hi new guy looking for a push in the right direction

[roopopper]

hi everyone, i live in the uk. I have been into robotic dancing for years( all in secret!) now i have been on the street with it, it felt great and i really want more, would like to add some mime and audience participation. Any ideas for the direction to take, will my act just improve with time as i do more street performances? I do the whole silver face thing and i found the audience very friendly it really surprised me!
Does any one know how the other robot guys make those noises? what do they have in their mouths?
I dont just want to be a robotic dancer but i feel its a good starting point.

[jayrodin]

Here is my best advice. Read the library. Keep a pen and pad of paper with you at all times. Be over the top. Are you a dude? If I were a robot I think I'd get one of those Madona braws that give you really pointy tits, wear metallic hair the kind you put on like a hat like in that movie.... toys, and some metallic panties. Do a bit about the fact that you have metal balls or something..

[Doctor Eric]

Originally posted by jayrodin
Read the library.

That's ambitious, it could take centuries.


Study up on interactive mime and clown acts, the movie scene act is classic. I don't know what it's name is, Martin? Peter? Taxi? Pipe up if you know it. A famous clown that worked for Cirque for years did a version of it in one of their shows (again, I can't remember his name or the productions', Martin? Peter? Bueller? anyone?)

And they use a plastic noise maker, like for new years.

[le pire]

His name is David Shiner.

The routine is a standard clown entree and is currently being done by every clochard in Paris (were David has lived and studied extensively). The study of the entree is the study of traditional clowning and David Shiner performs the routine with a FANTASTIC sensibility.

France is an interesting place for clown, considering that much has originated there. Les Frattelinis for example, and almost all of the entrees.

back to advice...


Listen to Dr Eric (he can be snarky, but is rarely wrong) and don't listen to jayrodin... yet. Maybe in about 5 years he won't have anything to prove and he'll also have the experience of being a credible mentor.

The most essential person to listen to yourself... and apparently you are doing just that. DON'T be just a robotic dancer! Find a character and a costume and (most importantly) find REASONS to interact with people.

I took a workshop with Avner the Eccentric (a name that is almost certainly unknown in the UK) and one of his deceptively simple lessons was "how to make an origami rose out of toilet paper." On the surface, this is nothing but a gimmick that can be learned out of a number of books. But the REAL lesson was the homework: give a toilet paper rose to a stranger.

Make the rose the point of contact between you and your audience.

That is what you must do, roopopper. Make what you do the point of contact between you and the people that watch you. This is deceptively simple and you will find it both easy and incredibly difficult. It's a long hard road that you are setting yourself on, but I wouldn't go on any other myself.

My best to you,


etienne

[Stretch]

Oh so true!!!!

le pire wrote:

"
>The most essential person to listen to yourself... and apparently you are doing just that. DON'T be just a robotic dancer! Find a character and a costume and (most importantly) find REASONS to interact with people.<

Amen! Amen!

roopopper wrote:

>Any ideas for the direction to take, will my act just improve with time as i do more street performances? <

Yes! IF YOU PAY ATTENTION!

Re the noise maker, check out a clown, theater, or costume supply shop. Also check into hunting calls. There is a huge variety of bird and preditor calls available in a number of designs.
There are a variety of mouth squeekers available. If you can get the hang of the diaphram version, they can be incredible in the variety of sounds produced.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:KrqqVzS_VZYJ:www.smarthunter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc%3FScreen%3DPLST%26Store_Code%3DSS+diaphragm+squeaker&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

Here is a link to a good photo of a variety of palm or glove squeakers:

http://www.made-in-china.com/image/4f0j00tuEQzFtdzaGTM/Squeaker-Jingle-Bell.jpg

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[roopopper]

wow guys I did not expect such friendship and great advice, thankyou, you have really made my evening!
The clown stuff sounds great and the paper roses is so simple, but brilliant!
At the moment I am wearing a full evening dinner jacket and trousers with bow tie, silver face and dark wrap around shades.
The one thing that really amazed me was how interested the teenagers were in my dancing( they seemed to like the body popping movements) I feel i am very good at the robotic movements and bodypopping type moves, in fact i recently did them in a dance club and the whole club just stopped and watched me then gave me some applause! It stunned me!
The only thing is that i find that type of dancing is a bit boring to watch after the initial amazment at the movements,the idea of mime and fun with the audience really appeals to me!
Im ploughing my way through all the posts.
Thanks guys