My act from our midways production 2013 at AFUK.

Solander - 2015-02-18 13:23:48 UTC - Genitore #

AFUK is the circus school in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Owen Greenaway - 2015-02-18 16:36:35 UTC - Genitore #

Thanks for posting that, I really enjoyed it. I did find it slightly odd that you decided to spend the first 90 seconds (a quarter of the act) slowly walking and stacking props. I must admit I found that part rather boring and superfluous. I thought the balance was awesome but again didn't understand why you slowly laid down the props and then had to walk all the way across the stage to pick up the balls. Were there technical reasons why you couldn't just put the props down and have the balls set up in front of you? The rest of it was lovely.

Little Paul - 2015-02-18 16:55:55 UTC - Genitore #

I have a bit of a problem with people starting their act by carrying all their props on stage and then carefully laying them out. In my view if you need props laid out in a certain way, that's what stage crew are for. Let me watch the compère while the crew lay out the equipment, so when you come on stage I can watch you juggle.

There was only one trick in the first 2 minutes of the act. It was a bloody good combination trick, but by that point I was itching for something to happen.

I didn't understand carefully laying down the props at the end of the combination trick either, it felt like they were laid out in a special configuration to set up a trick later in the routine - a trick which unfortunately never materialized.

The juggling section was very nice though, and I really appreciated the face balance on the rolabola as I know full well how much of a headfuck that is to get working :)

There seems to be a modern aversion to things like prop stands and dump boxes, but I think in this case a dump box which doubled as a rolabola base would have tightened things up significantly.

YMMV etc, I'm just a bloke on the internet, I don't get a lot of the "art" claptrap that thrives in circus schools ;)

Solander - 2015-02-18 21:44:26 UTC - Genitore #

Thanks for your input! The reason for the slow walking and everything like that is new circus. AFUK is a new circus school and focuses a lot more on the artistic and scenic part the performance then on the technique. I was trying to achieve some sort of theatrical effect but it's bloody hard. :)

I've always been that kind of juggler who has his props all laid out in front of him and then go through them one by one, but since I attended that particular school, I was trying to change it and build an atmosphere more than showing off my tricks.

My idea of that performance was a bit unclear for myself but in the version I play now, I don't even have music and play a lot more on the audience in different way but essentially the same tricks. I'm thinking of developing this version of the act also to make it more interesting to watch but we'll see when I get around to it. :)

I agree that the carefully placement of the objects after the first combo trick looks rather weird and in my version now I just drop them. :P

Orinoco - 2015-02-18 22:37:22 UTC - Genitore #

I liked the juggling especially the combo tricks, but I also didn't like the set up. I couldn't see any reason why you were moving slowly which was incongruous with the speed you moved at during the ball juggling section. I didn't pick up any character or story from it.

I hope AFUK aren't teaching that moody moving slow=artistic new circus.

For a good example of slow movement in a circus act there is an adagio act in Cirque Du Soleil's Quidam (For anyone that doesn't know, adagio is a style of acrobalance where 2 or more performers transition between balances in a slow & controlled manner). The performers are decked out from head to toe in grey body paint, their hair is plastered & they wear grey toga-esque costumes, every step is taken very slowly & accompanied by a massive booming footstep sound effect. The look, the sound & the way they move all combine to create the impression that the characters on stage are colossal statues. Everything about the act is geared towards making the audience believe a fantasy.

Little Paul - 2015-02-19 13:02:26 UTC - Genitore #

I hope AFUK aren't teaching that moody moving slow=artistic new circus.

If they are, they'd be in plenty of company.

Judging by a lot of the graduation shows I've seen over the years Circus Space (or whatever they're called these days) and Circomedia have been teaching angsty-poderous-movement-as-art for decades now. I blame the aerialists :P

I'm not against movement or story telling (or even carefully arranged props on the floor) in circus by any means, but I do like all movements and prop placements to have a purpose. Whether that purpose is to reinforce a character, or get the performer from one prop/trick to another.

I think that's why the breakdown of the combination trick didn't work for me, it had the appearance of purpose but with out that potential being filled.

God I can't half waffle on about bollocks.

Owen Greenaway - 2015-02-19 14:57:33 UTC - Genitore #

I'm not against movement or story telling (or even carefully arranged props on the floor) in circus by any means, but I do like all movements and prop placements to have a purpose. Whether that purpose is to reinforce a character, or get the performer from one prop/trick to another.

I agree with this and hopefully when you've improved the act this is what you have changed. Any chance we could see a video of the new version?

Solander - 2015-02-25 18:05:34 UTC - Genitore #

Thanks all for the discussion and the suggestions! Unfortunately I don't have an updated version but I will work on it more and film it again when I have the chance. Next time I'm booked with that act is in late August but I will probably perform it before as well. :)

Little Paul - 2015-02-19 21:07:36 UTC - Genitore #

I like that, and had I not seen the title - but been asked to speculate what was being represented... I think I'd have guessed right. Which I think means she hit the target. :)

Solander - 2015-02-26 08:41:13 UTC - Genitore #

I agree with the tension that is building up but not released and it's a really good thing you pointed it out.

Hmm. Interesting! I will try to find different ways for this since I don't like the pickup of 4 clubs in the same way either. Maybe kickups would be a good way to to something more interesting with it. I will work on it! Thanks! :)

Good to hear! They liked it a lot but the things they asked me to work on was for instance that pick up of 5 clubs and then just run through it and really think over each part. The ball juggling segment they were not as fan of as I, since it was improvised and different each time. Now I have a set ball part which I hope is more interesting then this one each time and not sometimes. :)