Forums > Help! > skill levels for paid performers?
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angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
Posted:
hello friends.
i'm looking (see: hoping) to be able to do juggling/poi performances as a modest part time gig in the next year or so. this is mainly to give me motivation/rewards for practice as well as to have them be self-sustaining hobbies in the expenditures department.
anyone have any input on what levels of ability would be advisable for such? i just discovered i'll have more time on my hands for the next few months and i want to make my practice time effective and focused.
while recognizing that much of a performance is the performer's presentation and not simply the technical aspects, even vague or ethereal standards like "be able to juggle at least six balls" or "when you can watch your own recorded spin and find it interesting" would be much appreciated as i try to flesh out my practice directions.
thanks!
hello friends.
i'm looking (see: hoping) to be able to do juggling/poi performances as a modest part time gig in the next year or so. this is mainly to give me motivation/rewards for practice as well as to have them be self-sustaining hobbies in the expenditures department.
anyone have any input on what levels of ability would be advisable for such? i just discovered i'll have more time on my hands for the next few months and i want to make my practice time effective and focused.
while recognizing that much of a performance is the performer's presentation and not simply the technical aspects, even vague or ethereal standards like "be able to juggle at least six balls" or "when you can watch your own recorded spin and find it interesting" would be much appreciated as i try to flesh out my practice directions.
thanks!
Fluidity.
SILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Posted:
Unfortunately a completely impossible question to answer! In order to get gigs performing you need to be able to be entertaining on demand. This can be pure skill (so you'd better be good!), a danger element (real or percieved), patter/communications skills or even just costuming.
My actual advise would be to get out and actually start performing. Stand on a street, put a hat down and go for it. Don't expect to make any money, thats not what its for at this point, instead you will learn what you are good and bad at. How do you react when you drop? How will you deal with people messing with you? Can you act confidently? You'll learn none of these things in ten years practicing on your own.
You'll find it painful at first - I used to sweat, shake and become unable to talk! But you will start to love it really fast (I hope!) These days I can mess up really badly and still be entertaining for those watching me.
This way your technical skills will get better WITH your other skills and you won't be one of the thousands of 'object manipulatiors' who can put out amazing practise videos but can't last 20 seconds on stage without messing up (and obviously getting wound up because of it)
Next, learn the business side, because getting from non-paid to paid performer is really quite tricky! (But thats for later
)
Unfortunately a completely impossible question to answer! In order to get gigs performing you need to be able to be entertaining on demand. This can be pure skill (so you'd better be good!), a danger element (real or percieved), patter/communications skills or even just costuming.
My actual advise would be to get out and actually start performing. Stand on a street, put a hat down and go for it. Don't expect to make any money, thats not what its for at this point, instead you will learn what you are good and bad at. How do you react when you drop? How will you deal with people messing with you? Can you act confidently? You'll learn none of these things in ten years practicing on your own.
You'll find it painful at first - I used to sweat, shake and become unable to talk! But you will start to love it really fast (I hope!) These days I can mess up really badly and still be entertaining for those watching me.
This way your technical skills will get better WITH your other skills and you won't be one of the thousands of 'object manipulatiors' who can put out amazing practise videos but can't last 20 seconds on stage without messing up (and obviously getting wound up because of it)
Next, learn the business side, because getting from non-paid to paid performer is really quite tricky! (But thats for later
) Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!
BRONZE Member
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
Posted:
big thanks! your answer is actually a lot more helpful than what i was hoping for at first. i'll have to start getting myself out of the juggling lair more often and see what happens.
thanks for the advice!
big thanks! your answer is actually a lot more helpful than what i was hoping for at first. i'll have to start getting myself out of the juggling lair more often and see what happens.
thanks for the advice!
Fluidity.
SILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Posted:
No worries, let me know how it goes
Things I've learnt about my performing:
- I can't talk on stage
- Once you've dropped your prop a few times (hopefully not in the same minute!) you stop caring so much
- Making people laugh is fun, so perform for children, they laugh at anything!
- I like performing for other circusy types most
- The paid gigs are often the least fun
EDITED_BY: willworkforfoodjnr (1355305930)
No worries, let me know how it goes
Things I've learnt about my performing:
- I can't talk on stage
- Once you've dropped your prop a few times (hopefully not in the same minute!) you stop caring so much
- Making people laugh is fun, so perform for children, they laugh at anything!
- I like performing for other circusy types most
- The paid gigs are often the least fun
EDITED_BY: willworkforfoodjnr (1355305930)
Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
Try putting together an act first, or make a video and post it asking for feedback. Think about the space you'll need to fit in or fill for the type of work your looking for. Find a novel twist if possible, to single you out, and its better to be tight and clean than complicated and messy.
Get organised, plan what you'll need and lay it out ready. Nothing worse than mid actfaffing.
Try putting together an act first, or make a video and post it asking for feedback. Think about the space you'll need to fit in or fill for the type of work your looking for. Find a novel twist if possible, to single you out, and its better to be tight and clean than complicated and messy.
Get organised, plan what you'll need and lay it out ready. Nothing worse than mid actfaffing.
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.
BRONZE Member
stranger
3 posts
Location: Preston, UK
stranger
3 posts
Location: Preston, UK
Posted:
Somebody told me once if you can do 15 rounds/ catches without tangling/ dropping you can perform that trick. Seems silly but I think that's a good enough measure of weather or not I say I can do a trick. Weather that trick is impressive enough to perform is totally subjective.
Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable performing as a juggler until I can do clubs endlessly without dropping and throw in at least one trick. My first Poi performance (was not actually meant to be a performance, practicing in a busy park and got an audience!) they loved me just doing 3 beat backwards and forwards weave with some cheap ass long tailed poi while spinning around until I fell over. Also I'm terrified of fire but being so good at poi I get roped into fire performance a lot, nobody seems to notice my fear cuts my skills by a quarter and i'm shaking in my boots.
Just goes to show how easily impressed the general public are. Just get out there, start small, see what reception you get. Remember that people love to be entertained and kids are your most honest critics!
Good luck x
Somebody told me once if you can do 15 rounds/ catches without tangling/ dropping you can perform that trick. Seems silly but I think that's a good enough measure of weather or not I say I can do a trick. Weather that trick is impressive enough to perform is totally subjective.
Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable performing as a juggler until I can do clubs endlessly without dropping and throw in at least one trick. My first Poi performance (was not actually meant to be a performance, practicing in a busy park and got an audience!) they loved me just doing 3 beat backwards and forwards weave with some cheap ass long tailed poi while spinning around until I fell over. Also I'm terrified of fire but being so good at poi I get roped into fire performance a lot, nobody seems to notice my fear cuts my skills by a quarter and i'm shaking in my boots.
Just goes to show how easily impressed the general public are. Just get out there, start small, see what reception you get. Remember that people love to be entertained and kids are your most honest critics!
Good luck x
BRONZE Member
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
Posted:
thanks to all again for the further advice. the rougher weather where i am is finally subsiding and school's out so i'm thinking the park route will be a likely practice/unintentional performance area. we'll see how it all goes down.
if anything interesting happens, i'll be sure to drop another note on here (if my internet doesn't randomly dissapear for again).
thanks again for the feedback!
thanks to all again for the further advice. the rougher weather where i am is finally subsiding and school's out so i'm thinking the park route will be a likely practice/unintentional performance area. we'll see how it all goes down.
if anything interesting happens, i'll be sure to drop another note on here (if my internet doesn't randomly dissapear for again).
thanks again for the feedback!
Fluidity.
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
If juggling I would say can you do the trick 100 Times without dropping? if so then it can go in. You don't want odds like 1 in 15 in your act. 1 in 100 chance of dropping is much better odds.
If juggling I would say can you do the trick 100 Times without dropping? if so then it can go in. You don't want odds like 1 in 15 in your act. 1 in 100 chance of dropping is much better odds.
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.
BRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
Posted:
Better yet don't just stick something in because you can do it well if the trick looks rubbish it doesn't matteer how good you are at it if it makes people go "meh"
Better yet don't just stick something in because you can do it well if the trick looks rubbish it doesn't matteer how good you are at it if it makes people go "meh"
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.
DIAMOND Member
member
61 posts
Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
member
61 posts
Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
Posted:
You can make an entertaining routine with very little technical skill. I've seen some hired spinners that weren't that impressive to another spinner but the crowd love them!
For example the crowd doesn't care that you're pulling off a seven-beat weave, to them its just a circle.. they can't really tell what you're doing. Moves like wrist wraps, throws.. those are real crowd pleasers. It's much simpler than you imagine.. of course the better skilled you are the more options you have in a routine, but really people are so impressed with an un-trained eye, you'll be fine I'm sure of it.
You can make an entertaining routine with very little technical skill. I've seen some hired spinners that weren't that impressive to another spinner but the crowd love them!
For example the crowd doesn't care that you're pulling off a seven-beat weave, to them its just a circle.. they can't really tell what you're doing. Moves like wrist wraps, throws.. those are real crowd pleasers. It's much simpler than you imagine.. of course the better skilled you are the more options you have in a routine, but really people are so impressed with an un-trained eye, you'll be fine I'm sure of it.
Sometimes youre ahead, sometimes youre behind. The race is long and in the end, its only with yourself~
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
Exactly, Synderrella!
If you want to have a show the most important thing is to be entertaining.
You aren't competing on a props skill basis. I could juggle 100 balls on a 75 foot unicycle but if another guy comes. Along with a toothpick and a watermelon and makes the audience laugh more and enjoy themselves more than me then his shoe is 'better'.
Its all about the audience not the performer...
Exactly, Synderrella!
If you want to have a show the most important thing is to be entertaining.
You aren't competing on a props skill basis. I could juggle 100 balls on a 75 foot unicycle but if another guy comes. Along with a toothpick and a watermelon and makes the audience laugh more and enjoy themselves more than me then his shoe is 'better'.
Its all about the audience not the performer...
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SILVER Member
ABOB - Pois'n'us
178 posts
Location: Northern Ireland
ABOB - Pois'n'us
178 posts
Location: Northern Ireland
Posted:
i agree with the above...though im now trying to figure out a routine using only a toothpick and a watermelon that can beat juggling any number of balls on a 75ft unicycle haha
i agree with the above...though im now trying to figure out a routine using only a toothpick and a watermelon that can beat juggling any number of balls on a 75ft unicycle haha
I dont want to be called 'the greatest' or 'one of the greats'; let other guys claim to be the best. I just want to be known as a clown, to me thats the height of my profession. It means you can do everything-sing, dance, and above all, make people laugh
SILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Posted:
I'm also stuck thinking about melon/toothpick routines. Most of them so far have involved pain, entertainment, and a destroyed melon...
I'm also stuck thinking about melon/toothpick routines. Most of them so far have involved pain, entertainment, and a destroyed melon...
Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!
SILVER Member
lurking like a ninja with no camouflage..
926 posts
Location: over yonder, New Zealand
lurking like a ninja with no camouflage..
926 posts
Location: over yonder, New Zealand
Posted:
watermelon and toothpick videos posted here please?
Xx
watermelon and toothpick videos posted here please?
Xx on spam robots - "Burn the robot! Melt him down, and then we can make lots and lots of money from his shiiiny juices!"
Owned by Brenn
BRONZE Member
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
Posted:
glad i stopped by this thread again after my internet absence.
when will HoP start selling toothpick/watermelon packages?
glad i stopped by this thread again after my internet absence.
when will HoP start selling toothpick/watermelon packages?
Fluidity.
SILVER Member
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Hunting robot foxes
1,046 posts
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England (UK)
Posted:
My watermelony-toothpicky routine wouldn't get past the youtube profanity filter. Also, I need a volunteer to do the actual performing of it (I ain't sticking a toothpick THERE), anyone game? I'll make you famous!
My watermelony-toothpicky routine wouldn't get past the youtube profanity filter. Also, I need a volunteer to do the actual performing of it (I ain't sticking a toothpick THERE), anyone game? I'll make you famous!
Working hard to be a wandering hippie layabout. Ten years down, five to go!
BRONZE Member
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA
Posted:
Originally Posted By: MalcolmStill looking for a reliable supplier. Might have to grow our own plants.
Your dedication to high quality produce is an inspiration. I'm looking forward to placing my first orders from Home of Watermelon.
Originally Posted By: MalcolmStill looking for a reliable supplier. Might have to grow our own plants.
Your dedication to high quality produce is an inspiration. I'm looking forward to placing my first orders from Home of Watermelon.
Fluidity.
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