The Back The Silver Lady of Sevilla
The Silver Living Statues Of Sevilla stand very still on a silver wheeled box or crate like a real statue until money was dropped into “The Hat”. The Silver Lady of Sevilla would then nod her head smile, curtsy & spin her Silver Roses. The Sevilla Silver Soldier would stand guard still until he heard the clink then he would go into a very animated wink & finger point. Both were more than happy to pose for picture opportunities after hearing or seeing the money. I have been to Mallory Square in Key West many times for the Sunset Celebration http://www.sunsetcelebration.org/appear.htm, I just never until now knew the correct name for this art form. Children are absolutely fascinated with buskers and The Silver People Of Sevilla seemed to perform with extra Gusto for the kids with the only cost being an appreciative contribution to the performer’s hat at the end of the show.
The Sevilla Silver Soldier Up Close & Personal
Living statues are literally frozen in time for a short time. They are actually trying to stay arrested not get arrested. Using altered states of consciousness can include reduced breathing and heart rate as the result of this discipline. Some living statues can enter a zen-like trance where 20 minutes can pass in five. Busking while not moving a single muscle is a very difficult feat. This type of busker sometimes adds paper-mach to further the realism portrayed as a living human statue. The effect is quite realistic and amazing. It is not known when human or living statues first became popular in Western society. Living nativity scenes date back to 1860 where the actors stood in place while portraying of the birth of Christ.
The word busker is slang from the root busk, "to seek to entertain by singing and dancing" probably from Spanish buscar, "to seek." Thusly, a busker seeks an appreciation of their artistic performance.
Busking and street performing is the art of street theatre. But the beauty of street theatre is that it can take on many guises. There are buskers who create temporary art on the pavement knowing it will be washed away or trampled after they are finished.
Busking and street performing is an art form that is created and predicated upon its direct relationship with the audience.
The Silver Lady of Sevilla
Unlike any other performance style, Busking’s primary source is the spontaneity and improvisation of the moment. These artists embrace a wide range of disciplines from the Silver Painted People of Sevilla, ubiquitous jugglers, dangerous magicians, happy comedians, hungry fire-eaters and higher acrobats to some of the most intriguing performance artists on earth. High wire walkers, giant sculptural puppets, stilt troupes, visual installation artists, alternative musicians, trapeze aerialists, dramatic character artists, passionate dancers and interstellar mimes are just a few of the spectacles the public can witness.
Busking is a simple way of bringing the entertainment to the people. There is no form of theatre or art more diverse, more spontaneous or more accessible. Some busk for the philosophical freedom it symbolizes. Most performers agree that there is nothing harder than busking but also that there is seldom anything more rewarding. Busking is a style of performance that is difficult to describe before it has been experienced. Good street performing draws its substance from the audience itself, reacting and improvising around the peculiarities of the group. No two performances are ever identical. Spontaneity and improvisation take precedence over perfection. Busking displays an eclectic array of talent outdoors using the sidewalks, the parks, plazas and the street as their stage. Celebrate the art of street theatre through unadulterated comic, physical and outrageous performances, spanning from the superbly sublime to the totally ridiculous.
The Silver Soldier of Sevilla
Although there is no admission fee or tickets to sell out, with good street theatre, it is very definitely standing room only!
Old School Busher’s Glossary
Barnstorm - Perform without regard to Busking laws Blockhead - Pounding a large nail into the nostrils Bottle - One who asks for and collects moneys for your performance Build - The initial crowd-gathering techniques Cafe Busker - One who plays cafes and terraces, indoors and out Chalk circle - Circle drawn in chalk around busker to define stage Chopping heads - Stealing another busker's audience Circle Show - Larger show gathering an audience around performer Closer - Grand finale Cold - Audience is in a bad mood or not responding Compact - Pulling the crowd in so more can join in the back Confederate - Participant who is secretly part of your show Crate slug - Derogatory term for performer on milk crate (statue) Cyber Busker - Busker performs virtual show online collecting tips Died - Performed to little or no applause (also bombed, flopped)
Dogs - Derogatory term for disliked busker(s) Edge-Crowd Flash - A large impressive act with several performers Flush - Actively passing the hat after grand finale Gate Crasher - Perform without being invited (busker festivals, fairs) Giraffe - Tall unicycle using a chain to the peddles
Hat - Monetary appreciation from your audience for your performance Hat Line - Telling the audience you appreciate monitory consideration
Heckler - Crowd member who taunts the performer Kill - The best success possible with the audience Lost focus - Someone or something interrupts your show Medicine Show - Selling of elixirs and potions for health One Man Band - Busker with drums, whistles, strings, and, horns
Pass the hat - Collecting monetary appreciation for your performance Permit - Some pitches require a fee from City Hall Pitch-Place stage for performances Projecting - Speaking loudly using your diaphragm Routine - Arrangement of parts of your performance Show - Main body of your performance (build, show, hat) Shill - A confederate planted in the crowd Silent - Performance that does not involve speaking (mime) Staged - Planting the audience with one or more confederates Star-Derogatory term for conceited busker Stipend - Fixed salary usually per day (busker festivals) Stooge - Confederate planted in the crowd (magic) Strolling - Moving about performing up and down the way Tip-Crowd Trickle - Hat is always out passively collecting tips Turn the Tip - Instruct crowd to donate or buy tickets (sideshow) Walk-by - Audience walks by performer (musician)
Some performers start as buskers and move on to fame.
The Silver Lady of Sevilla
Well known buskers include Penn & Teller, The Flying Karamotsov's, Patch Adams, Philip Petite, W. C. Fields, Marcel Marceau, Sinbad, Jimmy Buffet who performed at Mallory Square Sunset Celebration & Guy Laliberté founder and chief executive officer of Cirque du Soleil.
