished and pulled together, since you may need to wear them in front of the audience or party-goers at some point.
  • Snacks and Red Bull water – you never know what you’ll get at these things.

That’s a good starting place, and you’ll add things to the list as you get a few seasons of performing under your belt. Pros – what have you found to be really helpful in going from zero to fabulous? Is there anything you can’t do a show without? Leave your answers in the comments! Love and pull-ups, Laura

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Sweet Heavens – What is that SMELL?! Whiffy Silks, Costumes, and Unmentionable Stinky Bits

As a circus performer, I often find myself playing “Name That Stench”, with costumes, fabrics, luggage, etc. Today, it’s straight talk about the (less awesome) smells of circus. Oh yes – we are going there, so grab your Fe-Breeze, Woolite, and deoderant and follow me.

Story Time

A couple of years ago, we had a gig in El Salvadore. The performance was outside in 99% humidity, and it was about 1000 degrees. After the show, I put my costume back in it’s bag, packed it into my suitcase, and completely  forgot about it until we got to our next gig a week later. I pulled the costume from it’s bag in our dressing area and cleared the room. To say that everyone gave me a wide berth is the understatement of the year. Here’s hoping the following tips will help you avoid such an eye-watering moment!

  • Aerial Fabrics – Honestly? Silks (and so many other things) are best when they’re a little dirty. Clean silks are slick as snot! Yes, fabrics are whiffy when the weather gets warm, but a little dirt, sweat, and tears make ’em a dream to work on. When you can’t stand it anymore, use a gentle detergent, cold water wash, hang dry. Never bleach or put them in the dryer – degrades the fibers! Use vodka & water (50/50) in a spray bottle to freshen them in between washes. Store them in a well-ventilated spot – you’ll regret it if you don’t.
  • Costumes – fancy costumes and frequent washes don’t mix! Rhinestones, sequins, foil fabrics, etc. don’t weather the laundromat well. Generally speaking, turn them inside out & hand wash them (cold water, Woolite). You can also spot clean pits and crotches, or areas with makeup stains, dirt, etc. You can also try using panty liners to absorb sweat anywhere you find yourself particularly sweaty to cut back on washing. Febreze or vodka solutions can take the edge off.
  • Performance under-clothes – launder frequently! For shows, it’s best to have multiples of whatever you’re using. Hand wash and rotate. FDS can work wonders on thongs and tights that are being put to work in multiple shows. You can also experiment with all-over body deodorants like Lume if you’re prone to aromatic moments.
  • Working with a partner – If you’ve ever worked physically and heavily with another person in circus, you are well-acquainted with the fun places your head unexpectedly winds up. After you’ve laughed it off (and your partner has promised to buy you dinner), consider that you two will be getting veeeeeeery familiar with one another. Get really comfortable with the idea that not everything is going to be fresh as a daisy all the time. Beyond basic hygiene (see below), get over it. Also, some folks hate scented products; if you’re working with a partner, you’ll want to be mindful of that.
  • Basic hygiene – Showering is good. Soap? Shampoo? Toothpaste? All good. There’s a big difference between “a little aromatic” and “knock-you-on-your-ass BO”. Feet smell like feet, pits smell like pits. Ladies, it’s a vagina, not a rose garden. See what I’m getting at? Don’t sweat it (tee hee!) if you realize that your crystal rock deodorant isn’t doin’ it today, and cut others some slack when it happens to them. (Note: if there’s a real issue here, address it sensitively with your partner – perhaps something like this).

At the end of the day, circus is hot, sweaty, dirty, awesome work. We sweat in lots of places, and on lots of apparatus – it ain’t always pretty. Beyond a basic level of hygiene, there has to be a level of acceptance that sometimes you or your partner (or both of you) will be pretty darned stinky – embrace it! Hell, Angela and I have made a contest out of it (for the record, she always wins). 😉 So jump onto your whiffy fabrics in your stinky costume with your aromatic partner and make some eye-watering magic! See (smell?) you in the air! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Do YOU have any tips, tricks, pet peeves, or stories on this one? Leave them in the comments on the socials!

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Best Performance Advice I’ve Ever Gotten

Mario Brufau & Me in “Music Box” 1998

I got some sad news this evening. Paul J. Curtis, founder of The American Mime Theater, of which I was a member for several years, died yesterday. I’m truly sad to hear it because, while Paul was the most candid and brutally honest director I have ever had (I cried at least once a rehearsal), he gave me some of the most valueable instruction of my career. Quite a bit isn’t sharable here, just the ins and outs of physical performance in the moment, but here is one thing I can pass on to you, and I hope you find as useful as I have.

Posit – to put something somewhere firmly.

EVERYTHING you do on the stage must be “posited”; you have to look like you meant to do it. Every movement. Every gesture. Everything deliberate. That means that there is no such thing as a transition – the transition IS the move. Raise an arm to grab the rope? Posited. Wrap the silks around your leg? POSITED. Whack your head on the wheel? Yup – totally meant to do that. There is no movement wasted, no indulgent “noodling” around – you must move like you mean it.

In Paul’s memory, I challenge you to take one phrase of choreography, or an entire piece if you’re feeling ambitious, and make every single solitary moment deliberate and conscious, even if it should look casual. How far can you get? It takes practice, but you’ll know it when you do it, and you’ll recognize it when you see it – it looks like magic. RIP Paul, your work lives on in countless luscious, full, posited moments. Love always, Laura

Mario Brufrau, Paul J. Curtis, Dale Fuller

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Stoned Love: Why Performing Aerials When You’re High Is Completely Moronic

Yup – you heard me! Tough love, Dear Danglers, but this needs to be said. Is it ever okay to perform drunk or high? What about just a little drunk or high? Is it anyone else’s business if you do? Let’s dive in.

Why Performing Stoned Is A Terrible, Terrible Idea

Unless you’re Charlie Sheen, the very idea of performing while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is so completely absurd, I’m not even sure where to start. Let’s talk quickly about what the effects on the body are:

  • depressants (alcohol, marijuana, prescription painkillers, etc.) –  temporarily slow down your central nervous system, which controls your bodily functions, blocking out some of the messages trying to get through to your brain. This results in slowed reaction time, impaired judgement, uncoordination, etc.
  • stimulants (cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, etc.) – increase heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. This can result in confusion, heart attack, overheating, and brain damage.
  • hallucinogens (‘shrooms, LSD, etc.) – causes hallucinations. Nuff said.

So let me see…. why might this be a bad idea? Slowed reflexes, impaired judgement, confusion, hallucinations… sounds SUPER SMART to me! Combine that with aerial performance, and you my friend are a Rock Star. Wait – I’m sorry – you are a Very Silly Individual Who Clearly Needs To Rethink Some Things.

What Constitutes “High” – The No Fly Zone

I myself am flying high after one beer (cheap date), and completely laid out by cold meds. Many professionals go by the Pregnancy Rule – if you can’t down it while pregnant, you shouldn’t consume it before hanging upside-down by one ankle twenty feet in the air (check with your doc about your regular prescription meds & how they might affect your circus life, then plan accordingly). I personally like to save my partying for AFTER the show, when I can totally cut loose and have TWO beers (and hope nobody posts what happens next on YouTube. Priceless.)

Why It IS My Business, And Everyone Else’s

Let me be super clear: I don’t particularly care what you choose to do with yourself, what you engage in during your free time, or whether you like to do trapeze stark nekkid with a lampshade on your head. I truly do not care. BUT, as Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr once said, “Your right to swing your fist ends where the other man’s nose begins.” None of us live in a bubble (though some of us probably should), and our actions have consequences for our community at large. So, when you choose to endanger yourself and others by performing altered, you betta believe I’m going to weigh in! Every time an accident occurs, professionals like myself face a barrage of new “safety” regulations, codes, permits, and other red tape that we have to slog through every time we want to perform in New York City – so much fun!

So snap out of it, Peter Pan! Time to put on your Grown Up Britches, and come to the party as a pro. Save the drinkie-poos for after the show – we’ll both feel better. Love and pull-ups, Laura

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Cirque Costumes: Not To Be Confused With Your Underwear

Dear Danglers, today we will be chatting about a topic near and dear to my heart. Please, I beg you – do not confuse your underwear (or yoga pants or nightgown) with a proper costume! If you’re billing yourself – or hope to someday – as a professional, but show up at an event in some tired looking orange unitard with a rhinestone bracelet super-glued to the collar, or a bra & panties hand sewn to a flesh-toned unitard, eyebrows will be raised – and not in a good way. So what makes a good costume? And what does your choice say about you as a performer? Read on.

Consider This

Different types of shows will of course require different costumes – your cousin Janie’s Sweet 16 Burlesque Extravaganza will look really different from the promotional launch of a new energy bar. For the sake of narrowing the field a bit, let’s zero in on cirque-style costumes you might wear for corporate parties, stage shows, and higher budget private events.

  • Consider the act. What do you need in a costume? For example, for our silks costumes, we prefer 3/4 sleeves, lower backs covered, and legs ending mid-calf; but for trapeze doubles, we need arms and shins completely exposed, with no extra fabric around the middle. (Note: humans with breasts, pay special attention to the neckline – one good reach could send your “charms” flying out of your costume. Awkwaaaaard!)
  • Consider the look. Your costume should highlight the very best of you (your superty buff shoulders for example). And please – no panty or thong lines.
  • Consider the audience/client. Is this an upscale cirque-style show? Then don’t show up in something resembling lingerie from 1875. If bloomers are an integral part of your act, fine, but generally speaking, you want to blend into the main theme or feel of the show.

Elements Of A Great All-Purpose Costume – A Summary

Trio Silks Costumes

  • Protects your body from burns or abrasion, while leaving essential skin exposed.
  • Makes your body look amazing (careful with super sexy, makes the corporate folks nervous – tailor it to your audience).
  • Projects the image you’re aiming for (professional).
  • Looks expensive and well-designed.
  • Fits in with the show or theme.
  • Maybe has a little pizazz to it – rhinestones or something to catch the light. Go bold or go home!
  • Note: careful about using lots of black – you’ll be performing against a lot of black backdrops (The Great Floating Head from Brooklyn rides again!)

Preferred Materials – moleskin (spandex with a little heft), stretch velvets, sparkly materials (beware of fabrics with foils or loose glitter on them though – they don’t last long), etc.

Whether you sew it yourself or hire someone else to make it for you, a good costume is an investment in your career that can’t be glossed over. Now, pack those threadbare leggings away and design something fabulous!

Photos: Kenneth Feldman

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