New Year's Eve in Japan-sterdam

We survived our first and most difficult day of performances.. it's all downhill from here.

Yesterday was New Year's Eve.  It started out with a relaxing morning wherein I finished my first drawing and hung it on the wall.  I'm unreasonably proud of it.

After a walk to the Family Mart (our local 7-11 type store) and some apartment yoga, we headed over to the park.  We had 7 shows yesterday - each of the 4 of us had a solo set, and we had three ensemble stage shows to do.  That's a lot of shows, but it's only 4 shows each, and it probably works out to about 45 minutes of stage time apiece.  

Totally do-able.. until you take into account that the stages are each about a 3/4 mile from our dressing room, in different directions.  

I went to all 7 shows yesterday, and did a little extra exploring, and I wouldn't be surprised if I walked 8-10 miles all told.  That, on top of actually performing (and our shows are incredibly high-energy), and I'm pretty beat.  It seems to be a great way to get past the last of the jet lag, however - yesterday pounded us FLAT and so today I slept in until 10:30 am instead of waking up at 3 or 4 am.  I'm so proud.

At Sunset, there was a teaser fireworks show as all the lights in the park came on.  At midnight, Huis ten Bosch put on the biggest, most amazing fireworks display I have ever seen.   Our dressing room is on the third floor of a building that looks out right over the harbor and our view was fantastic.  At several points during the show I couldn't help just shouting and cheering.. so delightful!

Our ensemble fire show is looking good - still a little rough around the edges, but we're getting choreography and transitions worked out and every time we perform it's a little bit better.   

The solo shows all look incredible.  I loved watching everyone get out there and do what they do best.  All our performers have very different styles, and watching the solo shows was really inspiring.  I can't quite figure out to describe the feeling it gives me.. perhaps it's like a cookie.  If the sugar, the chocolate chips and the butter are all delicious and fresh, it's a joy to let the combined flavors mingle on my tongue.  Understanding the quality and distinctiveness of each ingredient makes the whole just that much sweeter.

Our first stage show featured an unexpected exploding fire pot, wherein the pressure inside the little oil lamp built up and exploded the wick up into the air with a dramatic fire ball right when Sequoia and Shaina were bending over it to light their tools.  We blame the unfamiliar Japanese fuel - nothing like this has ever happened in 10 years of using that pot.  (everyone was mostly OK)

Our second stage show started in the rain and finished in the freezing snow.  Thank heavens it wasn't terribly windy.  We only lost about half the audience when the snow / sleet started coming down in earnest.  These people are troopers.

Our third stage show (1:00 am) was delayed for about 5 minutes because an absolutely adorable young Japanese couple commandeered our stage for a super romantic and silly marriage proposal.  That was lovely.  The temperature at that show, at our best guess, was -3 C.   Could have easily been colder.  

Photo by Sequoia

In spite of all the challenges.. yesterday was magical.  The park is illuminated with what must be millions of lights, and the walk through the Art Garden to get to one of our stages is nothing short of astonishing.  The photos just don't do it justice.. the light sort of flows and waves across the ground, and the canal reflects everything around it, and everyone's just walking around with their mouths hanging open.  

Our other stage location, at the Palace, has an enormous lotus-type fire sculpture and fields of torches, and the whole place radiates fire and heat and beauty (and smoke, but who's complaining?).  

Everyone is incredibly nice, helpful, and doing their best to make each day a great experience for everyone else.  It's hard, but it's working.  And it's only going to get easier.

We've got the same number of shows today but won't have to pull such a late night, for which I am grateful.  We're hoping to catch some of the other acts at the park before they wrap up at the end of the week.  And did I mention that it was SOO good to be able to sleep in this morning?  :)

Fire Pixie in New Zealand April 11-30, 2012

Fire Pixie is traveling to New Zealand and we are ALL kinds of excited.  It's a trip for both business and pleasure.. we will be visiting some friends, making connections for clothing sales, and doing as much fire dancing as we can handle.

We will be based in Wellington but traveling all around the country.  We've got one performance lined up at a fantastic private party, and would love to bring our firey firey fire show to more Kiwis.  So let's do this!

Fire Pixie is a professionally run fire dance troupe which performs at a wide variety of venues in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. We present different styles of fire performance, from tribal, hand-drum driven shows to beautiful flamenco-style dance to polynesian luau fire shows - whatever fits the mood of your party.

We are extremely safety-conscious and insured for up to $2M.  Our show has been featured all over the globe - we have wowed audiences in Japan, Bermuda, Brazil, Hawaii, Thailand and Jamaica as well as all over the USA.  We're high-end and professional, but giving very low rates for shows in New Zealand - we really want to perform for you!

If you'd like to book us for a show, or are curious about whether we'd be right for your party please fill out our rate request form or contact us at 510.367.4517.

Fire Dancing for Diwali at Junnoon in Palo Alto

If you're looking for something fun to do for Diwali this weekend come check us out!  We will be performing at Junnoon Restaurant on Friday night (November 5) and possibly also November 6.  Come have some delicious indian food in an absolutely delightful restaurant with great atmosphere - and of course, Fire Dancers!!

Halloween

I love doing halloween fire shows! I love parties where absolutely everyone dresses up in costume. I love the challenge of having to give my costume that extra "oomph" so I still stand out as a performer. I LOVE HALLOWEEN.

I did a stilt walking show at the Live 105 Spookfest last night, and that was pretty crazy. There were 4 of us stilt walking altogether and we had blinky spinny light toys (yes, I can hula hoop on stilts and YES it's very difficult) and we had a fun time wandering around the Cow Palace making people's jaws drop. My costume was the Queen of Hearts, or rather the Red Queen from the newer Alice in Wonderland movie, "scaried" up a little bit for fun.

From now on, every time I go to a concert or a show at a huge event center like the cow palace, I'm doing it on stilts. I could *see*! And there was room up there to spin my spinny toys without hitting anyone. And.. well, I got a backstage pass and preferred parking and got paid to be there instead of having to pay to get in.

It was challenging though.. the crowd was thick and young and energetic, and there were plenty of spilled drinks on the floor. Wet floors + thick crowds + stilts is a recipe for disaster.. and I did slip and fall at one point. I had my kneepads on so I didn't get hurt too bad, but I did bruise my right elbow and my left palm, and my nose just a bit too. Luckily there were about 15 cute, costumed 20 year old guys around to pick me back up again. I was amazed at how quick I was back on my feet.

I guess a fall is inevitable at some point in one's stilt walking career, and I'm glad it's over with. :)

Tonight is a fire show at the Nimitz Mansion on Yerba Buena Island. I'm pretty excited! Halloween RULES!