David

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 05 Apr 2010 04:52

David wrote:
[quote]Here at Penn State University, where I go to school, there are many choices to fill the mandatory 3 credits of gym. You can perfect your breast stroke, fly fish in a nearby river, and even spend a week sailing. There are awesome courses like ultimate Frisbee and rock climbing, but these are reserved for the summer sessions of school which I never attended. Lastly, there are some interesting ones like yoga or tai chi, but the popularity of these courses means that they are filled before any normal first, second, or third year student can even dream of scheduling them.

There is a legendary class that echoes through the halls of penn state gymnasiums like a sweaty secret, placed on the course rosters of a lucky few. Itâ€™s a gym class with only about a hundred spots a semester, which is nothing in a school of 40,000. A class that some love and swear by and others limp out of daily, skipping it whenever they get the chance. Polls of seniors graduating rank it as one of the classes you â€œhave to takeâ€

mikeanello · Post by **mikeanello** » 05 Apr 2010 07:59

David,

Great post about ballroom dancing and the like. You tell good stories and in a way that paints a picture and keeps me reading.

When you talked about getting people excited about footbag, the first thing that came to mind was your video "Cleaver" from July 2005 that uses the song "Diamonds are forever". That video has so much great footage, different locations, incredible shred, and a song that is confident and in your face. I think if you put out another video like that and flooded the net with it, people would get excited.

Think about it.

Peace.

professor · Post by **professor** » 05 Apr 2010 19:20

I agree. ^^^

One of my favorite videos of you.

mc · Post by mc » 06 Apr 2010 09:52

Superb post. I also loved that I know so many of your footbag "wants", like the berries on the shoes and the 99 cent pizza.

We did a good bit of dancing in my musicianship class at Fredonia, and I got an awesome girlfriend out of it. I even wrote a little song about our first date called One Chance, maybe you have heard it

?

david · Post by **david** » 13 Apr 2010 17:35

NYC to Berlin last week: 455, drops to 415 mid week.

David thinks: oh wow, it dropped, it will continue to do so

Today: NYC to Berlin: 532

WTF. I need this to be cheaper.

CIC flurry · Post by **CIC flurry** » 13 Apr 2010 22:47

Nice post. Makes me want to do something.
I may be the one you're referring to when I said that playing in public didn't yield new players, but one thing I have noticed is that people will watch (and hopefully then play), if you already have an audience. People are more comfortable when it's already accepted, and they're ok at the back of the crowd. Camera's especially! People see cameras and they're all up ons.

david · Post by **david** » 15 Apr 2010 20:46

Ticket bought. David goes to Europe June 18th.

I now have 2 months to get together some sort of savings so I can afford to eat while I'm there. I have picked up the needle and begun sewing again. I do not imagine I will continue making bags past this summer, as I will be working full time. If you are interested in purchasing a David Clavens footbag, please e-mail me: davidclavens at gmail.com.

Thanks to everyone who helped me plan my trip. I look forward to playing with some of the best in the world on their home turf.

David

mikeanello · Post by **mikeanello** » 16 Apr 2010 05:14

Congratulations on getting a ticket. Can't wait to see video of that event!

Ian Brill · Post by **Ian Brill** » 17 Apr 2010 07:01

Glad to hear you are going to Europe. Between footbag and your new career I am sure this will be the first of countless trips abroad. It's cool that you will get the opportunity to see Europe first on your own terms as well. I am sure you are going to have the best time! Stoked for you.

Best of luck with any competitions as well!

Post by **Zac Miley** » 17 Apr 2010 07:16

I WANT A BAG!

E-MAILING NOW!

david · Post by **david** » 30 Apr 2010 14:40

A new magic routine. Comment if you have a thought.

http://www.vimeo.com/11366995

qphox · Post by **qphox** » 02 May 2010 16:02

I'm super impressed Dave, but in my opinion you could do without a lot of the times you say "Which is _____". I think you've got a really solid flow going, but telling me that this is good/cool/great each time you do a trick can get a little distracting.

But seriously, that's a really minor criticism...some of those sleights are just nuts.

professor · Post by **professor** » 02 May 2010 19:09

That was sleightly ridiculous.

Reid · Post by **Reid** » 02 May 2010 19:51

Pretty good stuff David. The only thing I didn't like was the first trick with both the pen and the coin where they "switched places" there was too much going on with the hands that I didn't feel like I was being lead properly (the movements for me didn't match up with what you were selling). Also take your time with the nothing up my sleeve trick at the beginning, really show the skeptics that there is nothing up your sleeve. Again, good stuff and I hope to see more.

mikeanello · Post by **mikeanello** » 03 May 2010 06:07

Nice tricks David. Keep up the good work.

david · Post by **david** » 03 May 2010 07:24

Thanks for the comments guys. To Kevin, you are totally right. I showed this to some magicians and I quickly realized my patter (what I say while the trick progresses) is pretty subpar. A lot of magicians online actually just throw music over their videos, which I think makes it easier but limits the connection. I have to work on what I'm saying a lot more. It is a lot easier to narrate card magic for some reason.

david · Post by **david** » 03 May 2010 21:57

http://vimeo.com/11429417

Party a couple days ago.

Asmus · Post by **Asmus** » 04 May 2010 00:17

I enjoyed that one alot.

Last week it was the Queen of Denmarks birthday and the comedian/magician Rune Klan did this trick at the liveshow in TV.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y8bN3LNOyM[/youtube]
Some people said he went too far. But later on she said she loved it.
Maybe you will like it.

mikeanello · Post by **mikeanello** » 04 May 2010 07:35

Nice work at the party David. The girls reactions were great.

I enjoyed the Rune Klan video as well.

david · Post by **david** » 04 May 2010 10:55

Asmus,

I'm actually a huge Rune Klan fan and do some of his moves in my coin work. He is really well known in magic for really hard sleights using coins. His stage work is pretty funny too. Good find! How famous is he over there?

David