Performers do it for the love of their art

What’s busking, you ask? Well, it’s not being royalty of public transpoetation (as yours truly, riding and writing). Busking, as defined by dictionary.com, means to “entertain by dancing, singing, or reciting on the street or in a public place”. Attending the Halifax International Busker Festival (takes place annually in August, but is in danger of not happening next year ) you’ll also see fire-eaters, trampoliners, breakdancers and a host of other crowd pleasing talents. In Halifax (and probably many of your own cities) there are buskers throughout the city during much of the year, and the one thing they have in common is they love what they do.

Once a year they gather here from all over the world to showcase their unique abilities. What makes their love of performing most evident is the fact that the festival does not pay them to perform. They get paid by the generous donations of the audiences, as is typical with street performers. So it a viable way to live? Is there enough money in busking to live comfortably? After having watched several acts throughout the 10-day festival I can safely say that many of them make more than enough money to pay their expenses and have some money left over. 3 shows daily x hundreds of spectators x a couple of dollars each, on average = pretty good money. The more members of an act, the trickier it becomes, however.

Due to time limitations, unpredictable weather and also a little procrastination on my part, the video blog that I had planned to do has fallen by the wayside. I approached several buskers to see about an interview, and received some lukewarm responses. In fairness they are quite busy, and they seemed to be a little skeptical of my credentials and intentions. Regardless of that fact, I’d like to highlight a few of the acts that I found especially entertaining, motivational and downright exciting.

ILL-Abilities Crew

As one of the most recognizable members of the crew, Luca “Lazy Legz” Patuelli, brings an amazing energy to the show. You may have seen him and his other crew Illmatic Styles on America’s Got Talent (he was born in Canada, though), and I was lucky enough to see them during the festival as well. The members of ILL Abilities are shining examples of what a person can do if they refuse to believe that they are disabled. It has to be seen to be fully appreciated, so please search for clips of these guys.

Spring Action

Some of you may recognize Sean McManus – the creator of this act – as a World Championship competitor. These performers fuse raw acrobatic and trampoline skills with both physical and verbal comedy. It’s an exciting and hugely entertaining show that appeals to all ages. Far from the typical street show (hauling a large trampoline around Halifax’s waterfront), it’s amazing to see athletes who have won medals (Eastern Canadian Quadruple and Triple Medalists, to be precise) in their sport showcasing their gifts for the public.

Rafael Sebastian

You’ve heard of David Blaine. You’ve heard of Criss Angel. Have you heard of Rafael Sebastian? If you haven’t, he should be a familiar name because his show is wildly popular at the festival. He blends genuine humour, illusions and daring tricks very effectively. I would dare say that street magic/illusions is the thing we’ve become most critical of as audiences. We’ve seen such over-the-top stuff in the past, and much of it involves camera trickery and angles. On the street, surrounded by a crowd, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a way to fool people if your tricks aren’t airtight.

While I didn’t manage to get interviews with the performers, I did get to enjoy their performances. Just remember the next time you see a busker that maybe that could be you, and you might very well make an excellent living at it. Think about it: a 10-day festival with approximately 3 shows a day. 30 shows x $300 (40-45 minute show, and a good act can easily make this amount) = $9000. Even after airfare, accomodations and food, you’ve managed to make a lot of money in 10 days. And you get to see the world while entertaining and amazing crowds of people. Maybe that singer on the corner with the guitar has the right idea.