all hands on deck

all departments pitching in

                                Jacob in his element

                              mud

                              guy it out

                               

welcome to showbiz baby or beauty sleep interrupted

so you want to run away and join the circus do you ??
it is not all glamour and happy children
circus is tough
weather can be challenging
sometimes beauty sleep is interrupted
I got to drive the snake truck this morning..first gear was a mystery
I hope the mechanic doesn't hate me
I want a new shiny truck
cold and rainy and we get to work in it almost naked !
the mighty who set up the tent save us !!
waiting for the guys to show up but making it happen !

costume in process ,the story of my life

flurries , frozen rain , amazing hearty people setting up the tent for us and getting us water and pulling electric cables so we can be comfortable as can be

Brownsville or bust

Fun times , sitting on my chunky rear while Marshall drove the entire way to Brownsville , Texas . That was about 1400 miles . The highlight of the journey was stopping in Henderson , Louisiana and going to Crawfish Town . We ate fresh spicy crawfish , Frog legs and other Cajun delights .

Upon arriving in Brownsville we got parked and got our own lights and water . The show / the people who are here got everything figured out rigging and prop wise on a skeleton crew . To make everything spectacular the weather has been cold , cold , cold ! I think I saw snowflakes this morning !!
I think the show is great !! My favorite part is the carousel . This is the production number .So magical and pretty !! Tavana's concept with the usual delegation of sewing and construction by the talented team , about 12 people create , build and sew to make this happen !

I can't wait till we warm up . Circus in a tent in the cold is -----
photo by me , The mixed animal act practicing ..

Snow globes

 I just want my shots of espresso and some whole milk mixed in . Is that too much to ask ? In case anyone cares I will tell you what irks me . Intellectuals who critique me !! Ha ! Can I tell you how f-ing difficult and sometimes painful it is to do my "work" my "art" ? Next project will be , documenting my motivation to get my sloth self up and out of bed . Up the rope , up the fabric , stretching , working out , taking my measurements , trying to pay bills , spinning by my teeth ,flossing . The list is endless

7 headpieces, 3 costumes , and half a tutu and extreme fishnet repair ..let the sewing begin

As I was sewing yesterday I started thinking about contemporary circus.There are so many differences in traditional circus and contemporary circus . They all come from the same place or beginnings . Circus in Latin means circle or ring , we think the beginnings ( in modern times ) were a troupe or a herd or a bevy of horses directed by a ringmaster. Musicians were there because in civilized times we had a lot of live musicians playing and accompanying the acts or bits . Acrobats were there for a little variety , we are talking 1) a ring  2) magnificent 4 legged creatures 3) live music 4) a master of the ring . Clowns broke up the flow and created a laugh or released a little tension, acrobats filled in and were variety .No matter what , every spectacle or act had a FINALE , there were fanfares and entrances. A beginning , a middle and end  . In contemporary circus the big thing I notice is many performing spaces are NOT TENTS (which are very expensive so I am not being judgy )  . Many of the compositions are deep and dark and personal . There is NOT a lot of smiling and tada . There is not a big entrance or  a finish and that confuses me . The connection to the audience is not very connected . The irony here is while these artists are yearning to express themselves and have an important meaningful piece they lose the primal basic connection to their audience .
 Now this is not everyone in the modern modern world .I have seen some delightful performance by my Bindles and that charming tenter that plays the parks in Chicago and recently Vague de something . Without an audience it is not a performance . Without an audience it is an exercise . I will praise the startling strength and skills of some of my contemporary circus darlings . I will praise their passion . I wish people would accept the fact that it is their physical feats and humanity that captures an audiences heart .
It is about the performance , selling tickets and entertaining the masses . It is all about watching animals executing behaviors that are so obvious yet amazing ,it is about watching humans taking risks , flipping , balancing , extending and manipulating themselves while hopefully working to music , wearing  a costume and having lighting that draws you in to the experience.It is about the audience getting that high one gets when you connect to something so pure and you know that a piece of you is that performer and you are rejuvenated and ready for the world . Sometimes there is a message or a story , that is theater sleeping with the circus .

Dick and Marshall - star date December 20 , 2013

The big party at Kay's !
We celebrated Kay's 65th birthday and the holiday fun ness .
I love seeing friends but all the festivity is winning .

our friend Jake Conover

I have known Jake Conover since 1987 . He build aerial rigging , actually Custom Built Equipment will build anything you can dream of . They construct chairs to balance on , slides for dogs and pigs  , pedestals for elephants . The list is pretty long ,personally they have kept me in swivels, rope ,webs ,  neck loops , hand loops  , rosin , pulley blocks , chalk , stakes ,wheels and shackles . Sometimes I dye web casings and loop casings for them for our friends who want to have colorful equipment . Their latest endeavor  is WINE . They brought me a couple of their award winning  (at the fair )bottles , Blackberry and Cotton Candy are the flavors I received . I opened the cotton candy and couldn't believe my eyes ! Blue cotton candy wine , how fun is that ?
 My friend Jake is going through some health issues , we wish him the best . I am glad in my adventures Jake and his family have helped me as friends and suppliers . Get better Jake ! you still have more stories to share !