A few days earlier, we spotted a street performer doing a really good contact ball routine, and I stopped to chat with him after he finished his act. His name was Chris Phoenix, and we knew a lot of the same people in the world-wide poi spinning community. He invited me to come to a weekly spin jam run by a group called Spinning@, which happened to be my last night in London.
After a full day with the family, and some hasty packing, I dashed back into the city and looked for the Rag Factory - as mentioned on the group's Facebook page. Upon arriving, I saw no signs of jugglers, or even a room that would support jugglers. I went through twice and was getting discouraged, until I saw a sign on the side of the door pointing me farther down the street. In two minutes, I alighted into a room full of hoopers, jugglers, poi spinners, and even my new friend Chris Phoenix.
London has a pretty active juggling community, and this group has their act together. One important part of maintaining a group like this is to have a leader, and as far as I could tell this group had two: Chris Phoenix, and an awesome 40-something juggler named Kevin.
I had a great time hanging with this circus crowd. Chris Phoenix ran an impromptu workshop, and I learned an interesting new move. And Kevin was doing some crazy "poiggling" - juggling three balls while simultaneously spinning two poi. He was gracious enough to allow me to capture this on video:
As this was my final European adventure, it was a great sendoff for my return to the states. Not only do I have a memory, but a new trick acquired from Europe. Priceless.
Showing posts with label Poi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poi. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Fire Jam
Thursday night is the gathering night for the Malabaristas (jugglers), and last week "H" said they were going to do a fire jam. Sarah wanted to come too, so I met her and Ricardo - a friend of hers - and we went to the juggle jam together. As before, there were 40 or 50 jugglers, acrobats, etc. and a handful of poi people. I met some new folks, including a French guy who was very good, and a Spanish woman to whom I was able to teach some contact tricks.
Towards the end of the evening, we went outside, and the French guy and I did a little fire show for about twenty onlookers. "H" played drums, and Sarah and her friend seemed to enjoy themselves. She even took a video:
Afterwards, Sarah, Ricardo and I went out for a late tapas dinner to her favorite place off of Plaza Mayor. I walked home at 1:15 AM, and since there were so many people still out and about I felt perfectly safe.
Towards the end of the evening, we went outside, and the French guy and I did a little fire show for about twenty onlookers. "H" played drums, and Sarah and her friend seemed to enjoy themselves. She even took a video:
Afterwards, Sarah, Ricardo and I went out for a late tapas dinner to her favorite place off of Plaza Mayor. I walked home at 1:15 AM, and since there were so many people still out and about I felt perfectly safe.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Malabaristas
Last Sunday in Retiro park, I met a South-American guy named Atche ("H"), who invited me to a get-together of jugglers (malabaristas) and other circus artists, and wanted me to share some of my poi knowledge. They meet every Thursday from 7:30 to 11:00 at a place called La Tabacalera.
So after dinner with the family, I went in search of La Tabacalera, which was the meeting place. I located the Metro stop, and after circling for a bit I eventually found the place, which resembled a run-down recreation center. After little more searching, and asking for directions, I located the room, and "H" was there to greet me.
There were probably 40 people doing various circusy things, including the aerial fabric thing, juggling, and a few poi spinners. I wound up teaching a few tricks to a pair of Spanish people, and one woman in particular was quite good. There was also a group of American students, one of whom was learning, and I chatted with her for a while. She was part of an exchange program from George Washington University, and was really enjoying her stay in Madrid.
A few people had fire gear, and "H" asked me if I had mine. I told him I did, but not with me. He said that next Thursday they would be doing a fire jam at the Tabacalera, and asked if I'd come. "Por supesto" (of course), I said. So, until next Thursday...
So after dinner with the family, I went in search of La Tabacalera, which was the meeting place. I located the Metro stop, and after circling for a bit I eventually found the place, which resembled a run-down recreation center. After little more searching, and asking for directions, I located the room, and "H" was there to greet me.
There were probably 40 people doing various circusy things, including the aerial fabric thing, juggling, and a few poi spinners. I wound up teaching a few tricks to a pair of Spanish people, and one woman in particular was quite good. There was also a group of American students, one of whom was learning, and I chatted with her for a while. She was part of an exchange program from George Washington University, and was really enjoying her stay in Madrid.
A few people had fire gear, and "H" asked me if I had mine. I told him I did, but not with me. He said that next Thursday they would be doing a fire jam at the Tabacalera, and asked if I'd come. "Por supesto" (of course), I said. So, until next Thursday...
Monday, April 9, 2012
Retiro Park
A popular weekend activity for Madrilenos is to visit Retiro Park on the weekends. And since today was the first sunny day in awhile, it seemed like the right thing to do. So after our El Rastro experience, we snagged some snacks to go and jumped on the Metro to Retiro Park.
As expected, half of Madrid was there, but the park is so grand and spacious that it didn't seem overly crowded. There's a lake in the center of the park where you can rent boats, and a nice promenade that circles the lake, so we started there.
On one side of the promenade, a coalition of African vendors selling either pirated movies or sunglasses had their wares displayed on blankets. Any time a police car came by, they would scoop up their blankets and disappear before the police arrived. Once the police were gone, they would set up shop again. A less savvy Spanish woman selling swords, who was not quite a mobile, was told by the police to pack it up, since she didn't have a permit.
There were various performers who didn't seem to be under the permitting rules though. A few people with super-large bubble making apparatuses delighted the children (including ours), and worked for tips. There was a talented spray paint artist (without respirator). And various jugglers and entertainers also had encampments.
I had read about one side of the lake being a hang out for amateur jugglers, and so we meandered over there. I brought my poi, and Bryce had a 3 piece staff we assembled, and we found a nice area to practice our own juggling arts. Bryce was convinced he could earn some coins performing for the passersby, but later realized he would need a hat or a blanket or something to actually get some tips. Hopefully he will not be deterred from trying again next weekend.
I saw my first ever poi vendor, and chatted with her for a while. We spun together, and I felt by my being there with her it would help her sell a few of her wares. She actually sold a couple of sets to some children.
My family was getting tired, but since this was my first real exercise of the week (besides walking), I stayed on for a while as they returned home. A group of young people saw me with my poi, and asked if I could teach them some tricks. They had three sets of their own, and I was more than happy to help. Besides being a great way to practice my Spanish, it's fun to teach poi, and I had 3 or 4 of them doing the basic 3 beat weave move within 30 minutes or so. (One of the guys inserted the word "flow" into his Spanish which I thought was pretty cool.) I know enough words to teach poi in Spanish, although I still find it hard to understand everything they say - both because of the speed, my lack of vocabulary, and the accent. But I was able to communicate nonetheless.
One South American looking guy came up to me and asked to see my best tricks. I showed him a few things, and he asked me to teach him a new throw/catch move he hadn't seen before. He was obviously more accomplished than the other set of new friends I had just made, but he was also coming off of an injury - maybe a broken rib. He told me about a gathering or jugglers and various spinners that happens on Thursdays at a place called Tabacalera, and invited me to join. It's on the calendar!
Update: Here's a quick video I took of a guy doing some amazing bartender tricks:
As expected, half of Madrid was there, but the park is so grand and spacious that it didn't seem overly crowded. There's a lake in the center of the park where you can rent boats, and a nice promenade that circles the lake, so we started there.
On one side of the promenade, a coalition of African vendors selling either pirated movies or sunglasses had their wares displayed on blankets. Any time a police car came by, they would scoop up their blankets and disappear before the police arrived. Once the police were gone, they would set up shop again. A less savvy Spanish woman selling swords, who was not quite a mobile, was told by the police to pack it up, since she didn't have a permit.
There were various performers who didn't seem to be under the permitting rules though. A few people with super-large bubble making apparatuses delighted the children (including ours), and worked for tips. There was a talented spray paint artist (without respirator). And various jugglers and entertainers also had encampments.
I had read about one side of the lake being a hang out for amateur jugglers, and so we meandered over there. I brought my poi, and Bryce had a 3 piece staff we assembled, and we found a nice area to practice our own juggling arts. Bryce was convinced he could earn some coins performing for the passersby, but later realized he would need a hat or a blanket or something to actually get some tips. Hopefully he will not be deterred from trying again next weekend.
I saw my first ever poi vendor, and chatted with her for a while. We spun together, and I felt by my being there with her it would help her sell a few of her wares. She actually sold a couple of sets to some children.
My family was getting tired, but since this was my first real exercise of the week (besides walking), I stayed on for a while as they returned home. A group of young people saw me with my poi, and asked if I could teach them some tricks. They had three sets of their own, and I was more than happy to help. Besides being a great way to practice my Spanish, it's fun to teach poi, and I had 3 or 4 of them doing the basic 3 beat weave move within 30 minutes or so. (One of the guys inserted the word "flow" into his Spanish which I thought was pretty cool.) I know enough words to teach poi in Spanish, although I still find it hard to understand everything they say - both because of the speed, my lack of vocabulary, and the accent. But I was able to communicate nonetheless.
One South American looking guy came up to me and asked to see my best tricks. I showed him a few things, and he asked me to teach him a new throw/catch move he hadn't seen before. He was obviously more accomplished than the other set of new friends I had just made, but he was also coming off of an injury - maybe a broken rib. He told me about a gathering or jugglers and various spinners that happens on Thursdays at a place called Tabacalera, and invited me to join. It's on the calendar!
Update: Here's a quick video I took of a guy doing some amazing bartender tricks:
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