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this spring and summer i plan to hit the streets for the first time with my hat and pug to see what kinda loot we can gather.
lately ive been trying to think about all the aspects that go into busking and how to do it right. any suggestions for me?

Do a statue performance- Otherwise, you could get stuck performing for hours straight without too much pay to back it. Also, when building your "routine" make sure you build up in difficulty level, that way you start with semi-impressive moves and end with a bang!

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Never underestimate the complexity of buttered toast

Idunno, I think busking CJ is basically many hours of paid practice. Until you learn to jive with folks, don't expect to make much more than lunch money. After you learn to jive with folks, expect to make A LOT MORE than lunch money. In fact, busking CJ may be one of the most lucrative forms of street art if you know what you're doing.

I drafted this report for my hometown farmer's market after a season of aggression from their managers. They didn't do a thing to stop harassing buskers (most two-bit market managers are really invested in their power trips), but the report and the included busking-tips brochure are still relevant to any working street artist. Hereyougo: http://www.gravitydefiance.net/Busking.zip

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By that do you refer to the busk where you would 'activate' only when someone throws you some coin? If so, it would drive me crazy just standing there, and I would prefer to be moving ! I do, however, have ants in my pants

Just my 2c, as Im not a performer. Heck, Im not even a proper CJer yet.

Richard, discuss more about the audience banter, please.

Well, you know when you're having a conversation and then the next day you come up with the best comeback ever and you really wish you can go back and use it?

Well now you can, because people will ask you the same questions over and over and over and over and over:

-How much does the ball weigh?
-How long have you been doing that?
-Is there a string?
-Are there magnets?
-Is that one of those balls from TV?
-What's the ball made of?
-How is s/he doing that?

...and so on. There are some classic answers that you'll learn from watching damn near any CJer (the "string trick" being the obvious response to "is there a string"), but the best way to go about it is to develop your own patter. Derren Brown, my fave magician, wrote that a huge piece of performance, especially close-up performance, is that the performer must learn to deliver every practiced line like it's coming out for the first time.

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thank you :3 i live in a spot that is pretty touristy during the warmer months and busking is completely legal so i dont think ill have too much trouble getting a crowd (or at least a small group) but yes, seeing as its going to be my first time im not so much expecting to make a lot of money, but more experience in impromptu situations and stuff C:

Be careful of hagglers. It's sort of a delicate line to walk. Simple harmless questions out of curiosity need responses. I'd look over Richard's list. Where you have to be careful is when a haggler is going to ask a question or be obnoxious to gain attention from your crowd. Approaches vary on how to deal with them, but I choose to ignore them. Even a really good whitty response is going to give them exactly what they wanted, the attention. Often times it's best to connect with your audience and they will take care of the hagglers for you.

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Life is a game that is meant to be played.

hehehehe, um, "hecklers"

And yes, it's usually because they want attention. I've never had a persistent heckler on the street because they're usually not very creative and just want to make ball jokes. Fortunately, due to this thread, I know at least five more than the average heckler: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=789

Honestly, the one demographic that gets the most distracting are not hecklers, but novice contact jugglers who think the best place for practice is right next to another CJer trying to put on a street show.

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i could see how that would get really annoying :\

Good thing I didn't take my family's suggestion and join in with Crystal Ball Paul's act last week. I had a feeling it wouldn't be appreciated.

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Curiosity saved the rat

where is CBP Performing? I have wanted to meet him for years!

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Funny how I've seen the word a million times, yet still seem to mix the two up all the time

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Life is a game that is meant to be played.

I saw him in Trafalgar Square, London last Saturday. But I've noticed he's travelled all over, so who knows where he is now?

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Curiosity saved the rat

Ha ha, just read this now

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I have been interested in doing the statue routine, but I am just too jittery and impatient to hold one position for that long. I generally do as Richard says and use busking as live practice. I transition between a few basic moves that don't ware me out, and then when I know I start to get people attention I can transition into bigger moves that will actually draw them in. I find that a palm circle or enigma's are the best way to catch some one's eye.

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Contact Juggling at work, starting to annoy my co-workers every time I drop it ^^;

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