Costume Tips: The first of many to come!

I love costuming. I loved dress up as a kid (who didn't, right?) and because I was 18 feet tall and nothing fit right, I learned to sew at an early age. I can appreciate elaborate costumes, but it doesn't take something insanely expensive to make a complete and desirable look. I'm going to give you 3 things I think are super-important for a polished well-costumed look. Even if you just have on a black dress, pants and top, this will help a lot.

3 Essentials:

1. Your head. This is the first thing people see. Even if they can't see your face, they can see your head! I see there being a couple different options here (a) a wig, (b) awesome hair style with flashy hair piece, or (c) hat.
A- Make sure a wig is what you want. I happen to LOVE wigs, but it's not for everyone. You can get a cheap one and brush it out, style it up, and even use some hair product in it. I don't brush my curly wigs, just gently brush with my hands. Don't be afraid to go bold with awesome colors. If a wig is not full enough, layer them. Seriously. Two kinda full wigs make one amazingly full wig. That's what the drag queens do, just sayin'. I like to wear wigs when I perform fire, that way I still look good, but I don't burn my hair....however I have melted a wig before...oops :)

B- Flowers, feathers, and shiny things. "Fascinators" is what the Brits call them. You can buy a flashy something for your hair, or glue things onto a headband. I use E-6000 glue for a bunch of stuff because once it dries, it will stay glued through hell or high water! I used it to make these shoes (I added the gems). I have beat the crap out of them but still the gems remain glued! I also like to tease my hair up real big and then put something crazy in it. If you don't have a lot of hair go for a wig or fancy hat.
C- Hats. It doesn't have to bee too special to make a difference. I mean, don't just wear a ball cap, but even something as simple as a top hat or...what do you call that hat Michael Jackson wore that Justin T also likes to wear???...Well, you know what I mean. Something slick or fun, depending on the occasion. You can also make a hat. For kids, a simple cone made out of poster board with pompoms and streamers makes for a great circus hat. For adults, take an existing hat or small box (like the Ben & Jerry's ice cream containers) and use hot glue to cover it in fabric. Add feathers, gems, and other embellishments. Or, just go to the store and buy a hat!

Ok, enough about that. You get the point. Your head matters. Just make sure whatever you do you can keep it on... NEXT!

2- Your eyes! First thing you look at (when you're not seeing someone's head from a distance). Eyes! Hello! WEAR EYELASHES. Man, it makes your make-up and costume look so good. Don't get stupid crazy eyelashes, or stupid boring eyelashes. Get something that suits your costume. So, in other words, don't wear big feather lashes with your little 50's pin-up costume. Do wear big feather lashes with your out-of-this-world alien space agent costume. They are easy to put on. Just like elementary school...don't use too much glue. Allow the glue to dry for a second, set the strip of eyelash on top of your lashes, then carefully slide up to the edge where your lashes and eyelid meet. Tweezers help if you have a tendency to get glue on your fingers. For guys, even something as simple as a clockwork-orange eye or black eyeliner design will make you stand above the non-decorated!

3- Your hands. You use them more than you think. Do something with them. Gloves, armbands, bangles, painted or fake nails, jewelry, something--ANYTHING! This is a small but important detail. I always keep a spare set of armbands on me for fire performing. I love to wear them because I still have full use of my hands (no slip or restrictions from gloves), they help protect my wrists from any licks of fire, and they look flashy! It's one added pop of color or detail that people will appreciate. Well-decorated nails or fake nails will also keep you looking good. Guys, clean your nails, trim them, and wear some cool wrist bands.

Those are my 3 important details. You can incorporate this into virtually any costume, and it will just enhance your look. Take your costume seriously, and people will take you seriously in costume.

More to follow!
Christy The Amazon

The Power of a Good Photographer (and cameraman, too)

When I first became friends with Durham rappers Toon and The Real Laww, Toon told me "You know, I don't think we'd be where we are at in our careers if it weren't for Saleem." Saleem, known around the Dirty D as kid ethnic, is an utterly fantastic person, amazing graphic designer and talented videographer who began shooting Toon and Laww a little over 1 year ago. The first time I saw him, he was making a promo video for our next Luchadoras wrestling match.

It was eight o'clock in the morning and he was on roller blades...with a camera.

What?

With no dolly to use, his girlfriend just puled him around by a bungee chord attached to his belt. And he made the amazing video below.

Needless to say, I am fascinated with his work. And I think I finally understand how important it is to have good promotional materials and solid networking connections.

Videos are desirable and easy for promoting, but posters, photos, and non-video 2D media hit a whole range of targets. First of all, if a poster is well drawn out and meaningful, people are going to want that poster, It's almost free marketing. Like Andy Warhol and his Marilyn Monroe prints, PBR and all the cool Pabst branding, if you can create neat image that appeals to the current art and pop culture, you are bound to draw some support.

And if you are a model, artist, musician, or just have any kind of work to show off, a good photo can be your golden ticket to a lot of different places--like future performances/shows/exhibits, the front page of a local blog or even the newspaper.

When I see photos taken by my favorite fire photographers, Paul Corey of Beguiling Shadows Photography, I say "Holy cow! Did I really look like that!" His shots are amazing.

Another beloved photog friend, Jon McClain, takes photos that are out of this world. Probably 'cuz he's and alien. Just kidding! But you can see for yourself at his current Raleigh exhibit (details below).

The moral of this story is keep up with photographers and videographers, back up your files, and drink PBR :) Also, support local artists.

Love,
The Amazon Queen

PS- About Jon's exhibit--Birds and Bees--at Cup-A-Joe in Mission Valley, Raleigh, NC. Jon says,  "Depending on how deep you want to go, it a collection of shots from here in town. I chased bees the first summers of my photog life, hummingbirds, next, and most recently, you and the other birds I've been shooting. I go there on wed from 3-6 and sat 1-4 just to hang out. And on Saturdays i try to do something to draw a crowd."

When You Mess Up, Just Shake Your Ass

It's the best recovery ever. Like the little memory-zapper Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones use in Men in Black, it will make your audience totally forget what just happened!

I drop my hoops all the time when I perform. It just happens. You go to the beach, you might get sand in your shoes. You dance with hula hoops, you might launch one at an innocent bystander from time to time...sorry!

I first began to realize I had something of a rear end when I was in high school. I played sports, was slender, and didn't have a lot of friends or go out of my way to make any. I dressed pretty funny. I wore a lot of clothes that I made to school. I made my first pair of pedal-pushers with a fabric that I thought was funny, not necessarily appropriate for pants, but dang I thought "Plantation houses?-Ha! What not?" I wore plantation houses up and down my legs (and I cleverly sewed one little house front and center in the middle of my crotch!) until one dreadful day when I was getting off the bus and they split down the ass. Yup.

But I diverge--I first realized the power of my booty when I was in high school. I was wearing a pair of superman-print pajama pants I had sewn in my apparel development class. We were either wearing our handmade garments to school that day on purpose, or I just did it for the hell of it (I can't remember) but I had gone to get something out of my car between classes. Leaning over the trunk to gather what was probably yet more ridiculous printed fabric, a car full of the hottest, most popular football-basketball-track star-super-jocks sailed by slowly... very slowly. I don't remember what they said, or perhaps they just made some animal noises, but as I turned around to see them my face turned bright red. From that day onward I realized....

Use the power of the booty we must!

It might not be the classiest thing in the world, but it is comedic (not because your ass is silly--but because it's unexpected) and it will help you and your audience forget about how you just screwed up. In a way, it breaks the ice. 

YOU: "Oh crap! I just messed up!"

AUDIENCE: "Ooooh. She just messed up!"

YOU (turns and shakes ass): "Booty power to the rescue!"

AUDIENCE (erupts with laughter and cheering): "OMG what just happened this is so amazing!"

And for those of us who choose to use other magic powers of distraction, there's an endless list of cool stuff you could do:

- cartwheel, handstand, fake fall, or some acrobatic trick

- use it as an opportunity to solicit support from the audience

- breakdance or other funny dance (maybe you have a signature move you like to bust out)

- something really stupid and funny (i.e. you drop an apple you are juggling, get into a disagreement with the apple that betrayed you, then bite that darn apple and show it who's boss just before you chuck it across the stage and grab a better behaved apple you have on standby!)

- playfully blame someone/something else (i.e. a member of the audience that is particularly raucous and involved, the pink elephant on the stage, etc)

You might have to use all the skills you have to recover--miming, acting, physical flexibility--who cares as long as it does the trick!

I like the cheap tricks and I feel the audience does too--you know it's a cheap trick, you recognize it's a cheap trick, it reminds you that we are all human and have to laugh at ourselves. The show must go on! Everyone has their own style and their own kind of recovery that will work for them. Mine just happens to be over-acting and shaking my butt.

Hasta la vista,

Christy the Amazonian Booty-Shaker

The Circus Comes to Drown

 

What's a blog for if not for some self-promotion, eh?

Don't mind if I do!

I met Virginia Scare from the Vaudevillain Revue like you meet a lot of performers--through other performers. She's been hosting regular vaudeville and variety shows in Raleigh for a couple years now, and she also hosts Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Well now The Vaudevillian Revue is branching out and hosting it's first show in Durham (or "Durm" for those of you from Durham) at The Casbah.

Come next Friday, August 3rd to "The Circus Comes to Drown!" There will be fire, music, circus, and burlesque starting at 9pm! I don't want to drop too big of a hint about the performance I will be doing, but you can call me "Nessie" and boy do I have a scary secret for you!

Fish n' chips,

Christy the Amazon

How to Work With Difficult Venues/Difficult Venue Owners

 

Just put on a luchador mask and say "I smash you like HULK!"

And hope to never see them again.

Just kidding, while sometimes you do have to cut ties, you don't want to make a bad rep with venue managers or owners!

Last time I performed at the venue where the above picture was taken (ehem, the "M" does not stand for "Motorco" in Durham, NC), I made the mistake of talking trash about the space while waiting in the bathroom....meanwhile one of the owners was using the facilities! My face turned red when she exited the stall to wash her hands---yikes! Backpedaling from there was hard.

Every performance needs something different out of a venue, but every venue needs essentially the same thing (a) a crowd that keeps coming back, and (b) money to run the business. It's hard as a performer sometimes to not be judgmental of a venue, because they never seem to get it just right.  But part of your job as a performer is to be able to deal with it and find a creative solution for the problem. If there's no green room (room backstage for performers), section something off with a curtain or use the bathroom. If you can't get in touch with your original contact, talk to the manager or the #1 bartender.

Ok, this is turning into bullet points:
1. Always ALWAYS have a reliable contact.
2. Always keep a written (email is great) record of negotiations.
3. Always have your ducks in a row, and have friends who can help you keep your lil' duckies organized.
4. Take deep breaths, and don't take anything personally.
5. Have back-ups. Back-up helpers in case someone gets sick, back-up fishnets in case you tear a hole, back-up underwear in case you crap yourself (jk, but you get the point).

With those things in order, the rest will be easy as pie.

"Break a leg", and "pop a pastie",
Christy the Amazon

Fundraisers, Non-Profits, and Problems with Performing for FREE

It happens to everyone, whether it's a charity you support, a non-profit in your area, or just someone who doesn't want to pay you, you will be asked to perform for FREE. OMG!

Immediate issues with performing for free:

1. Are the tools you use free? No. Are your costumes free? No. Is the gas to drive there free? No. Is anything free? No, No, NO!

2. Could you be doing a paid performance instead? What money are you losing by doing this performance instead of whatever else you could be doing?

3. Does this business/charity/event have a budget? Is someone getting paid? If so--why them instead of you? Don't let ANYONE pimp you out!
 
Good things about performing for free:

1. If you believe in a cause or if you're helping a friend, it can be very satisfying!

2. It can be good marketing--maybe you will meet people there that want to pay you for something in the future. Maybe it is a fundraiser that is getting a lot of coverage--you could be highlighted in the newspaper, a local blog, etc.

3. Often you can make a trade--maybe it's a special event and you can get your friends on the VIP list, a gift certificate or credit of some sort, or another (potentially) worthwhile trade for your skills.


Determine what is a worthy cause. Determine how much your skills are worth. NEVER fold. You owe it to yourself and all other artists who are striving to not only be paid for their skills and hard work, but recognized as individuals worthy of compensation, to never settle for less than you are worth, and never let anyone take advantage of you!

Hot damn!

With love and respect,
Christy the Amazon

PS- Pictured above. An event, the Kirby Derby, I worked for free, and was very happy to do so! Not only is this a free, annual non-profit event, it supports local artists, fun and bizarre happenings, loving your neighbor, and enjoying life. I made costumes for myself and other referees using donated materials. We spent no money other than driving out to the event, and we had a blast being a part of the action! I got to yell at people, dress crazy, and have fun with my friends--what better time to do a free event, eh?!

How You Learn to Dance with Fire...and not get (very) burned

When people ask me how I learned to perform fire, I have to give them the short version. "I made some friends who are burners, they taught me, and I became an addict!" While this is true, the longer story is more real to me and its memory has helped my through harder times. I've learned to respect fire and to respect myself as a performer--in doing so I've avoided serious accidents and other problems.

The Back-Story
When I was a senior at North Carolina State University, somewhat depressed, and facing health issues and other personal problems, I picked up my roommate's hula hoop. The week before I had seen a girl dance with a hula hoop, scoop it up off her waist while it was still spinning, and then continue to spin it in the air. (Now, the same girl just happens to be one my best friends and owner of Raleigh's first circus arts studio.) I had never hula hooped, and in fact was laughed at in middle school for not being able to. Regardless, I was determined to do that same movement I had seen her do. I kept trying and I never stopped smiling, and after days of skipping class, bruising myself, and laughing at myself a lot, I actually began to get it.

The Immersion
I met the hula hooping girl, Sara, and told her about my experience seeing her with the hoop, and then mimicking her movements. We began practicing together and became close friends. I am so grateful for her friendship and the impact she has had on my life; she was the first person to introduce me to fire, and it was with her that I experienced my first fire spin. I met other burners, from the Fire Triangle in Raleigh, and performers from circusSPARK, the triangle's annual grassroots art expo. I devoted myself to practicing and reaching for as many new skills as I could. I performed and promoted myself as a performer as much as possible my last semester of college, and I learned some big lessons.

Rules for Being a Successful Performer (Aka "Things I did wrong that you shouldn't do")
1. Don't get full of yourself--confidence is good but you don't have to be better than someone in order to be good at something.
2. Treat every person like they are your neighbor--you might think "I will never see this person again", but it's actually quite possible that you will. Sometimes you've got to lay down the law, especially when safety is a concern, but in general, PLAY NICE.
3. Be honest with yourself--exhaustion is a performers mortal enemy! Bad things happen when you are too tired. Take breaks, relax, eat well, get a massage--do the things you need to do to keep your body and mind 100% and if you're not feeling 100%--STOP. Even if it means postponing a show--better to do that than to get hurt or worse--hurt someone else. Illness and poor performing conditions (i.e. winds, slick surface, children too close to stage) are also important things to be honest with yourself and others about.
4. Get formal safety training--whatever your skill or act, learn how to do it safely and learn from professionals who are much more experienced than you. Also, have a first aid kit and any safety equipment you will possibly need.

I value the experiences, good and bad (but mostly good), I have had as a fire performer. I think it's most important to recognize the seriousness of fire, the danger, and the safety precautions and preparation it takes to be a good, safe performer. Familiarize yourself with your tools, movements, setting, and clothing/costumes long before you light anything on fire.

Until next time,
Christy the Amazon