Joining
the Temple of Poi Burning Man Conclave Performance
This document explains how the Burning Man Fire Conclave works
and includes:
You will also want to read these other two important documents:
Fire Performance at
Burning Man: Then and Now
In the mid 90s, Burning Man hosted a small city within which
fire arts performers were a scattered few. Towards the end of
the last century, the art form began growing and by 2000, Burning
Man had established a loose system for becoming one of the few
performers in The Great Circle. Initially, the pre-show to the
burning of The Man was a necessity, used as a tool to distract
the masses of the city while the pyro-technics specialists handled
last minute issues associated with burning The Man.
As the art form has grown in popularity and fire performers have
become more and more prevalent, the numbers within The Great Circle
have also grown to reflect the change in the fire community. 2005
saw it’s peak with nearly 800 fire performers, safety personnel
and drummers supporting the performance before the man.
Temple of Poi has been honored with the gift of a large group
within the circle since 2003.
Who is Crimson
Rose?
Crimson Rose, Managing Art Director for Burning
Man, was a pyromaniac long before she met the Burning Man.
When she attended her first event in 1991, she set the man on
fire and has been producing the release of the Man ever since.
Crimson makes sure everything goes boom at the right time, and
works to help people create art and destroy it safely.
Part of her responsibilities include managing burning the Man
as well as the Fire Conclave, the group of
fire performers surround the Man on Saturday night. This is no
small task. In 2005, the Conclave numbered nearly 800. Beyond
that, burning the Man involves enormous planning to have him stand
properly, safely on a platform which protects the playa as the
amazing pyrotechnics show is realized – all on a limited
time and money budget.
Crimson, a dancer and fine art model for 27 years, starting playing
with fire 25 years ago and, as she says, “Touching the flame
changed my life.” Part of Crimson’s gift to the Burning
Man community is to create the same opportunity for other fire
performance artists, creating a special opportunity to mark the
commencement of burning the Man through the show the Fire Conclave
creates.
This, however, is a small part of Crimson’s responsibilities.
She is on the Board of Directors for Burning Man and her responsibilities
encompass all aspects that relate to the art of Burning Man. The
mission of the Art department it to contribute to the artistic
creativity and grant money to artists to install their art on
the open playa. In 2005, of the 300 works of art on the playa,
32 of those were funded.
Off playa, Crimson can be found producing the SF Special events
– Fire Arts Festival, the 2006 Fire Arts Expo, Flambè Lounge and Decompression:Heat
the Street Party.
What
is Fire Conclave?
One of Crimson’s most challenging tasks is
to ensure the hundreds of fire performers performing the night
of the burn are not only compelling to watch, but effectively
managed and safe within the great circle. This group of people,
known as the Fire Conclave, annually create what has become the
largest fire performance in North America, if not the world, before
the Man is set ablaze.
The Fire Conclave is a select group of people who
work significant hours before arriving in Black Rock City (BRC)
to create performances dedicated to honoring the Man. These performances
create a temporary community who choose to create their art as
a gift in service of the Man.
As more fire performers arrive in BRC each year,
Crimson receives a growing number of inquiries and requests from
performers to participate in the tribute to the Man. In the face
of limited space, time and numerous safety concerns. In an effort
to cultivate a higher level of skill and performance artistry
in the fire arts, Crimson requires:
- groups of dancers must apply to join the conclave in groups
with a named leader, referred to as a “Shin”
- each group submit an initial proposal by February 1 and a
followup video taped audition by July 1
- each group create choreography -- this can include any fire
tool and is open to broad interpretation in an effort to encourage
diversity and creativity from the artists in the community
What
is a "Shin"?
The Shin’s role is to:
- Facilitate information dissemination from Crimson to the dancers
in their group
- Take responsibility for their dancers. This includes:
- Appropriate use of discount and gift tickets
- Ensuring the procedures (safety, paperwork, communication,
etc.) are adhered to according to named deadlines
- Organize their dancers and necessary rehearsals
- Vouching for the integrity of the dancers -- their sobriety,
their presence, their committment to excellence
- Working with Crimson and other Shin’s to create a groundbreaking
and high quality show in BRC.
- Submit the group plan, audition videos and other necessary
information to gain entrance to the Fire conclave
- Manage the receipt and distribution of laminates -- badges
used to get in the Great Circle the night of the burn -- between
Burning Man and the conclave groups
- Organize the non-firedancing members
of the group to ensure success.
What
can a Non-Firedancer do to Participate in Conclave?
There are 3 roles, apart from the firedancers, for
participants to consider if they wish to join the conclave but
are not yet comfortable being front and center as a performer.
Each group also has:
- Helmsman: this individual acts as a radio person
to communicate with Crimson for cues to start and stop the show
and any other important communication, including intructions
in the unlikely -- but dangerous and possible -- event of an
emergency. Responsibilities include:
- Ability to communicate information relayed via the walkie
talkie clearly between the conclave members and Crimson
the night of the burn
- check in, on playa, to receive laminates for burn night
- sobriety within the circle the night of the burn
- willingness and ability to take responsibility for a radio
borrowed from Burning Man
- a valid driver's license and credit card to be held by
Burning Man while the helmsman is in possession of a loaned
radio, to be returned to the helmsman in exchange for a
functioning radio
- willingness and ability to attend a training meeting,
usually held the day of the burn, to explain how to use
the borrowed radio
- Fire Watch: Fire Watch consists of the safety personnel
who ensure the dancers are safe. Responsibilities include:
- ensuring the fuel depot does not get set on fire
- support the safety of everyone within the circle
- sobriety within the circle the night of the burn
- check in, on playa, to receive laminates for burn night
- Drummers: Drummers provide the gift of sound by which
the performers dance. Responsibilities include:
- check in, on playa, to receive laminates for burn night
- sobriety within the circle the night of the burn
- willingness and ability to attend group practices
- a drum to bring to Burning Man
|
chaotech
design