Hiring a circus performer for your next event? Here are a few things to look out for when hiring a circus performer.
Are they insured? 90% of circus performer are insured so this is by no means a selling point but is just something you should be aware of. If a performer is not insured chances are they are inexperienced or possibly dangerous.
Do they have a promotional video ? If a circus performer doesn't have a promotional video for there show then they probably haven’t performed it that many times. Not always a bad thing as it could just be a new act they have been working on but if they are not honest about how much they have performed it then alarm bells should be ringing!
When will they arrive? if a Circus entertainer tells you they will arrive 30 minutes before their due to go on then you should be worried. We always arrive 2-3 hours before a show as most of the time there is complications with the set up of the event or show.
Can they provide a risk assessment? For a veteran circus entertainer providing a risk assessment is easy and can be done in a matter of hours even if they do not currently have one for a new act. if you ask for a risk assessment and it takes weeks to come back, have a hard think of the professionalism of your performer.
Can you see their previous clients? And are there previous clients similar to your company? Previous clients can tell you a lot about a circus entertainer. Do they mostly work for nightclubs? Then chances are they like a drink and a party (not entirely bad things). Or is their client large corporations and businesses? Then chances are they like getting home relatively early with a hot water bottle!
Do they give you a contract to sign? Contracts are used between a Circus Entertainer and a Client to cover both parties. This holds the entertainer liable if they are late or don't show up to the event and also cover the entertainers encase the client doesn't pay as well as many other clauses such as wet weather plans, payment terms, etc. If a entertainers doesn't ask you to sign a contract then they probably haven't been in the industry long enough to know their worth.
Are they a "multi-skilled" performer? Multi-skill is a term that has been coined by a lot of performers in the nightclub scene of the UK. The term means they can perform skills such as dance, stilt walking, fire performance and angle grinding. If this is a performers key selling point their performance quality will probably be very low. A entertainer of high skill level will most likely not refer to themselves as multi skilled but infact by there strongest skill.
Hiring a stilt walker? Not all entertainers are created equally, and this can be very obvious when hiring a stilt walker. Ask your stilt walker if they can perform another skill whilst on stilts, can they juggle, dance or perform crystal ball, If they can great! You have found someone who is so confident on stilts that they feel like second feet. If they say no, Then you've probably found someone who has spent less than 10 hours on stilts. Would you hire an accountant who's only used a calculator for 10 hours ?
I hope this helps when booking your next Circus Entertainer! Any other questions or to book top quality entertainment email me on morris@circusuncertainty.com