Forums > Expressive movement / costumes and props > Tricking + Firedance = performance future?

Posted: 14th Aug 2009
Tricking + Staff = really bloody difficult! I've been into this idea for a few years but havn't really progressed very far, a pinwheel with an aerial is about the best i've managed and even that is pretty sloppy.

But yeah, i reckon its the future, just maybe a bit more future to go yet

"Don't do it naked!"

Posted: 14th Aug 2009
what about Juggling? I think you could do some 3 ball and maybe some 3 club stuff when bouncing around like a looney. Surely using a staff it would be like all those kung fu films we used to love so something must be possible. I think that some of those body rotations would be tricky with a staff (turning moments etc) but wouldn't be a problem with juggling props especially bounce balls. You could just club swing 2 short clubs would look awsome, poi would be hard with all the spinning I think, the chains would be a bit risky.
(I love watching vids like that, cheers FireTom )

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.

Posted: 15th Aug 2009
Originally Posted By: MyncyI think that some of those body rotations would be tricky with a staff (turning moments etc) but wouldn't be a problem with juggling props especially bounce balls.

you reckon? staff to be harder than balls?

the turning momentum is created by the body and that one should have a lot more momentum than the staff - the only prob I could see is in the staff hitting the ground or the hands not supporting the momentum...

but then again - you could just trow it in the air - that'd do the trick, no?

like here:





I do that all the time



some tricking tutorials right here:





and this one, in case you got bored

[video: youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWjlM40ooFE
EDITED_BY: FireTom (1250374955)

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 16th Aug 2009
yeah I think staff would be harder regardless of batons lol. a good size staff has weight espescially loaded with fuel. when you spin you tuck your arms in tight against your chest or sides or put one behind your back to twist. with a staff either the ends will stick out and slow your rotation like a figure skater doing a spin that small increase in your diameter will slow you a lot.

notice when the baton twirler spins her body even the baton is in the air. as you said but a staff would need a big old throw to get a full flipkick in because of the extra weight.

i think staff would look good off fire if practiced a lot but on fire i think it could be cumbersome and dangerous. 2 spin clubs however could look awesome as you could flip whilst holding them possibly. you could easily flip with balls in your hands I think holding a fire staff would reduce the effectiveness of your arms to flip by being off balance (held in 1 hand) and reduced movement (if held in both) I used to be able to somersault and you needed to use a lot of arm movement twists would be really hard. I think it's possible just harder.
cheers for the vids though

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.

Posted: 16th Aug 2009
What if you used the staff as a way to modify the ariels, like a pole vaulter would use their tool to achieve greater height? I think it could look really cool with HoP's fire pole: https://www.homeofpoi.com/shop/productDetails/Full-length-Fire-Poleflag-400mm-fire-head
. That gives you one end you can grap onto and leap while the fire end (if fire is a necessity for a particular performance) is planted in the ground.

probably more ideas could be garnered from watching those who work with colorguard and flag twirling, rather than equally balanced batons or staves.

"to a man whose only tool is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail." Abraham Maslow

Posted: 16th Aug 2009
Little staffs are pretty Easy to tumble with, mine are about the length of my arm in total and quite light. But any new prop is going to take a bit of adjusting and practice to get use to the weight/size when tumbling.

I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.<br /><br />

Posted: 17th Aug 2009
this is what I feel..

we only will truly know about the feasibility of tricking + firedance when putting a prop in a trickers hands and let him do the trick or learn tricking ourselves... *whistles*

I understand it is a challenge but feel it would definitely be possible *pokes (you) with a staff*

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 18th Aug 2009
*throws balls back*

True I was just thinking from a purely physics direction and the fact I could never somersault holding anything lol.

For giggles though maybe I should save up and try it on this

https://www.gozerog.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=experience.welcome

not too expensive although juggling "could" be tricky... but what a video
EDITED_BY: Mynci (1250580097)

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.

Posted: 20th Aug 2009
I'm a trickster.

Just y'know... fyi.

Juggle 'til I drop!

Posted: 21st Aug 2009
So how goes the juggling/tricking integration?

Also, how do you start this sort of thing?

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland

Posted: 21st Aug 2009
www.trickstutorials.com is a fantastic resource for learning tricks.

I have an idea for a really, really sick ass juggling/tricking move. I'll share when I get around to doing/filming it.

Juggle 'til I drop!

Posted: 21st Aug 2009
"ass juggling/ tricking moves" - remember to wear something when taking the vid (PG rated board)

Thanks for the link - I hope some Trickers will show up on the next Juggling Convention in Goa... *wiggles eyebrows*

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 5th Sep 2009
the best trickin/staff combos ive seen are by my mate tim the incredible aka little tim, tim2 or less impressively tim chown, but he thinks he is a disco legend from 1978 and thus has no idea that the internet exsists!

Posted: 7th Sep 2009
and you? do the words "camcorder" "youtube" and "upload" ring any bells?

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 9th Sep 2009
lol, me sandy and tim (the incredible) have a video project thats well overdue, when its done I promise to post it everywhere

Posted: 13th Sep 2009
Originally Posted By: t_mwhen its done I promise to post it everywhere

bye bye Tim Marston it was nice meeting you but these usually are the last words this community has heard in a variety of threads

the best smiles are the ones you lead to

Posted: 16th Sep 2009
Originally Posted By: FireTomOriginally Posted By: t_mwhen its done I promise to post it everywhere

bye bye Tim Marston it was nice meeting you but these usually are the last words this community has heard in a variety of threads



Jest you may, but we are actually going filming tonight (without Big Tim unfortunately) so you may actually see something Whether it will actually contain any tricking though....
EDITED_BY: -sandy- (1253110952)
EDIT_REASON: Tim / Big Tim. There are too many Tims in my life!

"Don't do it naked!"

Posted: 19th Sep 2009
*taps feet and bites nails in anticipation*

the best smiles are the ones you lead to