What do you think about having a topic or discussion of the month, something we could get our teeth into.
We could talk & mull over anything that would be of interest to everyone, so a few thoughts are;

1, Coming up with a name. As a couple have alraedy posted thoughts on this.
2, Costuming.
3, Set up.
4, Promoting yourself.
5, Warm up's.
6, Nerves and how to help deal with them.
7, Scripts
8, Jokes
9, Building & structure of an act

Just a few idea's but I'm sure you'll have a lot more thoughts on the subject as well.

Graham Lee

A great idea. I could do with some fresh input. Lets be honest we do the same thing all the time because we know it works but every now and then someone comes up with something that we could use. As for me I don't have a structured act but it is something I would like to have. I just can't get my head around putting anything together. If anyone is prepared to give advice and ideas I'm up for it.

good idea Graham!

Whats the first topic?

danny

Well I was hoping others would like to comment on other ideas for discussion and then we could choose from those or I could make an executive decision and let you decide Danny

Graham Lee

OK then Graham.
from the list....
I suggest nerves and how to cope with them.
                        :shock:
A good one to chat about as there are lots of folks starting out and lots of experianced twisters too.

Do you get nervous before a gig?  
tense? nervous? anxious? sleepless night? waking up early?    

What do you do to combat nerves? What do you folks do?

I'll wait a bit until I post my remedies. And I have lots of suggestions....

Danny 8-)

Ive been going to my local community centre a couple of saturdays a month for the past 18months. I look forward to it all week, right up to leaving time, then all the way there i just want to do a u turn and im saying "why do i let myself in for this? theyll realise i cant twist, oh my minds gone blank, oh how do you make a sword? argghh".
Its only the thought of letting the children down and letting myself down that i actually get there.
I always ask for a cup of tea before i start and at a couple of local parties, i requested that if i turned up 15 minutes early, could i have a cuppa before i twisted, just to settle my nerves.
They were just too happy to see me early.

I start to twist halfway through drinking so the first models ready. I start with the easiest thing and then my memory starts to return.

I will be watching this thread like a hawk  :geek:

I get slightly nervous before nearly every gig because they are each an unknown - the more you can do to reduce the 'unknowns' the better, as you get more familiar with the models and your 'patter' develops the less nervous you'll be. I suppose it must be the same for face painters - the first time you set sponge / brush to a youngsters face or do a new design 'live' for the first time must be terrifying

I practice and teach Tai Chi so I use some simple breathing exercises to keep me calm. I also like to arrive early when I can so that I'm set up and not rushing around as people arrive, I don't have tea or a drink - I'd spend half the gig in the loo otherwise    Very often I'm booked for just a disco at say a wedding but I always take some balloons as there will usually be kids there - I don't actually announce the balloons I just go and sit to one side and blow up a balloon and make something simple like a flower or sword or a quick hat - the kids spot you very quickly by the time they have twigged there's balloons on offer I'm OK.

For a twisting only gig I actually do a couple of balloons before I leave the house - last week I made a dog hat that I'd been learning I stuck it on my head while I did a couple more things then drove to the venue 6 miles away still wearing the hat - I couldn't work out why people were pointing at the car until I was almost there  :roll:  :roll:  

Nerves....

The thing about nerves are that is it tension and being tense is not a good thing as it prevents your brain and/ or body working. So the way of reducing tension is to breathe out. Breathing in will happen automatically, but if you breathe out you release tension, not only in you but in people watching you (an audience).
Smiggle you touched upon this and already use your tai chi which is great!

Other things to reduce tension, preparation. Knowing all your stuff is set and ready to go, mobile phone charged, map and route sorted. Also you could plan (as you mentioned Mandy) having some balloon creations in your head so you know what you will start with.

The best thing of reducing tension is just getting out there and do your gigs, over and over again. A few nerves are useful, only if they are not dibilitating. Your out there to have fun, create a good atmosphere and make balloons!

I hope this helps and if you have other ways of coping with nerves, do share...

Danny

*bump*

Several people have looked at this...

Anyone else want to add anything?

Have you tried the suggestions suggested? Do they work for you?


Danny    

Interesting comments and ideas in the posts on this thread.
I did my 'biggest event yet yesterday, it went well and I will post what and when later.
Just before it my wife asked me if I was ok, I said I feel like just before a big race. You will be fine then was the reply.
To explain, my other hobby is cycle racing at which I am not too bad, I get a bit tense and worked up before a major event and race but use it to focus. Being as prepared as possible means you can do no more and if something comes out of the left field then deal with it when it happens. As long as you have all your 'kit and you know what you are doing then, smile and say what would you like. Then I like to chill and get in a zone, this is a time when I am usually left alone, I follow this with being busy doing something( when I am racing this is final warm time)
It worked for me and when the can you do a ........? came out I was cool calm and collected and said well lets have a go shall we?
Nerves are a personal thing, but as with many other things I feel that taking in what other people do, then using a bit from here and a bit from there to make up your own way of dealing with it.
Having different ideas and methods available to pick from is great. Exactly what happens here.

I hope that makes sense, if not just ask and I will do what I can to explain my theory better

Nerves

Now there is a good question. I have been entertaining for over 20 years with magic & balloons. I started off doing the talent shows around the working men's clubs in London with very little success and nerves have always played a part.
All the big shows that I've done have always had me marching up & down, being very stressful checking double checking even twenty time checking everything was ready & set correctly.
The children's shows I started off wearing a multi coloured wig to hide myself from the crowd, similar to the way Leo Sayer or clowns would do. I think the idea being when I came off stage or after doing a show not too many people would recognise me.
The children's shows at homes, halls, shopping centres etc are not a problem anymore except for when another entertainer or a friend is in the audience, this completely throws me. I'm more comfortable when no one in the audience knows me and can be myself while entertaining.
The larger shows where I have taken my balloon act to perform in front of my peers is another great way of loosing weight, I'm sure you get my drift. These are stressful beyond compare, I cant even describe the worry pacing around, nervous energy before each one of the shows and this is for an act that I've never rehearsed so much for, literally hours upon hours but now I can say that in the last 18 months things are calming down, I'm more at ease with myself & feeling confident about the act & my performance. Even to the point of being completely relaxed & confident on stage as soon as I go on, I still get the butterflies but they are good to keep you on your toes.
The last show with the balloon act I'm hoping was a turning point for me after 20 years as when I got to the venue I set up the act and then went off for 2 hours to relax before coming back about 20 mins before show time to just go through my props to make sure everything was set right. Normally I would be pacing up & down checking everything was OK every 15 mins & worrying myself to death.
This time I felt very comfortable & controlled within myself and I think the reason for this is that the act has been rehearsed over & over & over hundreds if not thousands of times & I have an act that I'm confident with & believe in.

So to help with nerves, practice, rehearse until as the saying goes you can perform the act with your eyes closed. Be confident on stage as your audience wants to like you, they really do. Their there to have a good time while your entertaining them along the way. You will always have the butterflies & slight apprehension before you go on but that is good for your performance to keep you on your toes.
So to sum up after 20 years performing you'll be fine..........  

Just re read this thru & not sure it will be very helpful as we probably all need training tips on keeping calm,
Would going to a voice coach help.
Would going to a singing coach help with breathing techniques & tips?
Would going to stagecraft class's help?
Would going to showmanship class's help?
Would getting the act directed help

I personally think the answer to all of the above is yes.

Graham Lee

Most bookings I get, I REALLY look forward to,I very rarely get nervous at a booking, and just attack the gig with the knowledge of doing the best I can,with what I have got,consider each booking as a learning curve....

This is so good. What a great idea Graham. The problem I can tend to have, is when I get really nervous (generally with balloon modelling) my hands shake. Which is not good when I need to draw features on the balloons.

I will have to try these techniques. I am getting better though.....I think   :?  

I have to agree with you Graham. I think it comes with time. I would never have thought that you got that nervous having seen you at Kidology. So well done.

Steve

Nerves... Boy do I ever have issues with them!!  I do have to admit that they aren't as bad now as they were 4 years ago when I was a newbie, but they are still an 'issue' for me.  

When I read Graham's post I kept saying, "Yep, that's me." (Especially the weight loss part when twisting for my peers!!)

Before every gig, including my weekly restaurant nights, I suffer from some degree of nerves.  Depending on the venue, it can be as mild as a slightly increased heart rate one could almost mistake for excitement , to stuttering and stammering, to a full blown panic attack where the room begins to go dark, I can hear my heartbeat, my knees feel like they are about to buckle, and I struggle to keep my stomach contents in my stomach.  I've gotten pretty good at hiding all the 'symptoms' except one... shaking hands.  My hands always shake, but they get really bad when I'm stressed.  It makes drawing on balloons challenging, but not impossible.  I wrote an article on how to draw eyes for BHq some time back that shows how I have learned to adapt to the shaking and still be able to draw well. Here's the link: http://www.balloonhq.com/column/bdavis/dec05/

One other thing I sorta stumbled onto when I was testing a new portable speaker system that has been a huge help for me.  This new speaker system is a cheap but usable system that amplifies my voice just enough so that I can put on a show for a 100 or so kids in a library setting.  The 'cheap' part shows up when you are trying to set it so that you can get maximum volume.  Until you find the perfect spot to position the microphone and the volume setting it squeals.  LOTS!  

So anyway, there I was in front of nearly 100 kids plus adults and needing to do those adjustments.  I warned the kids about the squeals that where about to happen, then started the testing.  Well, when I had it all set, the kids seemed to think that was the perfect time to chat with me.  It became a question and answer time before the show and the amazing thing was, that by the time it came to start the show, I had my nerves under control.  It was the first time I was able to start a show with confidence instead of trepidation.  The testing time is now a regular part of my show routine.  

Happy twisting,
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady

I thought I had my nerves hit on the head. I do a lot of big jobs in shops I busk to 100s of people, I use to not be able to eat, go to the loo 10 time before I leave the house shake feel sick you name it thats me, but not now I am all good or so I thought I have a job tomorrow 40 kids 1 to 2 hour party and my nerves has hit back big time, I have No act do I know what I am doing. Going to sit down today with a pen and paper and try to get a plan of a act but more I think about it the more I feel sick :cry:
I will let you know how it goes.