searching for a unicyclists paradise

Hello, I'm the guy who tried to organize the trials competition in
quebec that never generated enough interest to pull off

I am totally into unicycling and have been accepted to circus school,
but as it turns out, I am the only unicyclist there. Kind of
depressing. That is, many people can unicycle, but I`m the only one
who wants to specialize in it. I am wondering where I should go where
people practice unicycling 5 days a week at least 3 hours a day and
where group freestyle is practiced regularly? So far the twin cities
unicycle club seems to be the place to be... is there anything else?
circus schools specializing in unicycling... circuses with a strong
unicycling component?

Mike


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jenmichael2000
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I believe the Twin Cities Unicycle Club (www.tcuc.org) is the place to
be! We have practices usually 3-5 times a week, plus parades, weekly
MUni rides, street rides, hocky once or twice a week, group practices
once a week, etc.


--
unicycle6869

Jamey (formaly tuna6869)

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Yup, TCUC is way ahead of anything else in the US or Canada for high
quantity and high level technical unicycling. I'm not even sure what
comes close. What TCUC may lack from your perspective, and what they
could greatly benefit from, is more experience from an "entertainment"
or "theatrical" point of view.

Don't get me wrong, TCUC have done uncounted hundreds of shows as a
group, and individual riders and smaller groups may have even equaled
that. Plus they can boast a long list of national and world champions.
But the emphasis there has usually been on "doing a unicycle show" and
does not necessarily address some of the aspects that can elevate a
good performance to a great one.

In other words, a seasoned TCUC rider could still learn a lot at a
professional circus school. Probably not any additional unicycling
skills, but more about how to present them. Intros, outtros, building
an act, etc. So maybe what you need is some time in an intense
unicycling environment, like TCUC, followed by a return to a place
where you can develop and polish a professional act to perfection.

The world needs more high-end unicycle performers out there! There are
very few who specialize in unicycling, and for each one it can help to
dispell more of the whole "clown thing." Uh, unless you want to do
comedy, which is great as well.


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johnfoss

John Foss
"jfoss" at "unicycling.com" -- www.unicycling.com
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"The worst thing you can do on a unicycle when you land is stop dead."
-- Kris Holm, world's expert on high-consequence unicycling
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Ironically, what you said (john) about the tcuc not putting emphasis on
the theatrics and presentation is actually a major point in favor of
them from my point of view. I have a lot of abilities under my belt,
way more than anybody else here in quebec, but I still don't see how I
could put them together into an act that I would consider beautiful.
To put some perspective on things, I recently saw a video of nomad, a
performance of cirque eloise which had in it what was apparently a very
high quality performance. It encorporated many abilities that I have
and many that I do not yet, and clearly a lot of time and effort had
been put into it. It was very artistic and fine tuned. It didn't
inspire me though. It was more like, hm... that`s interesting... he's
really good, I can't do that yet... good for him... next!

Anyway, point is, I have some ideas in mind of the kind of things on a
unicycle that would really impress me and inspire me in a circus
performance, but the basic abilities I will need before I can start to
attempt them will take at least a year, more like two (practicing every
day) to master. I started that process this spring and have been
practicing that hour every day for the last three months with
satisfying results, but now back at circus school it`s wierd because
yes, I can do some really impressive things (stand up coasting ~2-6
meters), and people are really impressed, but nobody jumps up inspired
to practice the unicycling themselves. I'm the only one. One of the
best experiences of my life was when I was working as an assistant
coach for a small circus class (a completelly enthusiastic and
passionate and green coach). I succeeded in communicating my passion
for it to the kids, and we has an absolutelly amazing, magical in the
best sence of the word, I loved the kids, they loved me, we were making
incredible progress... three months, and a whole bunch of the community
was saying how they had heard wonderful stories about me, etc. That's
the kind of environment I want to be in, the kind of spirit I want to
have around me, people who are jenuinelly passionate about unicycling,
love it, think it's the best thing in the world, and love nothing more
than accomplishing new tricks and abilities, and working with others to
put on crazy performances! This circus group was one (the only major)
price I had to pay by comming to quebec. I can't work with them while
I am here. Attendance is the only really strict policy they have.

Don`t get me wrong, this school is an incredible place, full of
trampolines, tumbling mats, jugglers and a flying trapeze, and I have
had great times here, I recomend it to everybody, and the unicycling
instructor is a world champion acrobatic bicyclist. However, one
person whose specialty is not specifically unicycling and who has not
been in the action for a year or two can't replace a community of
people who have amoung them currently recognized world class
unicyclists and who have just brought home the world championship for
group freestyle. The passion and group spirit I want to inspire back
home, and the kind of community spirit that will allow me to tripple my
efforts toward my goal.

I suppose one benefit of working alone is that nobody can steel my
ideas and perform them before me (I may be getting good, but whether
that is a result of natural tallent or passion driven stubbornness I
don't know), and I will be unique and special at the school, but those
seem to be dangerously brittle points in favour. What I would most
prefer would be to be able to declare to the world what my dream is,
then dedicate myself to it with their encouragement. Not have to wory
about somebody saying: ya, you're right, that's a cool idea, actually,
now that you mention it, it isn't that hard, and goes on and does it.
Great. So much for that... then again, if, without community support,
my drive to accomplish the impossible fizzles and nobody every gets
around to doing the great tricks, then that's even worse.

One of the frustrations with the school is that they will not consider
it a good thing focussing all my time and effort on what they will see
as one trick because as they will rightly point out, that one trick
will not make a money making performance. However, what if that one
trick is the foundation required for an entire number? How do you
explain that to them? I am really starting to feel like it would be
better to hang out at a place like twin cities for two years,
participate in a unicon, then take the skills I have develloped back to
the circus school to put together the final number... Unfortunatelly,
I find it has never been a good idea to change directions to suddenly,
and I strongly suspect that it will be very difficult to convince
myself or anybody else that a sudden move to twin cities is in my best
interest, especially now that the circus school year has started. I
should visit or chat with the folks from tcuc... see what they
think...

Mike


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jenmichael2000
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unicycle6869 wrote:
I believe the Twin Cities Unicycle Club (www.tcuc.org) is the place to
be! We have practices usually 3-5 times a week, plus parades, weekly
MUni rides, street rides, hocky once or twice a week, group practices
once a week, etc.



that sounds totally awesome! I have never rode mountain because the
unicycles were too expensive (worst excuse in the world)... basic
freestyle you can learn on a 15$ uni... (looking back I can hardly
believe I learned to ride that thing! -the seat woud twist while
riding, and I learned how to twist it back while riding... go figure
)

I can`t say I'm much into hockey, even on a unicycle (never been good
at team sports), but hell... why not?

I guess the question is: what would I do with myself when I wouldn't be
out riding with the gang? I suppose I could get a job, continue
university, give circus courses (install an ariel tissue, trapeze,
tumbling mats, trampolines...)... I suppose anything is possible...
depends on what resources are available.


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