Gandini

If you know about what happens in the juggling world, chances are you know about these guys. But to those who don't, I'm telling you now to look into them, because they've crossed the line of immense and have decided to o back for more, then go over it again, and then club pass over it.

Since 1992 they've been a experimental juggling company, combining awesome dance with equally awesome juggling, right up until now where they're bigger and better. I'd recommend these to anyone in need of inspiration. They've been on TV to, check out this video of an ad they did:



And they're you tube channel can be found here.

In other news, yesterday, today and tomorrow I'm attending a professional silk workshop which is being held at Skylight. Awesome stuff, already got some new silk moves, a new climb and a foot lock under the belt. I'll give you a much More detailed rundown tomorrow, hopefully with some pictures with me sporting a lovely skin tight surf vest (combining surf and aerial should always be done). But in the mean time, check out the Gandinis.

Best

Vagabond

New Skill, New Obsession

So to start, has anyone ever got something new and decided it's the greatest thing ever, especially if it's something that you've wanted for a very long time. Well I appear to have a case of that, I've finally managed to start using silks for aerial. The principle of silks is pretty simple, it's just two huge lengths of silk hanging from the ceiling (aerial rig, sorry to ruin the magic), and they're used similarly to rope, only there's two of them giving way for a lot more moves. It also feels a thousand times better on you and your skin, while still building your muscle and strength just as much as rope. To put it short and sweet...it's dead good.

So far all I've been able to do is climb it, right to the top of the rig I'd like to add. You climb it like rope, only it's weird because since the silk are new the two silks are like the Stretch Armstrong's arms, but that adds to the fun in my opinion. I've also been able to split the silks and hang there with one arm on each silk, but I'm to much of a wimp to bring my arms into a crucifix...for now. I can also do cacthers like it's done on rope, which I could never do on rope but after a bash at it on silks the increase in comfort helped me find the correct knack to it, so now I can do it on rope as well. It looks a heck of a lot prettier on silks though.

To put it simply, I really really want to specialise in this, there's so much more freedom to it than there is with a trapeze. Compared to this trapeze is like being in a cage...with one bar underneath you that you can sit on...so like a birdscage. So yeah it's lovely. I promise to post some pictures when I come up with some stuff I bit more picture worthy.

In other circus news, I've seen some good stuff this week. I've perfected my club flourishes but only in my right hand, which is a definite con of the development. I've also been working heavily on weaving tricks together, I do this a lot through multiplexes and orbits. It looks a lot better if this is done than just reeling off trick after trick.

Goals for the week include:
+ Making my club tricks ambidextrous.
+ Improving my balancing.
+ Researching and learning a ton of silk moves and techniques.
+ Getting back into 2 diabolo.

I have a week alone, so this shouldnt be to hard :). I hope it's an eventful week.

Peace

Vagabond

Neglection of Simplicity

As a culprit of this I've come to realise that a lot of us, if not all at some point, feel the need to skip a basic trick immediately for the more fun complex stuff, even if the trick is the foundation of a lot of variation of fun. I personally did this with a lot of 3 ball juggling, I've completely skipped 2 diabolo suns to embrace the world of fans (although a lot of you will say that anything with 2 diabolo isn't basic, but we'll say that it's basic for that skill set). And after watching the entire Thursday aerial group skip half of sheet one (most basic moves) to do the advanced stuff, it's struck me as a bit peculiar.

I know that we do this because simple moves can be a bit boring, especially if you're in a place where there are people who are doing much cooler things, but from personal experience I can tell you, you'll feel like a fool when you're over 2 years into you're juggling, and you suddenly realise you can't chop or shower (the tricks, to any non-jugglers).

After realising this I've decided to learn and re-learn a lot of the basic juggling tricks that i should have perfected months ago, having only got shower a month ago after juggling for at least three years, I decided enough was enough.

Hence, I've now learnt chops , shower and windmill with 3 balls, and I'm trying to perfect doing all my tricks on both sides of the pattern rather than just my right. All with the help of some good tutorials from Draitube, as recommended by Nath, who is a good teacher and has a pretty sweet tutorial on claws if you ask him where to find it.

I'd recommend that anyone in the same situation does this, not just in juggling or trapeze, but in anything you do. It feels remedial, but it saves feeling silly in years to come, if you're just starting out juggling get on top of it as soon as possible.

Peace

Vagabond

3 Hours of Aerial Makes You Ache

That's a scientifically proven fact...by me...in shorts.

Well today is Friday, meaning it's the weekly 3 hour aerial session, including Martin's brutal conditioning exercises, and a day of filming. And with yesterdays technique session with Mish (she used to work with Circus Space if that sets the tone in anyway), there was a lot on the agenda for today.

Me and Gina got there early, well I was late for being early, but still earlier than everyone else. This was so we could warm up and get up there before anyone even arrived. it was a good idea, we had a good 40 minutes of cocoon and trapeze practice, and a bit of rope climbing, but then Martin insisted we all condition, even though he was late. I know it's benfeficial and improves everything about my body, but it fucking hurts.

Anyway after that was done it was back on there, all the time with my video camera at the back so we could make notes, most of mine consisting of "be more flexible" and "why bother, gina kicks your arse up and down that thing".

BUT there is silver lining, high points have included:
+ Perfection of the one knee roll up.
+ Putting together an actual routine, even if it's covered in flaws.
+ Lindzi teaching me some warm up tricks for 5 balls.
+ Working till I hurt, I can't help but feel that I've achieved something.
+ Teaching Gina how to climb rope, it's fun to teach.

So yeah, despite pain and feelings of insignificance it's been a cool session :). Lots of goals for this week:
+ Improve flexibility, the video and wise words from Gina prove that I have a dead flexible back, but have iron rod legs, I wish I could be more like sooty. (Having a hand up my arse optional).
+ Make the routine less clumsy.
+ LEARN 4 CLUBS PERFECT (Oh yes, the fury of caps lock was unleashed)
+ Make more progress with 5 balls, I've spent to much time procrastinating.

Anyway, all the best =) At this point it's just my mates reading this so names aren't as important. As soon as I'm happy with my routine I'll post a full video, right now it's a bit to shit for the public eye.


Vagabond