How to Prepare for a Circus When You Have No Skills

Well, I can kinda juggle balls and kinda spin contact staff, but the people I'll be performing with are pros. They have amazing skills. So I have some options:

1. Practice like crazy
2. Develop a pinched nerve in my back as an excuse
3. Rely on my maker skills

Number 1 is a given. I've been working, but old dogs learn new tricks at a glacial pace. At least the old tricks are getting easier. Number 2 happened, but it's getting better. Gotta lay off the doughnuts. Number 3 is kind of a natural for me, especially when projects require new learning.

Up first was the day-glo costume. Now, I can sew, but my experience has been with harnesses, horse tack, and luggage. Clothing? Not so much. So why not a day-glo viking tunic? I started with a general pattern from the lovely Carolyn Priest-Dorman, who posted historically accurate instructions in 1997. On the internet. Whew. FabricLand had some cool day-glo synthetic twill, we have a sewing machine, and off I went. The pattern required some math to up-size all the dimensions (I think it was made for Gimli) and most of it came together in a day.

So I'll look a bit like a traffic cone. Sewing is fun. 

Well, That Went Fast...

Yep, killed another blog through neglect. The SPCB will be after me soon... ...if they can find me.

I'll be hard to find, because (drum roll) I've joined a Circus! Again!

Why post about this here? It's an unused class blog in the Summer... what's the point? Two things:
1. It's about learning. I've always been a musician, but theatrical and physical stuff is new to me. Learning about movement, flow, props, and costumes is giving me some insight into how my students learn. It's the least I can do, really!
2. I'm trying to improve on the old documenting-learning-thing. I use so many blogs and videos to learn, it seems only fair that I start trying to hold up my end.
3. This blog was not living up to its potential. I mean, blog abuse is a terrible thing.

Sooo... here's a coupla pics from last year to whet the appetite (Thanks Nick Woolsey and Karina Strong for the pics):

Pirate Mode intensifies...

Tiff and 3000 of her closest friends.

So VestaFire Circus at MusicFest was a blast, but I had to throw myself on Karina's mercy for props and costumes. It worked fine, but when you have limited circus skills like me, it's best to bring something to the party. This year's themes are Day Glo, Circus Checkers, and Go-Go-Galactic (variations on Buck Rogers, etc).

For Checkers I'll rely on the magic tickle trunk.

Day Glo and Galactic will get their own posts. 

Yay!