Over the years, I have noticed a trend among balloon entertainers to duplicate what others have done. The duplication of the design is to show that they, too, are just as skilled as their peers. The first instant I can recall was the craze to make a balloon cow. The cow craze – probably started by kid’s request, soon became the focus of many balloon entertainers. Tasmanian devil spearheaded everyone buying brown balloons. Every well-known balloon entertainer was making their version, and just to keep up with the Jones’s you had to be able to make Taz. Mickey Mouse was no exception — everyone was making the mouse. Blush balloons started the balloon faces, then came stuffing a balloon rose inside a clear balloon. The launch of Disney princess movies had everyone making princesses, and you just couldn’t make one. You had to make everyone one with full detail.
In 2007-2008 everyone showed off their weaving skills by making a dress. I know I have fallen into this trap of constantly showing that I can twist a balloon, but we forget that most balloon twisters can duplicate anything. It’s the entertainment that separates balloon entertainers from “balloon artists.” I remember seeing David Copperfield perform a simple levitating rose on national TV while Siegfried & Roy appeared on Johnny Carson doing a simple thumb trick. It wasn’t their magic skill that impressed fellow magicians, but the entertainment skill they showed. So next time you open your email and see a really cool balloon sculpture be prepared to see more. After all, the trend this year is balloon dresses, so order your balloon dress kit today.
I think it’s exciting that we’re setting the bar higher and higher as artists. As a performer, I try to be well-rounded. I’m constantly pushing my skills in all areas: performing, designing, marketing, etc. I think it’s fine to join other artists in a trend if it’s part of a larger design of developing my skills and showing off these skills to my clients. Often, it’s a picture of one of my sculptures that gets the client’s attention, and then it’s the performance that keeps them as my client for good. I think you make a good point, Dale, in saying that whatever you do, do it in an entertaining manner.
Annie Banannie (who is the only person so far to actually get married in a balloon dress)