time off

[gav]

I have just performed my first 2 shows after having 7 months off from performing. I didn't really plan it that way, but thats how it turned out, I wont go into the details as why, unless someone really wants to know.
Anyway, to say the least I was out of practise. Ok, I'd done a little skill practise, but as far as the performing goes there is just no way you can practise that without an audience, and it certainly doesn't help that I still haven't got a grasp of the language here.
I was pretty nervous, because in general I'm not a real confident ego kinda guy, in fact it's the performing itself that boosts my esteem.
Anyway the show was pretty well recieved if not a little long due to the fact that I hadn't fully remembered how things go. The hat was ok considering.
I was wondering if anyone else has ever had such a long break and what it was like for them when getting back to it. How long it took to get back in the swing of things and alike?
I'm sure it will all come flooding back soon.

[Ivan Bellari]

mee too ....

hey man!

me too... after last summer i did a small job .. first time performing solo.. then winter hit.. and i really didn'tdo anything...
so after about 6 months last week i did my first solo street shows...

it wasn't bad.. ottawa still is a little coolish for night shows and the crowds were not huge ... last night i went out again and had the same sort of evening .. small crowds , small hats.. and it didn't feel tight or smooth...

but i remember last summer when loki and i went out for our first festival we didn't do so hot then either...

but it's good to be doing something , making a little green...

and i've seen you do your thing man, you totally kick ass... it will always get better... and you dont need to talk too much you have good skill...

it's warm today and i expect there will be more people..
i'd rather be doing this than anything..

[gav]

glad I'm not the only one

Hey Ivan, was going solo a choice or did you and rick stop getting along even more.
It's now raining here and I can't keep the ball rolling.
That good feeling I get when I entertain people is driving me on and at least now I'm keen to get out and work whenever possible. I was coming up with excuses for weeks before I finally went out the other night.
Also, whats your family origin? I'm guessing Belarus or some other former ussr country. I only say that becuase I know Ivan is a popular name in eastern europe, and Bellari could be construde as someone who comes from belarus.
Enlighten me.

[Ivan Bellari]

distance

the biggest reason for me doing a solo show is distance.... rick and i are getting along about the same as always .. but i decided to move to ottawa from halifax... it's easier to do street here in the spring/summer/fall... and i'm closer to festivals and toronto for corperate gigs....

rick is coming in june and we'll be doing a new ashcircle show... and it will be good to be part of a troupe again... i can't speak for him but my impression is that he is not so interested as making performance his job... but i prefer it .... so we'll work together when the chances allow... and i'll work solo the rest of the time ( or build another troupe... ewwww)

and Ivan Bellari ( bellari is latin for "the act of making war") isn't my name i am in fact irish/scottish and 100% canadian ...but i grew up in a predominantly ukarainian community in northern alberta ... i've been called ivan for as long as i can remember ... but my name is richard...

this weekend was a good weekend from a training point of view... i've been thinking of these next few weeks as training.. learning how to pace a show to gather a crowd and keep it... how to take what meager skills i have and put them in a show that will entertain and get me paid etc...

friday was tough... i think i was rushing to hard through everything.. but saturday i took my time and worked a little easier with the crowd... and i had my best show so far last night.. which is intersting because when i set up there was hardly any foot traffic... it's starting to come together i expect bigger highs and lower lows until june.. then a new learning curve to get back into group shows..

oh and i guess it's too soon for a pope joke.. or even a pauly shore as the pope joke...

in domina patre buuuuuuuuuuuuddy.

so whats the plan for leopard man, james blonde, gav...

[Evan Young]

I just did my first street show in almost 9 months and rocked it. It kind of felt like the show was handed to me without having to work very hard for it.... and it kind of was. It was an audition. people bum rushed me asking for my card and stuff like that. I'm so dumb for not having one.

I have been doing the foodplay show all winter, and I think that it does help to at least be on stage.

(and I don't need advice on how to make a buisness card or how easy it is or why I need one.)

[Butterfly Man]

There's no business like ...

I'm gonna learn to play the flute and grow organic something or other.