Forums > Videos > Simon Chainey - Single staff

Posted: 2nd Apr 2009
Hi Si - at first I was expecting lots more contact before reading the title again - liking the one handed cartwheels with spins, and generally the movement was purposeful and well defined

nice work

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi

Posted: 2nd Apr 2009
Thanks :-)

I do perform contact, but I really wanted to show the art of actually spinning a staff and the fluidness of the single spin style.

Posted: 2nd Apr 2009
yeah I remember you doing contact from last BJC - hence the expectations of lots of contact

oh and one thing I was going to crit on the video was the framerate of it - was that due to comnpression?

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi

Posted: 2nd Apr 2009
Nice one man...nice to see someone concentrating on the spinning side of things...

all good..other than the suggestion of watch that "second hand" and maybe try to be a wee bit more dynamic wen you're waiting to catch...

otherwise keep up the flow!

Posted: 2nd Apr 2009
Cheers Guys :-)

Basically wait and see, i'm on the case getting a high quality camera. As soon as I do I plan on show casing some new shizzle, until then one take poor quality vids is all I can manage :-)

I must admit I'm only just starting to choreograph spins (In this case up till the 2nd throw) and I DO FIND IT HARD!

Cheers Dave for the advice on the "spare arm" I will look at that in future training sessions :-)
EDITED_BY: sichainey (1238718534)

Posted: 3rd Apr 2009
I see what you did there Ok:

Spinny stuff: Cool. polish your antispin lines more and they're awesome.

Relaxed movement is good, but there's also a point where it becomes too relaxed, and starts to look sloppy.

*/Juggler mindframe*

Movement stuff:

I see what you were trying at the beginning, it looks very similar to what i might have been teaching you at Notts... and you're almost there. you just need to think about your posture more; you slouch quite a bit. this makes it all look more introverted than performance.

You're thinking about lines made with your body. LOVELY. more please. but then, you switched style.

Also, define the stops/direction change with your body more: Learn to hit. I'll find a video on Youtube I found useful when I was learning to do it, and now I have really powerful hits. That'll help you out no end.

You went from really interesting stuff, to 'club prancing'. you know, the type of dance done by people who can't actually dance in a club, also called the 'White boy'. it was here that I lost interest. I see too much of it nowadays, and I guess the reason I don't like it so much, is because it looks to me like there's no thought put into it, it's just random moving about whilst thinking 'I must move more and use all the stage area'...

*/Dancer Mindframe* (yup, dancer, not juggler I find the two groups view things differently.)

Oh, and one more piece of advice: Come play in Brizzle

Empty your mind. Be formless, Shapeless, like Water.
Put Water into a cup, it becomes the cup, put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can flow, or it can Crash.
Be Water My Friend.

Posted: 5th Apr 2009
**************Re Edited First Post - NEW VIDEO - ***************

Posted: 6th Apr 2009
have watched this a few times, trying to figure out the bits I like/don't like - also I really enjoy that song!

ok so don't likes first:

You seem to hunch your shoulders when you move sometimes,which is emphasised by looking straight down - particularly noticeable when doing the double reels move with one staff - unsure as to whether its intentional or not

Your head seems to move around with the staff a lot when spinning - it's a nice dynamic but IMHO would be better punctuated by looking in a different direction some of the time - also less looking down

A lot of the nice footwork seems to dissappear when you start doing vertical contact

I think you could be a lot more acrobatic with the sword on the basis of the other stuff I've seen you do. Also possibly a few deeper stances

stick with plain fades or straight cuts when editing, the spinny mover maker transfers always look a little tacky when I see them these days - get Adobe premier or somesuch instead if possible

Likes:

Lots of nice footwork, especially the stuff with horizontal contact

I really like the movement and posture at 1:20 and 5.00

your one hand cartwheel is looking good

variety in videos is good

contact on a bench - cheesy but good was half expecting you to get a newspaper out after you sat down!

Ideas:

have you tried neckroll cartwheels yet? think they would work in to your horizontal contact fairly nicely.

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi

Posted: 6th Apr 2009
Hey LazyAngel, thanks for the feedback.

My slouchy position is a big issue/problem as its a whole new way of living to stand up straight.... sounds stupid but I generally slouch. I will go away and try spinning fully upright :-)

Wasn’t aware my head moved around that much... will go and look at footage more closely…. Not sure how to combat that?

Foot placement wise I agree my foot work is a lot better in the horizontal rather than vertical. I have been working mainly on horizontal for the last 12 months. Shall look at that in due course.
The sword piece was just a bit of fun and I don’t in anyway class myself as being able to manipulate a sword....yet…. but when I can then YES time to fly!!!!

Good call on the editing, it will take some time as I’m a complete novice at the moment when it comes to that side of things. I plan to release a few more video’s over the next 12 months, the plan being each one better than the one before.

Ok onto the good points :-)

Movement is something I’m looking at in depth, I’m trying to get to a point where every movement is precise when free styling and every foot placement ties into the spin, almost making it look choreographed.
I'm also looking at taking it to the ground (had a few break dance lessons but kept putting my shoulder out) as well working on mis-direction ... basically make the viewer think you will turn/move one way and then go the opposite, this works well when working with antispin and movements of a robotic nature.

The one handed cartwheel is turning into an arab spring and then into a no handed kart wheel. I used to perform stevey's into a kart wheel so I will look at re learning that for the next one :-)

The bench scene was again a bit of fun..... I’m liking the idea of reading a paper...... don't think that would be to hard as I did try learning contact with a book in my hand... ummmmmmm food for thought!

Really appreciate the feedback! :-)
EDITED_BY: sichainey (1239040809)

Posted: 6th Apr 2009
slouching is probably a result of being a big feller and banging your head on door frames!

re: the head movement thing - I should probably scratch that comment - what I mean is I just feel you could get a little more mileage out of using where you look

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi

Posted: 6th Apr 2009
ummm the whole body stance is an issue really. Leave it with me! if anyone has any good training suggestions i'm all ears ..... on my head which is slouched :-(

One thing my partner keeps getting at me about is looking up and engaging the audiance. Think the problem stems form training and not really wanting to engage the public due to the fact im training! problem is its 7 years worth of deep routedness I need to change DAM
EDITED_BY: sichainey (1239044743)

Posted: 6th Apr 2009
yo si,
im totally with you on the slouching ive been working on mine for years, its a very tough habit to crack,my posture is lots better but not brilliant, the most obvious answer is yoga, but i have no patience for that.
ive used NLP, hypnotherapy lots of stretching and just generally being aware of it whenever i can, there are lots of theories/reasons why people slouch including laziness, low self esteem and trying to fit in the midgets that surround you!!!
i also spent lots of time with loz working on choreogrpahy and and movement she rocks and helped me a lot, im still a crap mover with dodgy posture but im a lot better that i was!! she has a lot of good knowledge on getting people to move in ways that feel natural to them and their style, you could talk nicely to her..........
as for me im mostly concentrating on kickass skills that dont need any movement to look good!!!!
good look and well done for posting such honest videos and opinions,

Posted: 7th Apr 2009
(especially the bit about the midget that surrouds me )

One thig that you both do well though (Simon and Tim) is facial expression and, for me, that goes a long way

Posted: 7th Apr 2009
The thing you have to do, something I still have trouble with, is to completely commit yourself to these exaggerated movements, even if the potential for looking silly is high. If you do commit to it but do the exaggerations with alot of control it works. Subtly doesn't work in show business

Otherwise good work!!

Now where's this rubber chicken...?

"I used to want to change the world, now I just wanna leave the room with a little dignity..." - Lotus Weinstock

Posted: 7th Apr 2009
YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS the rubber chicken!!!! .... Thats was huge Dave!!!! please release a rubber chicken isolation video!

All those in favour say "I"