Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 18:04:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Hayes <balloondude@rocketmail.com>
Subject: IBAC & lack of twisters
To: "Balloon Twisters List" <balloon@balloonhq.com>

Hello fellow balloon addicts!  This is going to be a long post, OK?

I read the post by Larry as to why there weren't many twisters at
IBAC.  I would have to agree with him.  I went to Vegas last year to
drop in on IBAC since I couldn't attend the whole convention.  I also
do decorating in addition to entertainment.  Yes, IBAC's expensive no
matter how you look at it.  Plus, you are restricted to Qualatex
balloons only for competition purposes.  You can use whatever you
want at the jams.  That's why events like TJAM, Millennium Jam and
EuroJam thrive--you're not restricted by anything, but your own
creativity!  You can use every brand of balloons produced on the
planet.

Another issue is, "why should the twisters work for free at the
festival"?  I attended the festival in Vegas last year and there were
twisters, paid registrants, working the whole time.  However, the
biggest complaint that I heard later was that once in that area of
the festival, attendees had to then again put out money for "balloon
bucks" to "buy the balloons", but did any of the entertainers get any
compensation?  HELL NO!  All that money went right back to IBAC!  Did
the decorators have to do any extra centerpieces or decor to hand out
for free?  NO!!!!  And Pioneer still wonders why they can't get the
twisters to work or come to the convention.  Gee, I don't know, could
it be that twisters feel like maybe they're looking for cheap labor
like someone calling every entertainer in the phone book for the best
price irregarless of quality?  Just a thought, my thought only, but
it seemed to be a major underlying complaint.

Yes, as a decorator in addition to being an entertainer, I am
interested in all the classes, but then again, they overlap too, so
that presents a unique problem to those sole-proprietors or balloon
biz reps that do it all--or at least I try.  But as long as the
price/class ratio isn't in sync like it is for decorators, IBAC won't
get the participation it would like to have from the twisters.  I
realize it would be a chore to have separate reg. packets, etc, but
you just put a restriction on the registration via a different
colored pass so that  "twister-only registrants" can only enter
twisting classes and thus you can offer a mini-convention within a
convention for the twisters.  I mean everyone knows that the twisters
make up a small percentage of the total number of attendees.  I guess
they'll just have to attend All-Star Revue where it is not only more
economical for EVERYONE, but allows you more freedom in the products
you use.  Why?  I just have to assume because All-Star cares more
about including everyone and making their convention more accessible
to everyone.  I honestly don't know the politics and financing behind
them in detail, but there's obviously a LARGE discrepancy in the
costs between IBAC and All-Star, thus the difference in the
investment.

Just FYI, I both support and criticize Pioneer.  I mean 90% of my
apron is filled with Q's, but I also carry other brands, mainly for
colors they don't make and because I always like having a little bit
of everything.  But at the same time, some common sense, a little
more planning and a little more caring on Pioneer's and the IBAC
committee's parts could definitely increase the twisters'
interest/participation in attending IBAC.

It goes both ways, twisters, twister-decorators, everyone has to save
for IBAC, but at the same time, you expect to get an equal amount out
of the convention.  I think if you break it down per person, the
twisters are paying a much higher amount than the decorator, but they
don't get the same number of offerings.  That's the bad part.  Oh
well, I guess they'll just have to keep working on it.

I personally didn't attend IBAC, 1) because I just got back from TJAM
3 weeks before, 2) I want to go to Millennium Jam in Belgium, 3) I'm
not made of money and free time, 4) I think, like several, if not
many, twisters or twister-mostly types, got turned off by IBAC and
the festival/work-for-free setup.  If I get the chance to go next
year, then I'd probably just be attending the decor & decor marketing
classes to help out that side of my biz, but for the twisters I'd
attend every jam possible--as it is now, I can't realy support the
twisting class setup.  I have nothing but praise for those that
attend and teach, but I think you guys aren't getting your fair share
so to speak.  You should be getting attendance figures like those at
TJAM!  Wouldn't that be a big plus?  Like Larry said, twisters are
the minority (my interpretation: and we shall be treated as such). 
Thanks for getting out there for all the twister LaRry!!  GO LARRY,
GO LARRY!

Just my really big 2cents, but I also think many are harboring
feelings about the setup.  I just happened to put mine in writing and
am sharing them with everyone.

BTW, Pioneer/Qualatex, I LOVE THE NEW NEONS, THEY'RE AWESOME FOR HATS
AND FLOWERS.  I JUST NEED TO GET A NEW GIG IN A BAR WITH BLACK
LIGHTS--THEY LOOK GREAT UNDER BLACK LIGHTS!!!!!!  Can we get a neon
blue added to the mix, please?

Thanks.



=====
"Twister Chris" Hayes - The Pinwheel Guy @ TJAM
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