hello, I do stuff.

[Fangy]

Um...Hi.
I am twenty, and I pretend to be a variety performer.
This sounds like an AA meeting introductions...
Anyways, this forum looked useful for networking with like minded souls, and hopefully learning some new tricks and honing my skills.

Currently I can juggle and do a handful of three ball tricks, I can hand stand and do some contortions, am practicing the blockhead, and am going to start eating fire today, and hopefully breathing it soon. I also want to learn some illusions.
Anyways, thats me. Hi.

[Steven Ragatz]

Welcome Fangy... You've come to the right place.

Sounds like you're collecting some useful skills for a variety performer. Keep at it.

However, I would strongly, strongly, strongly discourage you from doing any fire breathing. Too dangerous, too poisonous, too many liability issues, too many people doing it, and if that's not enough, it tastes absolutely horrid. Skip this one. You don't need it. Nope.

Everything else you wrote sounds inspired!

Steven Ragatz

[Fangy]

But it looks soo blasted FUN!
What about it makes it more dangerous than fire eating?
Is it just the fact that you are using gas?
I know lots of folks do it, but I think it looks so awesome, and I want to eventually incorporate the stunt while juggling torches or fyrballs!
I think the taste would be a fair trade for the stunt myself.

Not trying to argue with ya though, I really don't know what I'm getting into myself. I am just curious to know.

I wouldn't be attempting the feat from just reading or watching you tube videos either, I have an acquaintance who does fire tricks professionally and has 15+ years of expedience.

Anyways, thanx for the post, I look forward to discussing the topic more.
=)

[Steven Ragatz]

Man, I hear you. Blowing a big fire ball takes very little skill and can have a big impact on a crowd! It is a common quick fix finale for a juggling routine.

But the risk isn't worth the payoff. Burns on your face? If you're lucky. If you're not lucky, chemical pneumonia. That's what happens when you accidentally inhale the fuel vapor that isn't ignited. I hear it is agonizingly painful. If you manage to avoid those, you can look forward to sores in your mouth or throat. Who knows what sort of long term issues come from the poisoning. The membrane inside the mouth is designed in such a way that lots of stuff gets absorbed immediately upon contact.

Heck, even if you don't fuck yourself up, there is a good chance that you'll mess up someone close by (that wind can change in very subtle and sudden ways.)

From a business perspective, you can't play it indoors, which kills many of the gigs that pay well, so if you build your show around this killer finale, work the street, get an offer, you have to back pedal and have to find something new anyway.

You mention many other skills, which all sound great! Work on those. Find your finale in something else, but take my advise and pass on the fire breathing.

If you're serious about variety performing, learn lasting skills that will serve you well in the long run. Work on a finale that other people DON'T do, and one that you can repeat, reliably in any venue. Yes, it will take more time on the front end, but the payoff is much grater later on. Want to keep on in this business? Take pride in your craft and get used to putting the time in on the skills. Quick fixes won't cut it - especially ones that carry so much risk.

But, you don't have to believe me. Do a search on these forums and you'll read some fire horror stories.

Steven Ragatz

[stickman]

I'm with Steven on this one. I lost a month to chemical pneumonia one year from fire breathing and consider it a good lesson. Dropped the fire ball, and developed the show without it. Now I've for all intents and purposes dropped fire altogether and am still enjoying performance almost as much as when I first started. Everyone starts out wanting with the fire breathing and eventually realizes they don't need it.

Stickman

[Fangy]

That does not sound fun.
Well I will definitely hold off of the fire breathing for now at least. See how things goe with my other acts, and improve my current skills more.

What are your thoughts on fire "eating"? Its still fire, but its minus the gas. It seems that there is less of a chance of actually catching yourself and audience members on fire.

[Steven Ragatz]

Fire eating is significantly safer than blowing a volcano. Although a generalization, fire eating will probably result in small burns rather than life altering injury.

I think that the biggest safety issue with eating is how you handle the fuel source. Soak the torches, use a non-breakable container for the fuel, keep the fuel source sealed and far away from the open flame and don't re-dip the torch until it is cold. The fuel itself will have a great impact on the tricks that you can learn, but will also be a factor with how dangerous it is. White gas, kerosene, or a mix is what most fire eaters that I know use.

Keep any open flame far away from the audience.

There are lots of other safety issues to consider - check your costume/clothing (and makeup!) for flammability - tie back any long hair - check the wind (and placement of the indoor fire sprinklers...) - etc.

Most of it is common sense and discipline.

There are guys on this forum that know more about it than I do. Look through the archives, there are several threads on the subject over the years.

Steven Ragatz

[Stretch]

How well do you like your teeth?

[Lex Brodie]

Doing stuff is really good.

I've heard 90% of success is doing stuff.

I keep trying to get my friend to get out and do stuff, and he always has some reason not to

I plan to get out and do stuff (mainly on my trumpet) but I may get to a whole 2 months' practice before actually going out and .... doing stuff.

Although I did do stuff on my bugle at a swap meet last month, and at least I found out there are a lot of brass players out there. And that some people carry clandestine tambourines they feel compelled to take out 'n' shake when they hear a brass instrument.

But I'm not leading by example, although I criticize my friend for not getting out and doing stuff, I've not gotten out and done stuff myself.

Boo!

Everyone talks about doing stuff but only a tiny percentage of them actually go out and do the stuff.

Carry on!

[Isabella]

How well do you like your teeth?

As much as I'd love to let this weigh on the dangers of fire-eating, I feel compelled to point out that teeth are what's left to identify the body when someone's been burned to death.

Lots of other compelling dangers, though.