Living the dream

I've had several conversations over the past few months that have revolved around the premise that I am 'living the dream'. That is to say that I am making a living as a performer. Frankly, how else would you describe the circumstances of being paid to spin fire, make a fool of yourself and/or throw things in the air? I cannot argue the fact that I am a professional performer---my profession is as a performer, it is my full-time job.

Now here's the tricky part: I neither perform frequently enough to feel like I do that full-time nor do I make more than 'just enough to get by'. I'll tackle these two individually:

1) I feel that a full-time performer should average about a show a week (maybe take a handful off for 'vacation). This means I should have about 45 gigs a year. Last year, A Different Spin was contracted for 36 gigs. That's close, right? Well 16 of those gigs were for 2 or fewer performers. 9 of those 16 did not involve me. So I personally performed at 27 contracted gigs. This year we have a vast majority of 4-performer gigs but only about 26 or so have been lined up. There are still a couple of months that can add gigs and *one of the ~26 is a the Tulsa State Fair*. This is important because that one gig is the equivalent (both in pay and in performance) to about 7-8 gigs. Let's be optimistic and call this year's total 35 for me. Still not there yet.

2) When I say the phrase 'make a living as a performer', I mean that I can pay my bills, buy food (and I spend more than most due to dietary restrictions) and I can get from point-A to point-B easily (I can pay to maintain a car, spend on gas or use public transportation at my discretion). Probably the only other expense I haven't listed that is substantial is health-care. Since I live in good ol' Massachusetts I have that covered *for free*! However (there always is a however) I only have free health-care because I do not make enough money to qualify to pay. And the only way that can be true is if I am below the poverty line...which I am. (Side note: if I can afford to rent a room, buy food and maintain a car, I wouldn't think of myself as living in poverty let alone below it. I'll take my free health-care but I am a little puzzled by the definition used here)

Now I'll analyze the substance of both of those points from above:

1) Progress! Not only will I make more money this year than I did last year, but we have contracted 'more' gigs (remember that I am counting Tulsa as multiple---just as if it were a week-long tour without the traveling and sweaty hooligans...check that, there will still be three other performers with me for those Fire Shows so the sweaty hooligans will be present). Though I have not met my self-imposed standard of 45 gigs, I am trending upwards and am hopeful that this is an attainable goal!

Another important piece to consider is that though I do not spend a full-time-job's-worth (or even my own standard of the performer-equivalent) of my time performing, there is a TON of off-site work that needs to be done. Booking travel, negotiating contracts, contacting new clients, editing a website, creating new promotional material---the list can go on. On top of that I've helped start The Boston Circus Guild and that literally doubles each of the items listed as the same tasks exist for both businesses. Luckily I have at least one person to share these responsibilities with, but that rarely feels like enough. But that is subject for another post...

2) As I said, I pay my bills, can fill up my car with gas and myself with food. Free health-care thrown in so I am able to meet my standard of living. I am comfortable but do not live in luxury. Though I do not go out it is usually more often for a lack of time instead of a lack of funds (though if I somehow found a place I could eat out at and went there often or was one of those who enjoyed frequenting bars this would not be true).

So if *your* standard of living is beyond that, then maybe I am not the model to follow. But though my standard for 'full-time' is not met, I feel my standard for 'making a living' is. I have no need for more money than will allow me to meet these requirements so as long as I am doing so I feel I can keep living this dream.