nemorathwald | Maypole, and Belated Festifools Report

atdt1991 posted a video of a Maypole. Penguicon managed to dodge all kinds of holidays for next year's weekend, but May 1 through 3 falls right smack dab on Beltaine, or so I'm told. So I asked the folks from ConVocation to create/preside/run/sanction/administer (or whatever the correct verb is) a Maypole in the parking lot or atrium or something. They are very happy to do so.

The video is enlightening. I thought they were supposed to skip merrily around the pole while strewing flowers, or something. Space seems a little bit tight for skipping merrily, to say nothing of strewing of any kind. They have room to walk sedately, in accordance with fire regulations.

It reminded me I had not reported my experience of participating in Festifools! It was a fantastic way to spend April Fools Day! I cut loose operating the arm of a giant parade puppet. Skipping, jumping, twirling, rythming, jiving*, narrowly dodging collisions with the crowd, and acting in a ridiculous manner. Making the puppet gesture to the crowd, pick its nose, and join me in acting like a fool. Which was, you know, the stated point of the event. I cut loose so much that the arm came off, and I was soon trying to keep it waving around in the general vicinity of its ghostly, invisible joint.

Unfortunately my fellow puppet operators did not cut loose at all. Some of them were there to get a grade. Some, I suspect, were there because a girl who needed a grade asked them for help. They strode meekly like the pictures of dignity, and did not really accept the concept of acting like fools in public.

You might be noting at this time, that I really don't grok dancing. So why was I "dancing" here (if you can call it that)? I am quite happy making a fool of myself in the context of goofing around. It is the main criteria applied to the definition of success at Festifools, hence the name. Not true of the dance floor. (In fact, the only time I've gotten out on the dance floor, it was using a puppet/costume. It creates the context of play.)

What fun. I can hardly wait for next year's Festifools. Wow, I really ached afterward from all the running around. I have fairly good endurance for holding my arm aloft for puppeteering. Not as much as Jim Henson, but I do alright. Next year I definitely want to build my own giant paper-mache puppet.

*Yes! Jiving!