Back from Dallas Suscon, tired but satisfied and with new food for thought.
During this weekend happened so many things that is nearly impossible to remember all of them.
This event is memorable thanks to many reasons; one of them is the meeting, on the first day, of all the team leaders attending to the event discussing how the body suspension practice is developing all around the world.
69 team leaders from all around the world attended the Dallas SusCon, each of them with different training and aims towards body suspension.
The main intent of the meeting was to create a network within the different Suspension Teams to share their different knowledge, in order to develop and protect the body suspension practice that is more and more spreading all over the world.
Different perspectives about the possible operating methods, but a common intent to protect a practice that all of us care.
All together we laid the foundations for a future International Association of Body Suspension teams.
We hope to continue this plan in a solid and productive way for everybody.
The following three days suspensions took place.
This SusCon in particular was completely different from other ones we’ve been to. In addiction to the playful aspect, great importance was given to the professional training of the apprentices; this usually happens in other events, but not in depth like this year: professional training was the main aspect of this SusCon.
Concurrently to the SusCon took place a conference on technical and hygienic subjects strictly involved to body suspension: basic and advanced techniques of rigging, anthropology, cross comtamination prevention, choice and feature of tools used, safety during suspensions, hooks placement, different techniques, training to practical aid in case of accidents, that can always occur during a suspension, legislation (for USA) and many more classes, 35 in total.
APTPI, and in particular Bruno Valsecchi, teached 2 workshops on:
“Control of Cross Contamination through the use of UV reactive gel during suspensions” introducing a new aspect of body suspentions, to make aware the apprentices of this practice.
In this workshop we had: theoretical introduction to make aware of the importance on prevention, explanatory video and a practical trial (in this part of the workshop Giuseppe De Palo was the tutor).
This Suscon wasn’t only educational: great importance has been given to the estethic and stylistic way to suspend of both the riggers and the people suspended.
During three days we had the chance to see extraordinary and innovative installations: more than words will talk the picture taken at the event.
Last but not least, we had the opportunity to see a breathtaking performance of the artist Stelarc, in cooperation with Wings of Desire, that took place at the Lakewood Theater in Dallas.
Bruno and Beppe, as riggers, were part of the crew required for the performance: it was an honor for us to work with such a Body Art Artist and with the best professionals from all over the world.
Stelarc introduced his performance showing “ Meat, Metal & Code: Zombi e Cyborg Bodies”.
Take a look at the pictures!
We are thankful to Allen Falkner that invited us to Dallas SusCon also this year: for us was a great opportunity to confront and interact with so many professionals.
Thanks Allen and thanks to Dallas SusCon for this memorable event.
We couldn’t help to feel a sense of belonging to something huge, real, even though our cultural differences; we’re sure we’ll leave our mark in contemporary anthropology.
See you hopefully soon, maybe at the Italian SusCon!