noizemagazine - Index

noizemagazine - noiZe Magazine Issue 57 August 2008 - Index

The Dallas flagging weekend began
with opening ceremonies and a
meet-and-greet dinner. Over the
next three days, participants and
observers got the chance to tie-dye
their own flags, sew in weights, and
practice at various skill levels. Aerial
artist Ben Zimmerman and Kundalini
yoga instructor Amy Lam demonstrated
how they have worked flagging
into their other pursuits.
For Flagger Weekend V, Marco
Roberts and his Houston Flyboys
drove in to perform on Saturday
and then headed to San Antonio
the next day for that city’s Pride festival.
Roberts, who with his troupe
has been showcased at Southern
Decadence, Bunnies on the Bayou,
and Prides across the country,
does it for love, not money: “Even
though we get paid, and we performed
ten times this year, we’re
lucky to break even at the end of
the day.”
Flagging and passing along its techniques
and traditions is a labor of
love for devotees. “I want to give
flagging to the community,” said
San Franciscan Xavier Caylor, who
teaches flagging classes at a local
Gold’s Gym. “It’s something we’ve
owned for 130 years [referring to
Loie Fuller]. It’s meditative, spiritual,
and mind expanding—not to mention
a great aerobic workout.”
For Caylor, it’s a mission to “demystify
flagging,”, but, “It’s also about getting
lost in the music.” Caylor moderates the
Yahoo group Spintribe. He also brings
flaggers together at the AIDS Memorial
Grove in Golden Gate Park to commemorate
absent friends.
Classically trained dancers like New
York’s George Jagatic from New York
City and L.A.’s Robin Olive are leading
flagging into the 21st century by incorporating
the art with their choreography.
Jagatic’s company, Axis-Danz, has
performed at corporate events like the
opening of JPMorgan Chase's headquarters
in Manhattan and at the MTV Music
Video Awards. Jagatic is no stranger
to music videos, having performed in
Mariah Carey’s single “Glitter.” Robin
Olive and her troupe Placid Fluidity
perform regularly at L.A.’s mixed nightclub
Circus and the Gibson Theatre at
Universal Studios CityWalk. She can also
be seen twirling crimson flags in last
year’s feature film, I Now Pronounce You
Chuck and Larry.
Flagging is becoming a viable and
potentially lucrative dance technique
with performances in the Hollywood
blockbusters Interview with the Vampire,
Moulin Rouge, Vanity Fair, and Hedwig
& the Angry Inch. It also has been incorporated
into the choreography of modern
dance troupes headed by Patrick
48
Healthy Am I! Happy Am I! holy Am I!