Life has been insane. I’m finally starting to feel as if I am leading my life again rather than my life leading me. It’s good to take control and with that I’m recommitting myself to Isopop.com. I have a back log of stories and inspiration that I want to share. In the last 6 weeks I taught a new workshop at Firedrums and Hoop Convergence 2010, merging Hoop Technique theory with an idea I’m calling “micro-accelerations”, I participated in a new FireDrums DVD, performed at the FlowShow, taught a weekend long Hoop Technique workshop, premiered the Hoop Technique Trailer at a Flowtoy’s party, all while holding down a 9-6 architecture job. During all of that craziness I’ve spent a lot of time at Flowtoys working in the editing room while watching some of the most talented spinners in the world geek out. It’s been intense to say the least; insane to be more accurate
The timeline is a bit blurred in my memory. Lack of sleep does that to me. It also tends to make me more emotional and handle life’s little bumps far less well. Luckily my friends and family have been patient with me, realizing that this madness will subside and normalcy will return. Thank you to each of you.
I guess I can start with the Flowshow. Neither Brecken nor I could fully commit to a detailed choreographed piece so we strategized for maximum impact and minimum investment of time. She’s been touring the country with Bax of the Hoop Path and her schedule has been packed. Coordinating was challenging. Our piece was basically a hip-hop style hoop battle. We got a kick out of the fact that she and I each won a Hoopie this year, male and female hooper’s of the year. We were hoping to hang our Hoopie’s on gold chains and drop them in a chalice at the beginning of the piece as a joke but decided against it (not to mention it hasn’t come in the mail yet, Philo ;)
It was great for me to rehearse with Brecken. She and I have spent hours talking about how we are to some extent opposite in our pursuits. She’s looking for fluid expression and dance. I’m usually trying to express precise platonic patterns. On top of that, it’s so different collaborating with her than with Spiral. Spiral and I share similar artistic visions. Brecken has a different approach and admirably hold’s true to her artistic vision. It’s a good exercise for me to be tested by someone I respect as much as her. The piece went well, not perfect, but respectable. I wrote a bit on that and you can see the video: here
I’ll continue to catch up with everything in the coming days. My blog topic to do list:
-Flowtoys
-Spiral’s Flowshow Piece
-Thomas Johansson
-The Glide-Cam (something I built)
-The Hoop Compass (a gizmo I built and was playing with at HoopCon)
-Hoop Convergence
-FireDrums
-DVD update
-Yuta
-Okotampe Contact Juggling
-Lightning In A Bottle
Check back soon!
