A different kind of booking
On Monday 1 November 2010, Hazel and I travelled to the David Lloyd club in Moortown, Leeds, for a job that was rather different from our usual entertainment bookings. Working through the agency Follies, we had been engaged to train David Lloyd staff in two of the practical skills we had been using professionally for years: face painting and balloon modelling.
This was more than a local staff session. David Lloyd had brought people from around the UK to attend, with around 20 participants expected. The aim was not to turn anyone into a professional face painter or balloon modeller in a single day. It was to give them a sound foundation, a useful repertoire of quick and effective designs, and enough knowledge to continue practising after the course.
Hazel's face-painting workshop
The morning session ran from approximately 10am to 12.45pm and was led by Hazel. Rather than simply demonstrating a few finished faces, she started with the techniques behind them: loading and using a sponge, applying an even base, blending colours, loading a brush and controlling the thickness of a painted line.
Those fundamentals were then applied to quick children's designs. The original brief called for approximately six adaptable faces. A tiger, for example, could be altered to create a cat or leopard, while simple flowers and butterfly work gave the trainees further ideas that could be developed later.
Speed mattered. These were designs intended for children's parties, so they needed to look effective without taking an impractical amount of time. Health and safety and risk-assessment advice formed part of the training too, and participants received notes and step-by-step material to help them continue practising afterwards.
More than 500 balloons
After lunch it was my turn. The balloon-modelling session ran from approximately 1.15pm until 4pm, beginning with the basics: inflation, knot tying and the different types of bubbles and twists used to construct balloon models.
We started with the classic sausage dog and moved on to a selection of single-balloon animals, balloon hats and multi-balloon creations. I also included some of the tricks and comic business that make balloons entertaining rather than simply decorative — including putting a little ball inside a balloon and making a balloon bow and arrow that actually fired.
It was certainly hands-on. I recorded afterwards that we had used more than 500 modelling balloons during the afternoon alone — considerably more than I would normally use on an ordinary balloon-modelling performance booking.
Performers — but teachers too
Although the subject was entertainment, Hazel and I approached the day as teachers. Hazel's teaching background came through her professional dance-teacher training. Mine came from the Army, where I was taught methods of instruction and qualified as an instructor in a range of subjects.
Over the years we had both adapted those teaching skills to the entertainment business. The object wasn't simply to show the group what we could do; it was to break each skill into manageable stages, explain why it worked, let people practise it and give them the confidence to continue learning after we had gone.
A slightly frantic start
We had arrived at 9am, a full hour before the course was due to begin, expecting plenty of time to prepare. Unfortunately, the member of staff responsible for the arrangements was unexpectedly off sick and nobody else seemed to know very much about the course.
We couldn't get into the training room until just before 10am — almost exactly when the participants arrived. It wasn't the calm start we had planned, but the course got under way and the day itself went very well.
My email immediately afterwards recorded the important part: the participants left feeling that they had learnt a great deal and, if anything, would have liked even more time with us.
Sharing the skills
Hazel and I have always enjoyed teaching and sharing the skills we have picked up over the years. Entertainment can look effortless when it is done well, but behind a quick painted face or a balloon animal are techniques that can be explained, practised and improved.
That is what made this particular day memorable. We weren't there to entertain the David Lloyd staff. We were there to help them become the entertainers — giving them practical skills they could take back to their clubs and use with children at parties and activities.