Bring Back Our Flow!
At Raindance Campout in June 2014, two flow artists had their tools stolen out of their camps - Becca and James both had LED contact staves from Flowtoys that they brought to dance with at the festival. Becca was even teaching a contact staff workshop the day after her staff was stolen! Since neither of these wonderful people can afford to replace the stolen staves, we're asking our friends, family, and the flow arts community for a little help in replacing them.
Becca's Story
My first real love in the world of circus and flow arts was contact staff. When I found out I could get an LED staff, I immediately wanted to buy one. However, since Flowtoys was creating a new design for a better built staff, I waited over a year until the newest model came out, and I loved it—it was absolutely perfect for my style. I saved up for that staff so that I would be able to afford two sets of pod lights, and it was a top of the line prop, costing about $250 plus tax. I took it to many performances and music festivals, leaving it leaning on my tent with my other props without any issue. This is why I was so heartbroken when I discovered that someone had stolen it on Saturday night/Sunday morning at this years Raindance Festival. I couldn't believe someone had the nerve to just snatch up something from a personal campsite. Even worse, I was later informed that multiple LED props had been stolen that weekend. I used that staff not only for practice and personal enjoyment, but to get hired for gigs and for non-fire performances. As a recent college graduate trying to keep up with student loans, I can't afford to buy a new staff on my own. I also can't go back in time and put the staff in my tent, nor can I catch the culprit, but I do have the power to reach out to my community and ask for support to try to afford a new prop. Anything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated, and it means the world to me to know that people want to help, and am grateful for the generosity I have experienced.
James's Story
In the summer of 2013 I began my journey with contact staff and since that day I have been unable to put it down. For me contact staff has taught me more about myself and my body than any other life experience I have ever had, except for the day I picked up a set of poi but that's another story ;). I wouldn't have met the people I have and gone to the places I did without it... At first I had purchased a very low tier model of the Flowtoys brand LED contact staves, spending about $90-$100, and was perfectly content with that. As time passed I learned of a new model that was about to release and after some research I found out that it was going to be, like Becca said, top of the line. Well of course I needed to upgrade right? So I set my goal, I found as much work as I could and really pushed myself to meet this goal. Then, destiny!! I got invited to go work at The Bounce Festival and who was vending there? Why Flowtoys!! So I grabbed up my earnings, packed a bag, and took off with my old staff in hand. The first night of the festival I found the Flowtoys booth and got to negotiating. I asked about the new staff and it turns out they had a floor model to practice with! I grabbed it up and BOOM, I couldn't let go. Turning in my old staff for credit, I walked away with a brand new model, 2 pod lights and $180 dollars less in my wallet, jackpot. I couldn't have been happier! The flow of this thing blew my mind and I brought it with me everywhere I went for weeks.... My girlfriend even special ordered an extra set of pod lights for my birthday, before they sold them on the site! It was perfect; the whole thing was exactly how I wanted it. Well I had spoken too soon, pretty much as soon as I had the thing perfectly dialed in, it got pinched from our campsite at Raindance Campout 2014... I work to pay rent and fire perform/DJ for free just because I love this culture so much and I want to spread it around as much as I can, and since the dissapearance of my staff I have been unable to practice contact at all. So I am here to reach out to my community becasue I love and cherish all of you guys! You are my family and I hope you all feel the same and know that what's mine is yours! So please if you can spare anything we would be most gracious, I would love to dance for and with you all more!
THANK YOU for your support and love!
Any excess money raised after buying both contact staves, shipping, and GoFundMe fees will be split up between Becca and James to donate to a flow arts related charity of their choice, such as Flow Arts Institute or Give Props, to reinvest the love back into the flow arts community!
Thank you so much!
