More Phoenix Swords thoughts

[fbhjr]

My wife and I have been talking more about the future of the sword troupe.
Both of us are sad that few folks these days have the time and energy to
devote to it. That is 100% understandable and we don’t blame folks for it
at all.

But, we also don’t want to pay a few thousand a year to rent a practice
space that very few people use.
We don’t want to spend our Sunday afternoons at said practice space if, at
best, very few people show up to work on things.
Let’s face it, we’ve been able to get the same number of folks to show up
in our living room to do sword research and that doesn’t cost us extra rent.

But…
We love performing. Especially like this last weekend where there were big
crowds of people who seemed genuinely interested in the material.
Maybe it is because both my wife and I have worked at museums before, but
being able to teach folks things is really the best kind of show for us.

If we just gave it up, sold off the equipment and moved on, we’d lose that.

So, one of the things we’ve been discussing is changing the model of how we
do shows.

We’ve spent all of this millennium using the same model: A group of folks
who get together on a regular basis, even if we don’t have shows booked,
and practice, practice, practice to keep our skills up, research new things
and improve our shows.
That’s great. But, it takes people and a lot of time.

What if we instead used something closer to a “flash mob” kind of model?
We find a show that we all enjoy doing. We get commitment from folks for
what it takes to get ready for that show.
Yes. It’s true. If we aren’t practicing every week all year long, we
aren’t going to be as good as we could be.
I can’t deny that.

But, it would also mean that folks wouldn’t have to commit to going to
practice for months at a time.
Maybe that would make it easier.
We’ll see.

Something to think about. Something to try.

Comments

[merilune.livejournal.com]

I think that's definitely worth a try if your other option is giving up. For sure. It seems like the sort of thing that could work really well given that the main issue seems to be that people aren't committing to practice.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

I think/feel that might indeed work better. I think I would feel more comfortable trying to get in practice and such on a sporadic schedule
since mine has become very much so recently, than trying to commit to a weekly commitment.

The other group that I'm with that meets once a weeknight hasn't been able to maintain that consistency in the last 2 years.
Weather is the major factor (we drill outdoors), but health and [work] commitments has mean half of us are hardly ever together
at any one drill.

Pretty much all the groups I'm with have unrolled into this "do the best/what you have, with what you get" sort of format.
It's been the way I've been pushing for in the Roman group, and had been trying to [warn] the previous head-honcho about this
change in the way things go for years (but fell on deaf ears but what else is new)

flash mob….Hmmmm

[hindustar.livejournal.com]

I hope you do find a way to keep this going somehow. Just because you both seem to really enjoy doing it. =)

[chaquir.livejournal.com]

I think it can definitely be an option.
Not everybody is as passionate as you are nor have the time to rehears that much.
Having a hobby but you don't need to do it every week, is much more practical for a lot of people and can be fit more easy in a daily life pattern.

[meathiel]

I agree with what the others said - going to practice every weekend interferes with peoples' lives too much. It's hard to commit to something like that. So maybe do a few shows if people are interested and train 2 or 3 times before that ... it might work.

[marysue007.livejournal.com]

That's a really good idea to try different ideas.

I don't know if this would even work at all but have you thought of doing a busking show? You could even use it as advertising for your group, hand out flyers or something.

I have a friend who used to do 'the medieval thing', not much any more since he transitioned into a woman, but she still has all her gear.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we've done a few things like that. Nothing really came of it.
You could almost count what we did last weekend as that as we were only paid in children's entertainment tickets to be there.
Certainly if we've only got a small number of people, it would fit that model more.