|
How Joshua became Raven The Raven plays a role in almost every culture's mythology. In Norse and Celtic myths they have played the roles of being messengers of the gods. In native American lore they are the messengers between the living and the dead and Raven is the trickster who sets things right. How did I get set into playing the Raven. This question is asked of me almost every time stop flying. So I'll tell the story here.
Anyway the drum jam was building to a frenzy. I stared at my ball and had an idea. I ran to my car threw on my raven mask and grabbed the fans I used as my wings. I jumped on my ball and rolled out into the middle of the crowd. They went wild and I suddenly learned how to fly. Clumsily at first but I got better. With regard to the fan moves I first saw them from Jeff Mc Bride who is highly Kabuki influenced. RAVEN OPTIONS
|
RAVEN OPTIONS Evolution of Raven (photos & video)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Joshua is a unique storyteller and entertainer rooted in both oral and visual tradition. Unlike most magicians, who find stories to hang on their tricks as patter, Joshua's takes existing mythology and illustrates it through illusion. Modified Wednesday, August 21, 2002 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Story of Raven stealing the sun was my signature piece in the days when I was doing mostly school assemblies. I belong to an association of alternative magicians known as the Mystery School whose goal is to put more myth and meaning into their magic. Jeff McBride the schools founder sponsored an event called the World Magics festival, in which his ceremonial magician friends and performance magic buddies would work together to create a happening. The shamans and showmen created an enchanted forest in which patrons were led on a mystical journey of low tech special effects and spiritualism through stations of the elements. While the magicians were jamming around the fire I told the story of Raven steals the sun, complimented by effects. 
Jeff suggested that I be Raven at the cross roads leading people through the forest.
I had more fun than I had in years playing this character and was completely elated. The following weekend I was at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. At that point in time I was doing admitedly a pretty lame act called Balls of Steel that revolved around myths of silver balls, magic , and Juggling. But it had caused me to get a rolling globe (The ball I walk on). This was a skill I picked up back when I was in Ringling Bros. Clown College and didn't think it would make much difference.