New clown with her first gig needs help with balloons!

[Jubilee]

Hi there. I just got my first gig as a clown! :hammer:
I'm so excited. It's on May 29th, so I have a few weeks to really practice my balloon animals. Does anyone have a favorite animal they make? Do you know of a website that gives instructions? I know how to do dogs, giraffes, bees and such. I just want to expand my repetoire, if possible.
Rainbow Brite

[PattyCake]

Hi there Rainbow, I guess you and me are in the same boat. I will have my second gig May 25 at my nieces daycare class with about 27 children.

I had my very first gig a few weeks ago. Everything went well and the children and I had a good time. One thing, when it came time for the balloon twists, I found I had forgotten everything I had so carefully planned. I could only remember how to do a dog. Everything went completely out of my head.

I would suggest( and plan to do myself) that you take a practice run through all the twists you intend to do the night before or even that day in the time prior to your gig.

My grandson who had watched me practicing for days and days could not understand why I was only making the dog. He asked me for a girraff which is just a dog with a longer neck. I did that and by the end I began to recall other designs that I knew but by that time all the children wanted either dogs or the girraff.

I think it was do to nerves although I did not feel particularly nervous. I think a quick refresher would have helped my memory.

The only other thing I can say to you is that once you know your material, what you plan to do, then relax and have fun with it. I messed up several times but no one but me noticed and a few of the "mistakes" made the children laugh so that they are no longer mistakes but planned parts of my routine.

You will do just fine your first time out, hey if I could do it I know you can too. Bump a Nose :-D

[Binky]

The Ringling Bros. Video "Be A Clown" has a section on balloon making that is helpful for starting out. See if your local library has a copy. :-)

[Anonymous]

Good suggestions, Binky. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

The book creative clowning has serveral good one in it. You might even find a book on balloon aminals through inter-library loan. Don't be afraid to ask the boys if they want a snake shaped one....Just hand him on thats fully inflated

[Anonymous]

Do a search online for dewey's goodnews balloons. He has simple to understand pic's and his books are about $4.50 each. Shipping is very fast so you will have plenty of time. Some of my favorites that i learned from him are the lion and the teddy bear, both a hit with the kids.

Here is the link to his page: http://home.flash.net/~balloonz/


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