becoming a circus freak

Well hello again, it has been 2 weeks now here in Florida, and we have been workin our butts off 6 days a week. We have been busy learning songs, adding new vocals to other songs, changing harmonies, revamping music, addind longer dance breaks, and going back again and changing it all over.



On top of that we have had circus rehearsals as well, having full juggling lessons with different sizes of balls, hankerchiefs of varying weight and color, 3 and 4 rings, and big ole bowling like pins. Those who have that down are advancing to 3 man juggling stunts. I have also had to learn how to walk and be comfortable on 4ft stilts, because I and another guy will be dancing on them for a number with Tom Thumb, who is suppossed to be 25 inches tall( by the way this was an actual real person in life, he actually found another small person and married her.) That would be fine but the stilts that I was suppossed to be using our one cast members old stilts which are not as supported as the new stilts, and are way more wobbly and uncomfortable, and not even easy to walk in let alone dance in, and so being I fell back off them and landed on my hip. So now I'm am going to fight and make sure the theatre will buy me the right stilts for the show. I was on the good stilts today, and O was able to do kicks and everything with them on.

The other really cool thing I have been learning is the spanish web!! As you see in the video up top. Now this isn't really that hard, you basically have to learn how to climb the rope with your strength mainly coming from your legs. And then you just get whipped around, and have to create different positions and shapes while you're turning. No I have to admit I have put the stopper loop to far down my wrist and have cut off my circulation, and have felt that tingly sensation in my arm for 2 days, and was worried when I put my foot in the loop that I was going to have to get my foot amputated, but it all worked out fine.

Now since we work our butts off like crazy, our one day off is filled with absolute relaxation, which consists of laying by the pool, or even better, going to the BEACH!!! Of course since we're crazy dancers and performers, and now weird circus freaks, we act goofy at the beach. Did I mention I love my job!!

Las Gracias

So 2 weeks ago today I was arriving in Madrid, Spain with no real idea what we were going to be doing, besides the information that pretty much everyone didn't know what we were getting our selves in including the executive producer. So it was already turning out to be one incredible adventure.

I got a call on monday (2 weeks ago) and on wednesday I was flying to Spain! Talk about wanting to live the life. I was so excited and grateful. Now I want lie I did have to let them know I was interested in going. I was talking to my friend Jeff who went to Germany with me, and he told me that Pilobolus had called him for this gig, but he couldn't do it. So I called the office and asked if they still needed a guy, and they called me back and said yeah.

It was awesome being in SPain. From the moment I got on the plane I felt that I was in for a new experience. The people were of a european look that I had not been so accustomed to seeing, and the language of spanish that was spoken was more regal, more formal it seemed, not accented or yelled out that I hear most days, but respectful, and I loved it. As soon as we arrived I understood why things were so different, the average look of people is handsome, and good looking. The culture is way laid back, and it's just infused with history and decorum that shows in the architechture and design of the city. Every major intersection has a some kind of big plaza, and usually some kind of fountain or statue or both. It was absolutley amazing.

Well we found out that we were going to be taping 4 different commercials for this Bank BBVA that is taking over alot of stuff in Spain, and wanted to show that they were going to be good for everyone. So the themes we had to work with were, security, protection, and helpfulness you know stuff banks want to be associated with. We spent the first days brainstorming, and coming up with ideas, and then the last 4 we were there taping them. It was all shadow work, so I didn't have to worry alot about live performance movement. We ended up surprising ourselves with how good we were at creating the images they wanted us to create, and how much we got done. Just shows How much God has blessed this P-lo crew. What was also amazing about this experience, was that every meal was taken care of, and since we were doing tv stuff, we were catered. Dudes I have never had so many different forms of Ham in my life. I never knew there were so many ways to have ham and cheese. from regular grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, to cordon bleu style breaded and everything. It was pretty cool, they would even just slice pieces of ham right off this leg of a pig right in the window of the food truck, which I have to admit was kind of scary looking, but tasted great!! Oh and the other staple food we had was Calimari! yeah can you believe it! at least once a day I felt we had it. If not a breaded snack, then scewered, on a stick, or in some kind of pasta. It was an pretty cool gig.

We really only had one day off, and the morning and early afternoon of the day we left . SO when we went out we had to totally do it up, which meant party hard the night before out late, and up early the next morning to get as much as we could in. And they have a crazy night life which doesn't even start til midnight and gets hopping around 3am, and goes all the way until the sun comes up, pretty crazy.Needless to say I was tired most of the time. But I really got to see a lot of the city, and felt that I got a good taste of the area we were in. I would walk back to the hotel from wherever I was so that I could really get a taste for it. And I ended up loving it, I have totally fallen in love with Spain!! I got to go to the famous Prado Muesum that has the famous painting " Garden of earthly delights". I was so excited to be able to see all this history and beauty in these renaissance paintings and glorious marble statues.

SO now I am back home, and running around trying to take dance classes, work out, and get everything done so that I am ready to go to florida. My plane leaves this sunday!! and there was lots of things I still had to take care of from faxing papers, to getting boxes to pack, to registering to vote, it's just crazy, and trying to see as many friends before I leave. This busy life is not easy, but I love it, and I praise God that I am WORKING!! BARNUM here I come!!