Cirque de Field Placement

So ends my work term…

Dani — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:56:20 +0000

Thursday marked the last circus camp that we were to do for Wonderbolt Circus. I’d been given a few days off that week (mostly because Dave Mercer wanted to go teach the children in Torbay and there wasn’t enough room in the car), but I did get there in time to help do the makeup. Lauryn was smart enough to bring paint brushes to use on the kids’ faces. Why didn’t I think of that?

It was a heartwarming experience. I really enjoyed working with the circus. =)

Circus and Film Shoot, August 4th

Dani — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:54:16 +0000

So I’ve been given a couple of days off from the circus at the beginning of this week, mainly because there’s not enough room in the car for me and Dave Mercer, so I’ve been taking some time to be an extra in a film shoot for the movie Diverted. More as it happens.

Circus Camp, Week of July 30th – August 2nd

Dani — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:42:13 +0000

Okay, did I say winding down? I meant handling a group of 6 kids that felt like 15 or 20. Downey made the comment that they were so hard to handle because they were smart. I well believe it, because they were quite the creative bunch. They were experts at getting out of line, only just enough to not be punished.

There were a couple of brothers there this week named Zev and Gabe. They fought a lot because, well, they’re brothers. But if Gabe couldn’t get something right on the first try, or shortly after the first try, he’d get really upset and “cry”. I say that in quotations because after a while, he wasn’t actually crying, he was really just wailing. In the midst of it he’d call himself stupid, presumably because he couldn’t get whatever he was trying to do right. I mentioned it to his mother when she came to pick them up, and she seemed really weary about it, because it happens at home too. Zev learns things so easily, and sometimes taunts Gabe if he fails at learning something so soon. That night, his mother had a talk with him and after this, which was the second day, Gabe was a little more responsive. Zev and Gabe even did a staff-spinning act together for the Minibolt show. =) I think he actually gained some confidence. I certainly hope so, because I imagine that’s what it was like for my sister. My mother would always compare her shortcomings to my successes–which is weird because she always seemed to be tougher on me. In any case, I’m really hoping circus camp was a starting point for Gabe to believe in himself more.

On the makeup front, there wasn’t anything spectacular or new for me to do, really. The only two girls, Molly and Emma, wanted girly, sparkly, swirly stuff, Gabe wanted blood coming out of his nose and mouth (which Lauryn thought was real because Gabe fell at one point), Zev wanted nothing, and Lewis and Collin both wanted their own versions of white-faced clown.

One more week. Apparently we’re teaching 30 kids, without the wrangling part. Still, eep. o_o;

In Addendum…

Dani — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:55:49 +0000

… one may find the pictures I painted for the trading cards at my deviantArt page, http://dystopianvisionary.deviantart.com/. All eight of them.

Circus, July 21st – 27th

Dani — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:57:36 +0000

It was pretty amazing how fast this week flew by. I had thought that since we had nothing but circus school ahead of us after the circus was over, it was going to crawl. But we’ve only got two more weeks of circus camp left–and the last one of those will be in Torbay, where there are already counselors available to do much of the kid-wrangling. I liked the idea of just being a teacher for a week. That way, things gradually slow down before all the circus school stuff is over.

I suppose another reason why this week flew is because I’ve had a lot to do. Now that the circus stuff is almost over, and Shakespeare by the Sea as well, I have to find a job. I’m kind of worried about doing that while everything is winding down, because I still have one more exam to pass in the middle of August. Ever since the circus started and SBTS went crazy with rehearsals before the opening shows, I haven’t had a chance to do many of my readings. I hope that once we move on the 1st of August that I’ll have some time to try and tackle it.

The kids this past week weren’t hellions, but they were pretty helter-skelter as compared to the group the week previous. It was all fun, though. I painted many clown faces this time around, no animals. A kid named Ian was a bit of a handful, but he was cute too. We had a few more stand-offish kids than in weeks previous this time, though. Kids that didn’t want to partake in games, for instance. And I couldn’t for the life of me remember everyone’s name this time around. I don’t know if it’s because of personal stuff that’s been going on or what (I’ve had a UTI and a chest infection in the run of a week, for example), but I just couldn’t get everyone’s names straight.

Two more weeks! <3

Circus, July 13th – 20th

Dani — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:07:30 +0000

So the group of kids we had this past week for circus school were awesome. There were a lot of siblings, but that meant at least that everyone pretty much knew how to handle everyone else and when to give one another their personal space. But what I couldn’t believe is how quiet they all were while practicing their acts for the Minibolt Show on Friday! This group worked so well in every way possible that it seemed like fate was offering us an apology for the group we had last week.

The circus started last Tuesday, and will continue on ’til this Tuesday coming. I’m very happy working there, honestly. I haven’t done much in stage makeup for the show itself, but I really don’t mind. Painting the kids’ faces has allowed me to experiment with different kinds of clown personality, as well as work on some great animal makeup. Since the camp has started I’ve done a cat, a lion and a dog. =)

Back at the circus, I sell tickets and work concessions. And as of two days ago, we got the trading cards which Dashi and I have been working so hard on back from the printers. The packages of 17 cards don’t sell too well because they’re priced at $20, but we’ve sold a few individually at $2 each. We tell people that they can buy their favorite performer’s card, and after the show they can try and flag the cast down and get autographs on them. The first night we started selling them, one little girl bought a card of Ally Oop and had me sign it. =) I was touched. Dashi also proposed that the two of us collaborate again and make a Wonderbolt comic, which I think would sell really well for the next season.

Last night I got some work out of the cards, too. A lady asked if we were selling the originals of the paintings I did for the cards, and I said that we weren’t. She asked who did them, and I told her that Dashi did the cartoons, and I did the paintings. She then asked if I would do a painting for her, and I said I would love to. She said she’d get in contact with me through Beni or Marian, so if I’m lucky I may be getting a commission out of this. Also, Marian gave me a Wonderbolt tank top last night, saying that she knows hard work when she sees it.

I’m actually going to be kind of sad if I’m not here next year to participate. This is really an awesome show to work with, with many awesome people.

Circus, Weeks of June 29th – July 12th

Dani — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:52:02 +0000

I now remember how hard it is just to wring 15 minutes out of a day to write a blog entry. Most days I get up and go to circus camp, then with the rest of the cast to rehearsal where I paint, and often don’t get to stop and eat supper before moving on to Shakespeare by the Sea rehearsal. I get home at 9ish and then I’m too exhausted to do much else than wolf something down and go straight to bed. The only reason why I’m able to do this right now is because it’s raining and I’m getting a cab.

The group of kids we had last week were great. They were genuinely interested in what we were trying to teach them. Two of my favorites were Agustina and Maeve–they’re so adorable.

This week our kids are far more rambunctious. We’ve got two returning from last week, and they seem to think they can ignore the counselors since they’ve done it already. We manage though.

Thursdays are makeup and costume days before the show, so after snack break I do face painting. Yesterday I actually realized that I’ve been doing children’s face painting for 10 years, with things like garden parties, company picnics, and mini fairs with schools and churches.

Okay, off to camp, and more as it happens.

Circus, Week of June 22nd – 28th

Dani — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:46:56 +0000

Had our first official all-troupe meeting on Tuesday, June 23rd. This was mostly figuring out what to do for the show, who’s going to do what there, and the specific schedules of the circus camps. I’m going to be one of the councilors for the circus camp, along with Lauryn, Matthew and Jeff. We’re going down to the space today at 2:00 to figure out what we’ll precisely say and do on the first day tomorrow, and put some protective tubing on the lights so that they don’t smash and injure somebody.

I’m finding it pretty hard to fit in. I’m the only one there who doesn’t have some kind of circus act skill. The most I can do is do minor staffwork, and Matthew has been teaching me how to juggle. So far with the show I’m just going to be an usher, and probably do many things backstage–including filling all the fire gear with camp oil or kerosene. There isn’t much makeup at my disposal, and I don’t really know where to begin to ask for more. I think it’ll be enough for the camps, and thankfully I have an idea of how I’m going to handle my makeup segment on Thursdays. The first step is to get the kids to draw the idea of their character on paper, and then we’ll bring it to life. Us councilors have decided that we’re going to let the kids vote on a theme for the camp, and work around that, which will be fun specifically makeup-wise.

In the meantime, the most I’m doing (and it’s a lot of work, though I don’t know just how much it’s going to be appreciated in the end) is doing paintings of the people in the major acts of the show. They’ll either be made into trading cards or prints to sell as souvenirs after the show.

More as it happens.

Wonderbolt Meeting–June 14th

Dani — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:20:29 +0000

Okay, so we had another meeting today about the circus, and got some ideas flowing. Rehearsals will start at L’ecole du Vents near the Marine Institute on June 33rd, where all the hardcore planning for the show and circus camp will take place.

I think it is also where some hardcore artwork is going to take place, because Dash and I are going to collaborate on drawing pictures of all the Wonderbolt performers for a deck of trading cards to be sold at the circus. That’d be AWESOME, since I was really starting to regret that I don’t have time for any painting or drawing. It’s something I’ve really missed. I’m also going to take pictures from past shows and do paintovers which we could sell as prints at the show. I hope it works out. It should, if I’m painting over a picture. I’m not that incompetent.

Also, Beni might put my small bellydance skills to work. He told me to go research bellydance in the 1930′s, and I can say that it’s pretty much the same as now–really flashy, beady, coiny, jingly, noisemaking bras, skirts and harem pants. The vaudeville era really had an impact on modern bellydance costume, and so with items I have in my possession right at this moment, I am able to put together a tribal/gypsy bellydance ensemble. Now all I have to do is construct a character around it, and put together a dance. I already have a track picked out–it’s called Windows of the East. Very dramatic bellydance number. Though if Beni doesn’t agree, I’d be more than happy to dance to a live band.

Wonderbolt Meeting – May 31st

Dani — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:13:48 +0000

There was a meeting held at the Wonderbolt space again on Saturday at 2pm.

I think my main job here is going to be a councilor at all the circus camps, teaching kids about stage makeup. I’ve got experience with day camps as well as with makeup, so this is something I’m used to. I get to wrangle kids and cover their faces with goo!

I may be doing a little traveling with the show as it tours the province, but go back to town early ahead of the rest. Still not really clear on how that’s all working out.

I may also be able to convince Beni to use my bellydancing skills in the show, somehow. Got the perfect song, just need to make up some choreography to go with it…