Spinnabel Lee can’t help herself. As you read her responses to 9 QUESTIONS below, you can’t help be see her passion for what she does overflowing from your computer/tablet/phone. She specialize in the unique dance arts – fire dancing, glowing LED and blacklight poi and hoop dance and circus arts performances.
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1. How did you come to be?…basically, your origin as a performer and how long you’ve been doing it.
I’ve been practicing prop manipulation (hula hooping, poi spinning, and more) for five years. My first official show was in 2009, and I haven’t looked back!
I had been involved in musical theater throughout middle school and high school, so I had a limited background in dance and theater, but I had chosen to leave the “theater world” when I was about 17. I’ve always loved theater, so it saddened me to leave my dreams of the stage behind. When I discovered poi spinning at a party about six years later, I was excited to have found a type of dance that interested me in terms of who I had become – a more experimental creative spirit. Little did I know that I had discovered the key to performing professionally – and that it was a world I had never known existed in my younger years!
2. What kind of services do you offer? I mean, I know what you do, but could you give me a range of where you perform and what kind of events hire you?
I perform a number of different variety acts - primarily fire dancing shows, hula hoop dancing and stunt work, and poi spinning. All of my acts are very dance-oriented, so there is a lot of movement, allowing me to interact with the audience in multiple ways. I put a lot of work into the visual side of what I do; not just the choreography but the vintage circus- and fantasy-inspired costuming, makeup, and setting as well. My goal is to transport my audiences to another time and place through my shows.
I perform as a solo artist, collaborate with groups and book group shows as well. I work primarily in the private market – corporate events, unique weddings, interesting fundraisers, and milestone birthdays. In the public market, most of my work comes from festivals, with the occasional cabaret or community event. My top selling shows are my fire dancing shows, which feature fire poi, fire hula hoops, fire fans and more.
3. What should a client look for when hiring you?
I have a few tips for hiring any entertainer – myself included! When hiring live entertainment, first read a performer’s references or reviews. If you don’t see any, ask! Reviews give you assurance that an entertainer is experienced and will be able to handle the multitude of situations that may arise with grace and panache.
Make sure the performer is fully insured. This is especially important for acts that are a bit more dangerous (such as those involving fire), however, all entertainers need insurance. While I have never needed to use my insurance, I respect my clients, their property, and myself enough to make sure that all of the bases are always covered. If you have additional safety concerns, ask the entertainer if they have a written safety commitment.
Request a written contract. Don’t be afraid of contracts – especially long ones! Contracts show that a performer is serious about what they do, and should outline exactly what to expect in any given situation. A good contract protects everyone involved in an agreement, but more that that, they make sure that everyone’s needs will be met with the agreement.
Finally, trust your instinct. When I was starting out, I didn’t have many references or a website, so it became important for me to establish a connection with my potential clients so that they could see I was the best woman for the job. I still get a ton of work this way! Now, I make sure to talk to a potential client about their vision for the event and what exactly they are looking for, as well as other details that help me get to know them. This way, I can also make sure that I am the right person for the job – and sometimes I’m not! For example, I don’t do many children’s parties. If I’m not feeling like it’s a good fit, I am happy to book another performer or refer the lead.
4. What are some things you look for in a client?
I love working with clients who have their own creative streak. They might not have experience with what I do, but when a client has put creative thought into their vision for the event, I can tell! These clients are the most fun to work for, in my opinion.
I really value communication, so if a potential client is unresponsive in planning communications or doesn’t meet established booking deadlines, I might choose to drop the event (after notifying them of course, and referring them to others if needed). I make sure that everything is clearly defined, but I also have to protect my business. Potential clients who are unresponsive or don’t pay deposits as promised are likely to be the clients that are harder to work with down the line. Again, this goes back to making sure the partnership is a good fit – for everyone involved!
5. How do handle a situation with an unresponsive audience?
I’ll try to use humor or step up my level of audience interaction to try to draw people in. For larger events such as corporate events, a performer is sometimes booked just to be in the background as people mingle and network. I used to dread working these events, because I love performing for people who are interested. However, once I changed my perspective – knowing what to expect and viewing these events as costumed, public practice sessions – I started having a lot more fun, which made people more responsive in turn! A shift in perspective can really change the face you put out to the audience, which affects what you get back in return.
6. What’s the best part of your job? the worst?
The best is the freedom – I can choose to lengthen vacations or business trips, work more or less on any given day depending on my other obligations, and can (to some extent) choose my tasks each day depending on my mood and energy level.
The worst? The freedom! I’m responsible for every aspect of my business, even if it’s something I have contracted someone else to do. Often I need to make sacrifices that my friends with “regular day jobs” don’t understand – going home early to send emails, skipping social events for gigs, and so on. Also, with freedom comes the need to set limits so that you DO get time off. I used to joke that my boss was so mean that I could NEVER ask for a day off. This is funny because the boss is me! I’ve gotten much better though.
7. What would you say to someone interested in doing what you’re doing?
There are lots of hobbyists in the fire dancing and prop manipulation communities, and honestly, most of them are more talented than many of the professionals (who have less time to practice!) A lot of people want to “go pro” – it seems like a glamorous life! But it’s not – I do more office work than I ever did at any of my past “day jobs”. Performance is just a small part of what I actually do, and those who focus only on performance and not business will fail.
When people ask me for advice on getting started, I always tell them to ask themselves what their goals are first and foremost. Do they want to be a master of craft? Do they want to be world famous? Do they want to be internet famous? Do they want to make a lot of money? Do they want local success? Do they want to be performers, or teachers? What your goals are will heavily influence the actions you take and what tasks you should be spending time on. This is something I wished I had realized much earlier than I did! Now, I turn down opportunities if they take me further away from my goals. This can be scary, because those opportunities can often pay good money, but you need to have direction.
Second, I tell everyone to go to the library and check out every business and self-development book they can get their hands on. Then, read them! I have been part of multiple (now defunct) entrepreneurial endeavors in the past – a baking company, and Etsy store, selling vintage clothes on Ebay, and clothing and accessory companies – that ended up failing because I knew nothing about business. However, you also need to work on yourself to have a successful business – believe me, self-employment will bring up all of the issues you have ever had regarding money and self-worth. Do the hard work now! A few of my favorite books to recommend are “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferazzi, “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield, “Think Like a Stripper” by Erika Lyremark (it’s a business book, I swear!), and “Self Promotion for the Creative Person” by Lee Silber.
Get our of your comfort zone and read about the business sides of other industries. Believe me, I am a right-brain artist since birth, but now I have magazine subscriptions to Entrepreneur, Fast Company, AND Inc. – and I even read the articles about tech startups! Who knew? Like Andy Warhol said, “Business is the very best kind of art.” You never know where your next great idea may come from, so keep an open mind.
8. What’s your favorite story about an event at which you entertained?
I don’t frequently perform for children’s events but when I do, I remember how elementary school kids can seriously make you feel like a rock star. No joke! I’ve gotten comments ranging from “Are you in the Olympics?” (I’m not) to “I think I saw you on TV?” (I don’t think they did) to “I want to be you when I grow up!” (I love this one). Once I was overrun with at least 20 third graders wanting my autograph. Needless to say, that has never happened at a corporate holiday party!
I get a lot of post-show questions from kids when I perform at weddings and milestone adult birthday parties, and I like to take the opportunity to be a positive influence, as cheesy as that may sound. Really, my message to everyone (kids and adults) is that you create your life, and can really do anything you want to with that life. It’s never too late to try something new (I started doing this as an adult!), and it’s never to early to start questioning what is expected of you, especially as a little girl.
I want kids to know that they have options, and can be creative and do something completely unusual with their lives – whether that’s joining the circus or being the first member of their family to go to college. Think outside of the box and create a reality that serves your highest purpose, not anyone else’s.
9. Tell me something I’d be surprised to know about you.
When I was in elementary school, I was shy to a debilitating degree – I don’t think I even looked my teachers in the eye until I was in the third grade. The video of my preschool graduation shows my class singing, while I am standing a head taller than everyone else (I’ve always been tall), staring at the floor in mortified silence. My parents were seriously afraid I would never be socialized.
In middle school, I had dreams of Broadway (who didn’t?), so I started getting involved in theater, which slowly brought me out of my shell. I’m still secretly an introvert, like many performers, but definitely enjoy the company of others now.
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This is the caliber of our performers that makes Mama proud. You can see the heart and soul and passion that Spinnabel Lee puts into her craft. Do yourself and your guests at your next event a BIG favor and hire Spinnable Lee for your event. I can guarantee you one thing about performers, that best ones have a passion for what they do and have an ability to let an audience see that passion, feel that passion, share that passion.
Find Spinnable at http://www.gigmama.com/variety/spinnabel-lee