YOOOOOOOO fire peeps! Phoenix – A Firedancing Fundraiser is almost upon us and as we get closer to Sunday’s fiery fun, a lot of this is cut and paste from the last Phoenix update but there are some new things in here so please do not skip.
THREE NEW THINGS:
1. We need fuel. In September, we were able to find enough funds to buy 18 cans of coleman, of which we burned 16. This time we only have enough budget available for 12 cans, so if you are able to bring a can, please do.
2. No unburned props on the stage. If the kevlar has never been burned on your prop, it is untested and therefore unsuitable for a stage with an audience. We can, if you must, arrange for a test burn prior to stage time, but it would be better for everybody involved if you devirginized your props between now and Sunday just so you can make sure they work. Even something as basic as a staff can fall apart and create great danger for the dancer and audience and this rule will be enforced.
3. If you sign in to firedance, you will also be asked to take at least 30 minutes on-shift as a safety.
CHECK-IN:
Check-in is at the Spin-ballS tent, which will be set up at about 2:30 PM. Fire stage goes hot around 7ish, and there’s a firedancing safety review meeting before the stage opens.
Be prepared to teach, we are expecting children with Autism to attend and we want to make sure we get everybody to try the joy of spinning things :).
There’s paperwork. You have to sign a waiver/video release, so do yourselves a favor and bring a completed waiver with you to save the organizers, volunteers and yourselves time.
Print this out, initial each paragraph, and fill in your contact and signature on the last page. PRETTY PLEASE do this in advance to help yourselves and us get everybody checked without a line (ugh, lines!)
Once you’ve returned the completed waiver and passed a clothing inspection (not kidding) you will be given a wristband. It is your access to both the fueling area and the stage. If you do not have a wristband, you will not be permitted in either area.
FUELING STATION:
The fueling station will be sectioned off from the public. 12 cans of Coleman will be provided, if you want to use lamp oil, you must bring it with you. As I mentioned, we need more fuel, so if you have a job, grab some coleman.
There is no such thing as too many fire blankets or fire extinguishers. Bring them if you have them, especially the blankets.
No smoking in the fuel station. Seriously, do we even need to say this? Yes, actually, so don’t smoke in the fueling area.
DO NOT bring your own bowls for fueling. This happened on Phoenix #1 and it ended up being a fire hazard.
The fueling containers all of us will use are three 5-gallon buckets and a 2-gallon ammo can for odd-size props. The cans will be clearly labeled COLEMAN, LAMP OIL, or 50/50. Phoenix dancers are asked to conform to one of these three fuels for the evening. Kerosene, gasoline, and lighter fluid are going to sit this one out.
We are spinning off in strainer paint cans. We will review this technique on-site during a fire safety meeting prior to going live.
There will be a fueler – someone who handles the buckets for you and returns the strained fuel back to the buckets. As you enter and leave the fueling area, you leave nothing IN the fuel area and carry only props in and out of it.
STAGE:
We enter and exit the stage at opposite ends. A stage manager will check wristbands, facilitate dancers on and off the stage, and will alert onstage dancers that a dancer is coming in. The stage manager will also help you figure out where you should assume a spot on the stage if it gets crowded, or hold the line if the stage is full.
Do not enter the stage without the green light of the stage manager. Do it one time, you lose your wristband.
No sitting on the wall behind the stage. Looks crappy.
There will be 3-5 safety peeps onstage, depending on how big we configure the barricades. The stage word for “you are on fire” is ORANGE, and if you are on stage and a safety is shouting “orange” at you, stop and pay attention.
The safety at the exit of the stage will have a blanket in hand to put out props. All props must be completely off before you fully leave the stage barricades.
PROMOTION:
We are expecting more people to show up to watch than last time. Many of you have stated interest in promoting yourselves and your fire arts brands while we help Autism Speaks.
There are many things you can do to promote Phoenix and promote yourselves respectively:
- Repost: go to the phoenix facebook event page and repost it. Every time somebody else reposts it, “like” it. This makes it show up on more of the facebook walls who have their wall feeds set to “most popular” and really does work.
- Make the flyer for Phoenix your default picture on Facebook and other social portals until Phoenix ends. This only takes a few seconds and the switch also makes the news feed.
- If you are a member of facebook groups and pages, repost where appropriate.
- repost on your friends’ walls if you KNOW they will let you. If not, ask first, there is no need for spam.
- Twitter it – http://www.firebythepalm.com/phoenix.html #firedancing
- Bring business cards! The sign-in table will also hold the business cards and flyers of those who produce and carry both, but you should keep some on you as well.
- When dancing, make some eye contact. Making a connection with your audience is key in any type of performance.
- Dust off your LinkedIn account and your youtube account and repost there.
- Wear a costume. People who wear costumes are more fun to watch, and it is easier for a potential patron to envision you performing for their special occasion.
- Got contacts in the entertainment business already? Make sure they have an opportunity to check out your show, let them know this weekend you’ll be live and point out to them that this is to help the world and wouldn’t they want to be a part of that? It works, try it.
That’s all for now, people who have questions or need any additional information should hit me up at julian@5hplus.com or call my cell, 305-318-4144.
Thanks, see you all on Sunday!
~Cleric
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