MovianMember
1 post

Posted:
hey,
i have been spinning for a few years now, and have done a few small gigs. One thing i have been told a few times is that i have very good spinning skills but not that great performance skills.
i can't "play the croud".

Just wanderd if anyone here could give me some tips for getting through to the crowd and well drawing them in...
any thoughts welcome

squarefishSILVER Member
(...trusty steed of the rodeo midget...)
403 posts
Location: the state of flux, Ireland


Posted:
tongue PF excercises tongue
guaranteed to help your performance, boy or girl you may be.

Seriously, if you don't got the moves, find someone who does, get a pretty friend, again: boy or girl to hat for you.

get them to bring in the crowd, then wow them with yer skills as well

MandSILVER Member
Keeper of the Spitfire
2,317 posts
Location: Calgary Canada


Posted:
Oh, Pele wrote a really good post ages ago about this sort of thing.
Give me a few days, so I can get off dial up and back onto a normal speed computer (Friday), and i'll find it for you.

Lets steal a spaceship and head for the sun, and shoot the stars with a lemonade ray gun.


DoktorSkellSILVER Member
addict
475 posts
Location: Van Diemans Land, Australia


Posted:
Hmmm...

I guess playing the crowd. or "Clowning" comes natural to some people and not to others.

Fair luna bright, fair luna moon
it shines at night but fades too soon
fair luna moon, fair luna bright
forever we dance
we dance under starlight


ado-pGOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland


Posted:
i've been practising my hatting skills alot latley.

my basic philosophy is lots of clapping for the fantastic tricks my friends are doing and talking to everyone that i can make eye contact with. and a hat with jingly coins in it of course.

if you cant think of anything funny to say just demand money from them with a big smile smile

its loads of fun

i remember that pele thread. *goes off to dig too*

smile

Love is the law.


KlownyBRONZE Member
Disco Inferno
160 posts
Location: Remote Western Australia Karratha


Posted:
Umm i find incorperating the audience is a good way, but with in reason safety wise it is hard to incorporate the audience with the style of performance we spinners do. Use your imagination i mean look at the human statues, they stand around for like a good couple of hours barely moving and people will come watch them do this, for the whole couple of hours! Imagination and a will to be mildly psychotic is the key.

"Only fools are positive! are you sure? Im POSITIVE"


GothFrogetteBRONZE Member
grumpy poorly froggy
3,999 posts
Location: Nuneaton, United Kingdom


Posted:
how tempting is though when you get the "You gotta light" jokes over and over again to light their fag with a buzzsaw? or is that just me... have also got a few questions like "does it burn you if you set light to yourself"

Life's too short to worry about where you put your marshmallows


roarfireSILVER Member
comfortably numb
2,676 posts
Location: The countryside, Australia


Posted:
Lol how silly.

I got a heckler tell me Friday night at this huge performance I did with 2 other staffers. She said to me cos I was closest to her 'I hope you burn your hair, bitch!'

It was 2 hours later when I thought of clever things to do say...don't you really just hate it when that happens? I could have just stopped and calmly walked up to her with the staff and tell her to have a go of it to see if she could do better...and then maybe bag her for it like she did to me. I was so frustrated. She was only about 13-14!

.All things are beautiful if we take the time to look.


roarfireSILVER Member
comfortably numb
2,676 posts
Location: The countryside, Australia


Posted:
So anyway...I think an essential performance skill is to smile!!

.All things are beautiful if we take the time to look.


GothFrogetteBRONZE Member
grumpy poorly froggy
3,999 posts
Location: Nuneaton, United Kingdom


Posted:
lol yup even if it is one of those teeth clenching smiles, admittedly i have come across more nicer peeps than mean/stupid *Insert which ever word you want*

Life's too short to worry about where you put your marshmallows


.:star:.SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,785 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
everyone always tell me that my expression is wierd when i spin.

When i'm on my own i'm fine but infront of people i'm concentrating so hard on not messing up that i get this strange serious look on my face

does anyone else get this?

FathomSILVER Member
member
103 posts
Location: Online!, USA


Posted:
Written by:

When i'm on my own i'm fine but infront of people i'm concentrating so hard on not messing up that i get this strange serious look on my face




yep. im told i get very odd expressions when i spin ubbloco

Kangaroo Island eh? I hear that place is really hopping!


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Written by: starpoi


everyone always tell me that my expression is wierd when i spin.
... concentrating so hard on not messing up that i get this strange serious look on my face. Does anyone else get this?




Totally! We used to call it a 'drum stare' when I was learning percussion!
eek

One thing with 'playing the crowd' is giving them a chance to actually applaud, cheer, feedback or whatever. A lot of the time the performer is so busy on their routine they forget the crowd is there to have a good time, not to give you marks... Most people want to enjoy themselves when they watch a show... (apart from the odd muppet). So giving people a bit of warmup where they 'practice' clapping or waving or something is good. Cool music if you can to build the show up, get the excitement going beforehand.
Stand up proud, move well, get them to respect you. And look out at them, not just at your sticks or whatever.

And when you do something good, let them know ' that was a good bit'.

You don't have to say it, you can hold your hands up, stop and look chuffed or have your mate go Woo or something.. in circus it's called 'marking tricks'. Let's people know 'that was a good bit, you can clap now'!

If you're having to relight or get props, use that time to build up to 'our next exciting adventure'. It's like you have to tell people how good you're going to be, BE good, then give them a chance to enjoy how good you were!

Good luck! Street theatre is tough stuff but it's great, it's the Real Thing! biggrin

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


Sakura_MoonHop's Kitten Jester.
1,803 posts
Location: Wonderland igloo, Vic, Australia


Posted:
If i'm infront of a large crowd, i smile out of nervousness...small crowds and i barely smile at all.... dont know why...

A good bow does wonders

.:Pink Exocutioner:.

I am Jack's Raging Bile Duct...

Loving you from the deepest part of my loins.



ZauberdachSometimes sword wofter
199 posts
Location: Edinburgh


Posted:
spangly costume helps. If you can't do any kind of movement or facial expression people will look at your costume and go "wow, they are dressed the part therefore they must be good".

IMPORTANT: Any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of a sane person.

"just get the f**k on with it and make me the anti-christ already!"


newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Good tip Bonzai! wink

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
It helps to present things in a way that the audience can relate to at the beginning of a show. Relate to mundane things, such as washing a car. That way they get drawn for two reasons:

1. they have a conceptual appreciation for the show
2. and then they’ll appreciate your skills.

Think of a scenario and try acting it out with your skills. Once the audience sees a story then develop the story and use more tricks etc to help. And finish with something spectacular – doesn’t have to be technically difficult but must be impressive.

In other words brake down a performance into three parts:

1. a beginning where you capture the audience
2. a middle part where you give them the main bulk of the show
3. an end where you leave them amazed.

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


pricklyleafSILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)


Posted:
I agree with the above- start off with a good trick to draw them in-something that looks pretty but not too much, gradually build up and finish with something spectacular. Forget how technically difficult something is-a non-spinning audience won't knw. Think about how each move actually looks. And move your body!

Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Hi newgabe and others thanks for all the great tips. I think I have a severe case of 'drum stare'. I hear what people are saying about 'marking tricks' in circus, and sure it’s important to let's people know when to clap a good trick, but unfortunately this technique was really overused last time I attended a circus.

I also get tired of street performers who prattle on to much, and don’t do many tricks. So I would consider having a good repertoire an important asset. This would include having a short game to allow working close to the crowd.

cheers smile

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh



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