The Velveteen Saint (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} velveteen) wrote,@ 2009-09-15 15:40:00 |
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Burning Man: The First Half
Besides Sunday's Big Emotional Chaos, I'd been on a bit of a rollercoaster with a few other people, as well. Got picked up, let down, picked up again, let down again, picked- you get the idea. I feel like I've been riding pretty rough since then - got home, got the bug out on the turntables (relief!), got one day to hang out and then did Soapbox Derby all weekend, had super fun, had some super not fun, had some more fun, a day to move my important stuff out to the quarry, surprise laid off by Rumors, surprise last paycheck from the Nightlight. What a trip... I'm taking it all right now as an exercise in good humor. Like I'll look back on this and just laaaaaugh!
Which led me to totally forget the awesome part of the week and post about that instead: that I was probably among the top five contact jugglers at Burning Man this year, definitely in the top ten. This isn't saying very much considering that there were probably no more than fifty on the playa, and not all the really serious ones came.
But several of the really serious ones came. Specifically: Mr. Om, Greg Maldonado, Jeff Calafato, and Lorq.
This year, I camped with a whole pile of excellent and dedicated fire dancers (OMCC). Just about everyone around had proficiency with scads of different toys and techniques. All day long it was workshops with big nerds like these guys. Like last year, they got placed on Center Ring, which meant that we all lived across the street from Center Camp.
Here's one thing about Burning Man: it's not just a huge party in the desert. It's also an experimental temporary autonomous zone, a convention of psychedelic theorists, a yoga summit, and so on. And for most of the day, Center Camp is the object manipulation convention. For instance: hoop jam. It's right in the middle of the city; world-class performers come and go at all hours, there are huge audiences until about 6 AM, and it's basically a massive, all-hours jam session for toys of all varieties. Like all-day Juggle Club!
Soooo being across the street, my friends and I would just kick it over there any time we wanted to practice. And since there's a grip of amazing artists around, you've got a bunch of eye candy for while you're stretching and warming up, and they're getting tired and making space by the time you want to go in and bust out. Then you've got equal time to practice really hard business - which you can do because you're surrounded in hardcore performers who are all filled with positive feedback and constructive criticism - and play around and teach workshops and hang out with people after you're tired. I must have spent five-plus hours a day in Center Camp on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. By evening, I was usually down for just a little bit of exploring before bed - often going out to parties where I'd wind up juggling for big crowds anyway.
A couple weeks ago, a retired performer offered the Guild a piece of advice: every performance is worth ten practices. At this point, I'm inclined to agree. After workshopping and performing for about a week straight, I'm feeling rather like I've gained a level.
Promo video out by the new year!
Besides Sunday's Big Emotional Chaos, I'd been on a bit of a rollercoaster with a few other people, as well. Got picked up, let down, picked up again, let down again, picked- you get the idea. I feel like I've been riding pretty rough since then - got home, got the bug out on the turntables (relief!), got one day to hang out and then did Soapbox Derby all weekend, had super fun, had some super not fun, had some more fun, a day to move my important stuff out to the quarry, surprise laid off by Rumors, surprise last paycheck from the Nightlight. What a trip... I'm taking it all right now as an exercise in good humor. Like I'll look back on this and just laaaaaugh!
Which led me to totally forget the awesome part of the week and post about that instead: that I was probably among the top five contact jugglers at Burning Man this year, definitely in the top ten. This isn't saying very much considering that there were probably no more than fifty on the playa, and not all the really serious ones came.
But several of the really serious ones came. Specifically: Mr. Om, Greg Maldonado, Jeff Calafato, and Lorq.
This year, I camped with a whole pile of excellent and dedicated fire dancers (OMCC). Just about everyone around had proficiency with scads of different toys and techniques. All day long it was workshops with big nerds like these guys. Like last year, they got placed on Center Ring, which meant that we all lived across the street from Center Camp.
Here's one thing about Burning Man: it's not just a huge party in the desert. It's also an experimental temporary autonomous zone, a convention of psychedelic theorists, a yoga summit, and so on. And for most of the day, Center Camp is the object manipulation convention. For instance: hoop jam. It's right in the middle of the city; world-class performers come and go at all hours, there are huge audiences until about 6 AM, and it's basically a massive, all-hours jam session for toys of all varieties. Like all-day Juggle Club!
Soooo being across the street, my friends and I would just kick it over there any time we wanted to practice. And since there's a grip of amazing artists around, you've got a bunch of eye candy for while you're stretching and warming up, and they're getting tired and making space by the time you want to go in and bust out. Then you've got equal time to practice really hard business - which you can do because you're surrounded in hardcore performers who are all filled with positive feedback and constructive criticism - and play around and teach workshops and hang out with people after you're tired. I must have spent five-plus hours a day in Center Camp on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. By evening, I was usually down for just a little bit of exploring before bed - often going out to parties where I'd wind up juggling for big crowds anyway.
A couple weeks ago, a retired performer offered the Guild a piece of advice: every performance is worth ten practices. At this point, I'm inclined to agree. After workshopping and performing for about a week straight, I'm feeling rather like I've gained a level.
Promo video out by the new year!
