Artist profile: The Amazing Kenny
Try to think of the most dangerous jobs there are. What do you come up with? Firefighter? Policeman? Construction worker? All deal with an above average level of risk in their normal work routine.
But, there are a group of workers who deal with much more. These are people who balance on wires stories above the ground, do back flips from swings that consist of mere rope and a single rod, and shove swords down their own throats.
Circus performers.
Thanks to my interesting habit of acquainting myself with a host of oddballs around the country, I know a few.
Circus performers work on their craft with little-to-no support or compensation. Whether it be juggling or firebreathing, there just isn’t much demand for circus acts these days. There’s Cirque du Soleil, a few large family circuses like Ringling Bros., and a handful of indie organizations, but that doesn’t amount to much when a kid is trying to desperately learn to eat fire without any guidance besides what he might read in books, glean from the internet, or watch on TV.
My friend, The Amazing Kenny, is slowly making a name for himself in Central Florida, with a variety of juggling and firebreathing shows he puts on. Many are for no pay or tips, making a living through his job at a coffee shop.
In his show, he includes tricks with contact juggling (like in Labyrinth), Chinese yo-yos (like the little Chinese girls in La Nouba), and juggling balls and pins. He includes cheesy one-liners in the act and sets some routines to music. All of his hard-work barely pays off… He does it for his love of the art.
Before the end of Chanukah, I figured I’d include a quick reference to Food History, where Gillian Polack gives a how-to guide for frying foods. Jewish people generally make fried dishes, because the oil has significance for the holiday.
