AfrikaBurn Flow Arts Commune Interest Form for Burning Man 2017
Over the years we have talked and dreamed about taking a small group of performers to the Great Circle at Burning Man. The time for dreaming is over. It is time put the wheels into motion officially and manifest this dream. This year Duncan and I (Bruno) had lengthy discussions with Brittany, who herself was Shin last year for a large troupe. She has inspired us to actually commit and make this happen. She has offered to help and be our person on the ground in the states.
Burning Man 2017 will be the year!
We will be going as a team of 15 – 25. We have just over 2 years to prepare. This might sound like a long time but when we start looking at what it is going to take to make this happen 2 years almost doesn’t seem enough. First off there is the big issue of costs. Yes this is not a cheap endeavor and our rough estimates to take a full team, comes to over half a million rand.
We are planning on covering this cost mainly with fund raising and sponsorship/grants. The burner community is rather giving and this will be a big deal even for the fire conclaves at BM. We will need all their support to make this happen. The cost per person comes to about 20K – 25k which includes all your costs. In an ideal world we will raise enough money but just in case if you commit start saving a bit of money on the side. Perhaps we only manage to cover 70% of the costs, you will be expected to cover the difference of your cost.
Secondly we need to apply/audition to be a conclave at BM. This involves not just a whole bunch of admin for Shin and Assist Shin but it requires us to make a large group choreography with narrative and then on top of that make a 15 minute audition video of the choreography and all the performers. Brittany will be helping with the guidelines on this. We have in our favour that a fire conclave representative from AB would be a first at BM. And the whole fire conclave thing is a rather big deal at BM. They will want us there. We just need to show them we are serious and capable.
Good news is this application only has to be submitted June 2016.
We have a couple of positions that need to be filled see below the positions and team descriptions:
Positions:
Shin: Duncan Greenwood
Assistant Shin: Bruno Kopf
Performance Lead:
Safety Lead:
Build Lead:
Media Lead:
Costume Lead:
Helmsman:
Performance Team:
Performance Lead is responsible for creating/directing the choreography, scheduling practices, communicating with other leads like costumes and build team. The performance team will consist of most of the team but this doesn’t mean it will be your only job. We will all most likely be in more than one other team (Not Safety or Helmsman)
Safety Team:
Safety Lead is responsible for coordinating with their team and working with the Build Team Lead as a co-leader and designer to ensure our safety, especially when using the special props. These two teams will also have to work together to create our special prop submission video.
Safety Crew must be at all fire practices. Safety crew is responsible for manning safety blankets at practices and during performances, and for keeping the fuel depot running smoothly, especially with the timely fueling of our special props. Attendance throughout is very important to maintaining a smoothly running fuel depot and ensuring everyone is up to date on how to extinguish all of our props. In order to foster greater community with our safety crew, we'd like all safety crew members to also sign up for one of the other teams listed below.
Build Team:
Build Team & Lead is responsible for orchestrating the designing of our special props, acquiring the materials, building, and providing safety briefings for our special props.
Costume Team:
Costume Crew Lead is responsible for brainstorming and designing costume ideas, creating costumes, and leading discussions with the performers about costumes. The Costume Crew reports to the Performance Lead, and helps in whatever ways they can.
Media Team:
Responsible for shooting video and photography of our group. Resulting media will be used in FAC promotional materials and submissions to Fire Council. Media team will have to be present at our practices leading up to our video submission deadline (not announced, but expected to be in June) as well as our practices leading up to Burning Man. They can also optionally accompany us on playa, but we should have at least one media team member on playa catching our performance! Media Team will coordinate with Shin on exactly what materials are needed for the Fire Council.
Camp and Kitchen Team:
No one is excluded from this team. We will all help set up camp, cook, and do what is needed to keep our camp clean and functioning.
Fund Raising Team:
Team is led by Shin and Assist Shin, Leads will be responsible for overseeing all fundraising, sponsorship/grant applications, and pimping, reporting back progress to teams, general team motivation. Everyone will have to be involved in fund raising and online campaigns that we set upon.
Helmsman (Single Person)
Carries the walkie talkie on burn night and is the point person for our group for any communications coming in from fire council or BM HQ. Helmsman does not need to be present at practices, cannot participate as a performer, in safety crew, or in media crew on burn night.
Drum Tribe
Brittany has said that drummers can be arranged at the burn from another theme camp and so this is something we do not have to worry about.
Shin & Assistant Shin:
Fearless leaders that are making the Impossible…. Possible. Maintaining determination and motivation, herding hippies, more admin than they would like. Communication with leads and the BM Fire Conclave Council, and general responsibility for well… everything working and running smoothly.
If you are interested in taking part in this adventure please read the 'Terms of Commitment' and complete the 'Interest / Application Form'