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fandomhigh2011-06-17 07:49 am
exboywonder.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-06-17 07:49 am
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Life's a Circus, Friday, Second Period
"We've talked about this a little this session, but each of you has your own special skills that might not directly apply to your typical circus act," Dick said to kick off this week's workshop. As the students looked around, they probably realized they weren't in the normal big top tent, but in a smaller tent with stages all around the perimeter. "And when whatever you can do just doesn't translate to big, flashy death-defying stunts, you can always come to the sideshow."
"A lot of the time, the sideshow ends up being filled with people who are very gently called 'human oddities.' Historically, that can be anything from giants (really tall people), midgets (really short people), tattooed freaks (not much of a sideshow act these days), fat ladies, human skeletons (extremely thin people), wolfboys (men with conditions where they're covered in hair all over their face), and many more," Dick said. "But as society's progressed, a lot of those acts have started to become more uncomfortable for the customers. Also, there's the fact that you can see a lot of those act on the trashier talk shows or reality shows, so the interest isn't necessarily there."
"But one thing that you don't get on TV and that never goes out of style is people doing insane things like swallowing swords or eating fire. Really, those are skills you can learn, but most people don't bother suppressing their gag reflex just so they can shove a sword down their throat and risk a crazy kind of death," Dick said. "But that's kind of the point. The best stuff on the sideshow is just a strange talent you have that you can demonstrate in an entertaining manner. Double jointed? There's a place for you. Do you have good aim and a good arm? Try knife throwing. Do you have enough confidence in weight distribution to lie on a bed of nails and know you're not going to get hurt? It looks impressive."
"So what I want everyone to do today is just pick some random, weird thing you can do, get on one of the stages, and demonstrate it. If you need props, there's plenty over in a box by that stage," Dick said. "That should give you pretty much anything you need. And remember, safety protocols are on, so if you really want to try swallowing a sword, you can't slash up your insides and you won't choke to death."
"A lot of the time, the sideshow ends up being filled with people who are very gently called 'human oddities.' Historically, that can be anything from giants (really tall people), midgets (really short people), tattooed freaks (not much of a sideshow act these days), fat ladies, human skeletons (extremely thin people), wolfboys (men with conditions where they're covered in hair all over their face), and many more," Dick said. "But as society's progressed, a lot of those acts have started to become more uncomfortable for the customers. Also, there's the fact that you can see a lot of those act on the trashier talk shows or reality shows, so the interest isn't necessarily there."
"But one thing that you don't get on TV and that never goes out of style is people doing insane things like swallowing swords or eating fire. Really, those are skills you can learn, but most people don't bother suppressing their gag reflex just so they can shove a sword down their throat and risk a crazy kind of death," Dick said. "But that's kind of the point. The best stuff on the sideshow is just a strange talent you have that you can demonstrate in an entertaining manner. Double jointed? There's a place for you. Do you have good aim and a good arm? Try knife throwing. Do you have enough confidence in weight distribution to lie on a bed of nails and know you're not going to get hurt? It looks impressive."
"So what I want everyone to do today is just pick some random, weird thing you can do, get on one of the stages, and demonstrate it. If you need props, there's plenty over in a box by that stage," Dick said. "That should give you pretty much anything you need. And remember, safety protocols are on, so if you really want to try swallowing a sword, you can't slash up your insides and you won't choke to death."
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