Category Archives: Circus

Lets run away with the circus

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Back in the day, ‘running away to join the circus’ seemed to be a pretty viable career option for many a young person if children’s books were to go by. Enid Blyton wrote a whole series of books on the idea and the circus segment in Big Fish is certainly one of the most memorable. But what if you want to join a circus now? How on earth do you go about joining a circus and becoming an acrobat or unicyclist or something else entirely? How do you do that? Well, you’ll have to learn and we know a brilliant place for that!

The National Centre for Circus Arts is one of the leading European providers of circus education. What’s more, it’s based in London! Hooray! You don’t even have to go abroad to enjoy its facilities. A registered charity, the Centre is housed in a fabulous Victorian power station meaning no matter how high-flying you want your act to be, you’ll definitely be able to learn it! From aerial silk to hoop and perhaps even walking a tight rope, you’ll be able to become a circus performer with the help of numerous teachers and students alike.

Depending on your age, there’s a whole host of options to consider as well. If you’re looking to attain a degree in Circus Arts, then the Centre offers a BA Hons degree in the subject. You’re also able to learn as part of a training programme if you’re under 18 whilst there are many development opportunities for those just starting out right through to those who simply want to enhance their already established circus careers. That’s right! As an aspiring circus performer, you’ll be able to rub shoulders with those who have already experienced the excitement of wowing a crowd at events up and down the country!

You might be thinking that signing up for an entire course isn’t really your thing. You might be unsure if the circus is truly for you. I mean sure you’ve thought about joining the circus for a while but the real thing might be completely different to how you’ve imagined it. Can’t you just dip your toe in? Have a bit of taster session? Of course you can! There are a range of recreational classes available for both adults and children alike, whilst the National Centre for Circus Arts also provides workshops and away days for corporate clients.

Running away to the circus might not really be a viable way to become a circus performer in the UK these days, so the National Centre for Circus Arts provides that opportunity for those looking to give circus ago. Work on all things equilibristic, acrobatic and aerial and we suspect you’ll become a circus performer in no time. Many circus acts trained in London so we know just how good they are! So what are you waiting for? Get down to Hoxton as soon as possible and see just how you can accomplish your dream of joining the circus, impressing at the Olympics and performing at parties all over the world!

Creative ideas for your next event

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Circus act entertainers have given the world of corporate entertainment a whole new generation of aerial artists, defying gravity to present unique. Even if you haven’t got a skyscraper to use as your stage, these circus-inspired artists can perform in almost any space, for any corporate event.

Aerialists use aerial circus and dance theatre with dynamic lighting and music to create evocative shows using trapeze, ropes and silks. Available as a solo artist for smaller venue, or as large a troupe as you wish, their show can be tailored to create the atmosphere you require, whether humorous, quirky, elegant. With a range of associated acts, including aerial champagne pouring, we are sure you will find your perfect act on our website.

Here at Red Masque we think we are tooled with some of the best party entertainers which will capture your imagination. So, what are the best of the best for corporate entertainment acts for your next corporate event in 2017? Red Masque directory have the hottest trends and acts for corporate, and company parties to ensure your VIPs are very impressed and your boss is very happy.

Offer your guests a total 007 experience: an elegant stately home or iconic venue, set up as a celebrity lookalike James Bond complete with elegant hostesses serving martinis (shaken not stirred by expert cocktail waiters). Then add some party musical entertainment combining iconic Bond movie soundtracks and characters with dance and spectacle, such as a top party function band with a James Bond set.

Add in some more celebrity lookalikes and a John Cleese lookalike the ‘new’ Q, who sets your guests site-specific missions to test their skills.

Bespoke dance groups provide a superb spectacle that transcends language, and can be precisely tailored to your corporate event theme. From ballet dancers to contemporary rock dancers, your guests can enjoy a show full of energy, passion, augmented by state of the lighting and sound systems.

Whatever the occasion, you’ll find a dance troupe to suit; that can offer themed events such as Arabian Nights, Argentinean Tango, Burlesque, Flamenco, Irish Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, and Vegas Showgirls for example.

A Vintage Circus Party

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Ever since “Water for Elephants” hit the theatres, we’ve been in love with the Vintage Circus party theme. The idea has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the most visually exciting party themes out there! Plus, you can add all kinds of amazing live entertainment to take things up a notch. We have a few ideas to bring your Vintage Circus party to life.

Decorations

Stripes are an easy way to incorporate that circus feel into your party. If you can’t have the actual big top tent, bringing the red and white stripes into your decor will do the trick. Hanging a backdrop of alternating white and red scarves or sheets can mimic the tent, as well. Try and find faded red to add to the vintage theme. Banners with alternating flags are another simple yet effective decoration. Luckily, balloons are inexpensive and fit beautifully into a Circus theme. Hang balloons from the ceiling and pair with white lights or scarves for a simple, yet gorgeous setting.

If your budget is a little higher, you could have marquee letters with lights spell out “CIRCUS” (or maybe the name of the guest/guests of honour).

Invitations are really fun for this theme. Create and print postcards announcing “The Circus is Coming to Town” with all of your event details.

Refreshments

What foods do you love at the circus? hot dogs, or candy floss? All great ideas for your Vintage Circus party! Set up a self-serve table with all of your favourites and let your guests take their pick. Or if you’d rather have someone else take care of the details and add an element of authenticity, try bringing in a company to provide candy floss hot dogs, and more.

If your party includes a cake, there are tons of amazing designs out there. Professional cake decorators can help your vision come to life, or simplify things with a cupcake tower instead! Just frost them in your theme colours, add a printable toothpick flag, and you’re set.

To dress up your food table a bit, print labels in a fun “Circus” font.

Party Entertainment

While it would be amazing to have an elephant in your backyard, it’s not entirely probable. That doesn’t mean you can’t have awe-inspiring entertainment at your Vintage Circus party! In fact, some of our favourite types of corporate event entertainment live in this category. If you have the space, Aerialists put on some amazing shows in the air above the party. Jugglers, Fire eaters, and Acrobats can also take advantage of the area and keep your guests mesmerized.

If space is a little tight, try up-close and personal entertainment like Mind readers, Tarot Card Readers, or Street Magicians Have some kids at the party? Balloon Moddlers and Face Painters are always a great addition to Circus parties!

Thinking about 2016 summer

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Much as we love advertising entertainment for corporate events and weddings, it’s often a nice change of pace to remember the little people and to also remember that after Christmas you’re going to have to be thinking about Summer and BBQ’s (which is rather something to look forward to) 

To keep the youngsters busy, how about a Circus performer and a glamorous Circus Workshop with juggling displays, plate spinning unicycling and lessons in the age-old art of the Diablo. These circus performers will have the kids entertained for hours whilst their parents got on with the more pressing concerns of the rest of the event.

Young or old a magician with some of that ‘close up magic’. Close up magic specialist and all round entertainer give guests a bewildering display of sleight of hand and mentalism taking in card tricks, mind reading and more. 

A Portrait Artist drawer is very charming and quite flattering in a playful, unique style. Guests seemed to love a portrait artist and although they maybe a bit nervous as how they will be portrayed they can’t wait to see the result and a is a great keepsake!! 

A Steel Band is great background music for any event and will perform suitably exotic and energetic set of tunes that will transform a very English garden barbecue into an equatorial island party. Warm, enthusiastic and hugely entertaining – a steel bands infectious passion for their music will be passed on to everyone who hear them and will proved to be the perfect soundtrack to the event.

Christmas Decor

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For all 2015 christmas corporate events, décor will be key. Your venue needs to wow your guests from the moment they walk in, creating a special and uniquely defined space for your event. Two highly contrasting themes are high tech interactive and natural materials, enabling your company to show off its tech prowess, or boost its eco credentials.

Choose musicians that blend performances with tech, such as our interactive VJ’S, or a live DJ. Get your guests interacting with each other playing giant games with your very own theme. 

If you choose a high tech theme, your christmas party entertainment must be 100% integrated to the whole tech ambience. Look for entertainers that offer a tech twist in their act, such as iPad illusionists, LED Light entertainers and street magicians that work with the latest phones and mobile gadgets. 

If you are thinking about a winter corporate event into a natural winter wonderland party with ice sculptures and decorated living statues, walkabout characters, and seasonal winter menus. Welcome guests with the warming aromas of mulled wine, or entice people out into the crisp winter air with heated seating areas, piles of rugs and sweet chestnuts roasting on a real coal brazier.

You could extend the theme beyond décor and food into acoustic musical acts, for a more ‘natural’ sound. Entertain with a gospel singing Christmas songs, or a trendy a Capella groups, or guitar and sax soloists.

When you want your corporate party to finally hot up, keep the theme with classic tracks that really evoke the sights and sounds with top UK function and party bands who know their Farrell and their Ed Sheeran.

Take lighting to the next level and illuminate your event to create spectacle and visual interest. Any venue can be transformed with clever and creative use of lighting even on the more limited of budgets. Use lighting to throw unusual shadows, to colour tables rather than using flowers, and use wireless technology to alter lighting states to reflect the various stages of your event.

Your entertainment should be equally well lit! Look for party DJ’S with their own light shows, rock and pop function bands that provide their own lighting, and artists that use light in imaginative ways.

For larger events, book artists that have a strong visual impact enhanced by theatrical style lighting, such as dance troupes, ballet dancers or aerial artists.

Find ways to make your christmas party entertainment a pleasure for everyone by choosing acts that blend superb musicianship with accessible humour, such as a comedy string quartet. Or present musical acts with an international flavour, such as 1920s swing band just make people smile!

International party ideas

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At Red Masque entertainment we are always on the lookout for interesting and unique party ideas for our blog. This week’s post is about using international themes for your event. Every culture has its traditional outfits and performers, and many of these performers are available for hire.  Here are some ideas:

1. Moroccan nights with belly dancers, snake charmers, hukas and waiters dressed in caftans. Drape the place in beautiful Moroccan fabrics; add candlelight and torches and you’ve got yourself something special.

2. Bollywood theme with traditional Indian Marquees (think an extravagantly decorated tent with lots of throw pillows and fabrics), beautiful Indian ladies in lovely silk saris, Henna artists and Yogis.

3. A sushi night with Japanese geishas dancing and playing traditional instruments such as the shamisen or shakuhachi, and singing. If you want a more hearty fare, hire Tepanyaki chefs to cook in front of your guests. What could be better than a fire-shooting volcano made of onions?!

4. Argentinian Tango night with costumed dancers/instructors, plain wooden tables with candles or lanterns, low lights, bottles of Malbac, tango posters or paintings on the wall. Remind the guests to dress in black and red.

5. A Queen’s Jubilee with royal footmen, cockney tourists, and a royal court. High tea anyone? If that’s too high-brow, just add a Beatles tribute band.

6. Brazilian Carnival with costumed stilt walkers, samba dancers, Brazilian bands, and vibrant carnival costumes and statues.

7. Chinese Circus with fire performers, Chinese circus acts, martial art dancers and extreme martial art performers. Throw in some body painters and origami and calligraphy artists just for fun.

We sure you have some of your own ideas, and at Red Masque Entertainment we are sure that you will be able to hire exactly what you had in mind.

Perfect ideas for your memorable party

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Everyone wants their event or party to be memorable, and using unique entertainment ideas is simply the best way for folks to remember your event. The more unique, the more lasting the impression. Here are 10 more cool and different ways to wow your guests:

One idea is music comedy performers, how about hiring two pianists which involve two crazy entertainers, each wielding a grand piano, top party hits from the past 40 years, jokes, toasts and audience interaction. Each piano player tries to outdo the other in this outrageous fiesta of music and comedy. This is especially good for corporate events where you want everyone to let their hair down and just have fun or with brides who want to steer clear of the typical bands or DJs and are want something more memorable. 

Hire a miniature impersonator. Political correctness aside, it’s pretty cute to see a 4 foot celebrity lookalike in full costume strutting around your event. It’s sure to make your guests smile. 

If you have a flair for the dramatic, hire a fire performer. This combines dance, drama and movement into a theatrical presentation that is hypnotic and memorable. Of course you better check with the fire marshal to see what is required in terms of safety! 

Another dramatic choice would be a circus-themed event, replete with acrobats and balancing performers, dancers in costume, and tight rope walkers. If you can’t have your party in an exotic locale, bring the exotic locale to your party! 

String quartets are always hit with their tight harmonies and old-time costumes. Some of these vocal groups will write a song for your group or company if you give them background beforehand. Imagine listening to these beautiful voices singing in glorious 4 part harmony. 

Why not think about having a Snow Party. There are companies that will come to your event and create real snow and ice. You could always have a White Christmas with Snowmen, sledding, snowball fights and ice skating. It’s not impossible. 

We’ve all seen Pig Racing. I admit, this is a bit out there, but who could resist these plump little porkers trotting down the track, each scrambling to get out in front for a nail biting race to the finish. Great fun for old and young, everybody can participate and cheer on their favourite to win.

Hog Roast! Ok, perhaps not the most inspired idea after a pig race, but who doesn’t like bacon and roast pork, especially if your pig lost the race. 

Moulin Rouge is always a fun theme to work with. Hire some Can-Can dancers, slap red-flocked velvet on the tables, and don a gorgeous Parisian turn-of-the-century costume. Hang a girl on a trapeze singing Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend and call it a day!

Bend me, shape me

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Find the best contortionists available for hire in the UK today. One of the most extreme circus disciplines, contortion pushes the the limits of the human form. With superhuman flexibility contortion artists will put on a amazing and memorable show and guarantee to astound your guests leaving them with an impression that will last a lifetime.

Contortion (sometimes contortionism) is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts.  In general, contortionists have unusual natural flexibility, which is then enhanced through gymnastic training.

Skills;
Most contortionists are categorized as either front benders or back benders, depending on the direction in which their spine is more flexible. Relatively few performers are equally adept at bending both frontwards and backwards.

Front bending skills such as folding forward at the waist with the legs straight, or placing one or both legs behind the neck or shoulders with the knees bent (called a human knot). They may also pass their body through a ring or barrel while in a forward fold.

Back bending skills such as touching one’s head to one’s feet, or all the way to the buttocks (called a head-seat), while standing, lying on the floor, or in a handstand. A Marinelli bend is a backbend while supported only by a grip at the top of a short post that is held in the mouth.
Splits and over splits (a split of more than 180 degrees) may be included in front bending or back bending acts. An over split may be performed while the feet are supported by two chairs or by two assistants. 

Enterology is the practice of squeezing one’s body into a small, knee-high box or other container which appears to be much too small for a person to fit in. 

Dislocations of the shoulders or hip joints are sometimes performed as a short novelty act by itself. One example is lifting the arm to the side until it passes behind the head and lies across the top of the shoulders.

In the past, contortionists were associated almost exclusively with circuses and fairs, but recently they have also found work performing in nightclubs, amusement parks, in magazine advertisements, at trade shows, on television variety shows, in music videos, and as warmup acts or in the background at music concerts. In addition, contortion photos and digital movie clips are traded by fans on the Internet, and several web sites provide original photos of contortion acts for a monthly fee, or sell videotapes of performances through the mail.

Incredible Circus acts

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A circus event is great for all the family – we have some great circus acts for you to choose from. You could hire a full on circus or just a few acts. Here are some suggestions to really get you thinking:

A good juggler today can juggle almost anything from fire to dangerous objects with their complex routines that has been practiced and practiced over and over again. Have you ever wanted to learn the art of juggling?

If you needed a juggler for a children’s party or a grown up event then look no further than our choice of fine jugglers that are very professional and can put on a good show for your special event. You could be launching a new product, having a private party, corporate affair which will get the attention your event needed to be a success.

Another exciting entertainment act to book would be a Knife Thrower. If you were thinking that this would be a good way to get rid of your boss at this year’s Christmas party – think again, as we have the most professional Knife Throwers advertised with us here at Red Masque entertainment directory.

This act is terrifyingly dangerous and you will have one eye open when you see the Knife Thrower in action.  Toe curlingly good and great entertainment, we are sure you will love this act.

Another one to consider is a sword swallower it will be the most jaw dropping, show stopping, act that you could possibly see and everyone will want to watch it – it’s extremely clever and obviously well practiced and these guys are obviously a master in their field. From regurgitating, to swallowing razor blades we find it almost impossible to comprehend but ever so fascinating to watch.

A tightrope walker watched from great heights is breathtaking, these tightrope walkers will amaze you with their amazing balance where sometimes they can juggle, sword swallow or even knife throw all rolled into one amazing act.

So forget your normal clowns and have a circus event to remember which will ‘wow’ your guests and if your guests would like, maybe they would like to be taught the art of a few of these acts?

Be confident in Red Masque’s chosen party entertainment guide and believe that we have the best on the books advertised just for you…

A Casino themed event

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You may well want to go all out at your event and have a ‘James Bond’ theme and have a few celebrity lookalike ‘Bonds’ or some ‘Pussy Galore’ lookalikes gracing your event.  

It doesn’t have to be an all adult affair either you could make it family orientated and hire some bouncy castles, children’s entertainers or some fairground stalls.

Just make it your own – we have some great ideas on our website which will fit into whatever you were deciding.  A birthday party or fund raising event which would be very unique and anyone receiving an invitation would be very curious and definitely want to turn up.  Use your imagination and your event could be the most talked about for many months to come.

Going back to a ‘Casino Theme’ you may have the roulette wheel, or the black jack table, but why not indulge in a few arcade games for the younger ones or indeed the older generation who love to have a go on retro ‘Pac man’ or ‘out run’. You may want some ‘slot machines’ where you will find that people will be hogging them for hours.

You could be organising a charity event where all proceeds go to your favourite cause, or you may want somebody to win big!!  The choice is yours and your event will be a very tempting invitation.

Don’t forget to hire some all-important Paparazzi for when your guests arrive, they will be ‘papped’ just like the stars of today, and after they will be able to see their escapades on a souvenir dvd, now that’s what memories are made of!!!

To book some of the ideas that we have listed or to get some more inspiration simply look within our Red Masque party and event entertainment directory to see which would be ideal for you.