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[The Angel Raliel]

Post them here and lets try to build a practical database for would-be performance artists!

[guuurrrrrllltakeiteasy]

do questions count?

[The Angel Raliel]

Yup

[Kenny Wisdom]

A Starting Point

I think this is a good idea for a thread.

I’d like to contribute at various times, if appropriate and share things I have learnt. I will confess though that my experience is more to do with devising for theatre rather than developing unique stage or cabaret acts. However, there will be areas of similarity in any type of performance that I hope I can encourage.

Before I start to discuss (in future posts) specific devising techniques and such like, (which might be useful in stimulating development if you’re currently stuck, got creative block or are simply looking for a “Starting Point”), I’d like to talk just a little about that very thing – the Starting Point.

My first ambiguous statement relating to that is this:

Where you start doesn’t have to be how you finish.

By this I really mean that we all start somewhere when we are putting together a new act, character, play etc etc but I think it’s important not to restrict yourself really early on with one idea, or germ of an idea, and nothing more. A starting point should be fluid and flexible – almost an organic thing, it can develop and this is when things become really exciting for me as a performer – if you follow some basic rules – and I use the term “RULES” very loosely, then sometimes the piece you are working on begins to develop a life of its own and it begins to inform the narrative development as much as you did, with your initial idea.

Now, one of the simplest pieces of advice I’d like to offer if you are thinking about performing in the future is this:

Give yourself plenty of time

Yep. It’s that simple. By that, I mean if you think, for example, that you’d like to Brigade at a future show – and that you don’t even know when that show will be – well, start developing now!! Do not wait three weeks before the show date if you want to do yourself justice and, more importantly, go on a wonderful, creative journey!  If you have the gift of time, then NOW is a great time to find that STARTING POINT.

Remember – what you start now does not have to be WHAT YOU END UP WITH. However, starting now – today, or as soon as you can, will allow you to start developing strong ideas, useful skills and eventually refine your act, so that you can be the very best you can! Personally speaking, I think as well, performance is something that the more YOU put in, the more YOU will get out of it, as well as your audience.

Well, I hope I’m not teaching grandma to suck eggs!! Later, if we can develop this discussion, maybe we can talk about how different people use different ways for finding that all important starting point. From there we can hopefully discuss different ways we use to develop our material and how we explore what we are doing throughout the process. It’s a great thing – don’t be intimidated by what I have just written – I’m probably making my point in a verbose manner – it’s really simple – you’ll have more fun BEING prepared than if you HAVE NOT prepared!!

Fun has to be at the centre of everything you do!

[Hobbes]

Give yourself plenty of time

Yep. It’s that simple. By that, I mean if you think, for example, that you’d like to Brigade at a future show – and that you don’t even know when that show will be – well, start developing now!! Do not wait three weeks before the show date if you want to do yourself justice and, more importantly, go on a wonderful, creative journey!

Harpsey (or if you insist: Kenny... then I consider "Harpsey" your nick-name now), I've lurked around the post of yours above for some time, but after all it's basically minor-disagreements I have, all rooted in individual temperament, and maybe in my improvising musician-practise. EXCEPT FOR:

What I don't get is the idea of - and that's related to the quote above - brigadish activities basically being bound to happen around a DD-concert. I'm aware several Brigaders do acts at other occasions, but - more in general... if there's a starting point... a fresh idea, why not executing it NOW? - at any occasion that seems suitable? (instead of waiting for that next show) - or do you mean to imply that above?

This way, we seem to talk not even about "weekend-artistry", but about an act of public creativity that eventually might be practised not more often than about once or twice a year...

[Kenny Wisdom]

Hobbesey,

Yes, that is at the essence at what I am trying to say, whilst at the same time being thoughtful of new performers who may feel hesitant about making that initial foray into the world of performance art - for some people, a Dresden Dolls show may provide them with what they consider a "Safe" working environment in which to perform - by this, I mean that they may feel that they prefer some kind of endorsement and encouragement from the "Brigade" co-ordinators and fellow performers  - however, what they can begin to achieve now is possibly more than they can imagine, even though it is outside of this environment. I believe though that the performer should begin to do the creative work now, even without a show on the horizon, and even if they only intend to perform at a show in the future until they find their feet. I was trying to say that the work of a performer does not have to wait for a show though before they start.

Of course, I think it would be super if they gained the confidence to work outside of a show, but it is understandable if at first they do not. In my experience, overcoming a lack of confidence is something that can be worked at - and often by working with material from an early opportunity, rather than rushing everything at the last minute, can boost a performers confidence and skill.

It's like if you have to give a talk on a subject. If you are not confident with the material then you will be nervous and hesitant. However, as you begin to practice with that same material early, and begin to research it and understand it, then the talk will be a confident one.

Does this make sense?

[Hobbes]

Makes perfectly sense.

Your "A starting point"-post apparently is addressed in a rather specific direction which I didn't realize, but I get it a more differenciated now.

[zweiundzwei]

I think you both have very good points there.

On the one hand, doing something outside the Dolls events is way more scary than performing at a Dolls show would ever be, because no one you're interacting with expects anything. The audience at Dolls shows does not necessarily know about the brigade either, but will be able to figure that this is somehow related to the band and has some authorisation. So the new brigader probably won't experience a blatant "What the fuck is wrong with you?" and also will probably won't be alone which makes it less scary to do something crazy, too.
On the other hand, I don't think a Dolls show is just a "safe space" because of the other brigaders who are there, too. It's very easy to fall into the trap of "Look at the awesome things they do! I can't do anything!" if you don't happen to be a fire breather / stilt walker / unicyclist / living statue or gifted with some other brilliant brigading skill.

That's what I think can be an advantage in a simple street setting because if you're not going to Harvard square or something similar, there's a pretty big chance you'll be the only one doing anything out of ordinary and you can make a big impact with relatively easy things.
I remember I learned about the brigade shortly before the show in Cologne 2005 but didn't brigade then. Afterwards, I really wanted to, and since there was no Dolls show in sight, a friend of mine and I spent a day baking a clothes basket full of muffins, dressed up and tried to give them to people who were walking along the Main river. Of course, I was incredibly nervous before we started, but I doubt that would have been easier for me at a Dolls show.
And once we got used to talking to strangers, I think we really profited from our completely unsuspecting victims because their reactions were so varied and wonderful.

So, what I'm trying to say is, it's not necessarily a disadvantage to start outside the Dolls shows, and if you have a good idea, do it now!



Also, really, do take your time. My best ideas come when I'm bored out of mind and have nothing to think about and also don't force myself to come up with anything. This usually is not the situation I find myself in three weeks before a Dolls show. A really productive time in that respect was my time in a host family over the summer holidays in Ireland two years ago. All my friends had left a week before me and I had nothing to in the evenings. I wrote in my diary for hours and came up with ridiculously many brigading and t-shirt ideas. It was awesome. I still use the t-shirt designs from then every time I make a new one.

Of course, this time that did not help me much because the mirror theme was not announced one year in advance. (really, what were they thinking? )
And that's how I found out that merciless brainstorming with friends and deeming no idea too stupid and complaining can lead to new ideas, too.



Of course, I'm not an experienced brigader, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.

[Hobbes]

And that's how I found out that merciless brainstorming with friends and deeming no idea too stupid and complaining can lead to new ideas, too.

That touches something I had in mind when talking about the "temparament"-thing.

Last minute-panic can work great too and fire wild creativity + off the cuff interactions/creations. But yes - it's really a question of temparament. 

[Kenny Wisdom]

^Agreed.

Like any athlete, training and practice will help any performer to become more fluid and adaptable to such an occasion as when they are confronted with a "Three week Panic"...

By experiencing some of the disciplines required to create an act, starting early will help them to overcome some of the practical problems which are inevitable. Doro gave some great advice - Keep a Note Book. Jot down ideas and also make a note of practical problems you have encountered and a note about what you did / developed to work through that. If this is all too sanitary for your own type of practice, IGNORE all of the above!! It's different strokes for different folks.

Also, to reiterate...I am not suggesting you create an act now for something you may not unveil to the public for another 9 months time.

Where you start doesn’t have to be how you finish

What I would like to encourage is that you begin to feel comfortable with the concept of performing, by playing a little with it, trying it on for size, manipulating it, holding it in your hands...so it becomes a little more familiar to you. You can do this is private!! In front of your mirrors, in a favourite place...you don't have to expose yourself to the full scrutiny of an audience to begin with, although it is really great if you can find a friend or friends to work with - to provide each other support and feedback.  But that's another post probably!

[bridgetbegins]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

[Johnny dbbuk]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

[bridgetbegins]

I haven't really ever Brigaded at a Doll's show, but I have "statued" around and about. Here are my tips, tricks and other penny amounts of things that I've kind of learned.

1.  Bring a friend (whether in costume or not) when you go. Inevitably, I've ended up needing someone to do something, and it's wonderful to have a person to pretend to be an audience member (to help start reactions) or put makeup on your back or something of the sort.

2. Practice! Dress up at your house. Make faces (in makeup) in your bathroom. Test it on your friends. Or your dog.

3. Don't be afraid if your Greek Statue becomes an overly affectionate pirate... ideas morph and change and, as previously stated, where you start has very little to nothing to do with where you end.

4. If you're worried about being nervous, bring a prop or something that you can fixate on (in character). Whether an apple or ribbons or knitting or what-have-ye.

5. Don't expect anything to go well, really. Prepare for costume malfunctions and bad weather and scrapes and stuff (all of which have happened to me)... by Murphy's law, kind of, if you're prepared the chances of "bad things" happening seem way less...

Thats it for now!

Nice list
Left out the more difficult things
Hecklers and teenage hoods out to abuse/taunt/derail.
it takes the paitience of buddah not to tear after them.
Im not sure is that a UK thing or world wide?
(gangs of 12-16 yr olds in tracksuits with nothing better to do that ruin things)

I've never had that happen to me (in the US- in NH and Boston)... I've had fans and drawers and small children tug on my costume, but thats about it.

[danaXXanachronism]

okay so for halloween i wanted to dress up in a brigade outfit and go around handing out heartplane shaped candies at school. [i will be able to make the candies on my own, thats not what my question is about].
my question is, what should i dress up in? any ideas?

[Dresdollsrock]

what should i dress up in? any ideas?

the idea of brigading is to just be yourself so go with what makes you most comfortable and happy