Bullwhip Blog

Whip Master Receives Final Award

2010-07-29T18:02:00Z

Legendary stunt man and bullwhip artist ALEX GREEN has been awarded the Brian Chic Whip Artistry Award,just days after passing away in Vancouver on July 21. The prestigious award is given to one person every year by the Society of American Whip Artistry in recognition of whip performing and teaching skills. In addition to these traits, Green also was an unsurpassed ambassador for whip cracking.

The award was given to Green posthumously at the Annie Oakley Days Festival in Greenville, Ohio by noted whip performer and teacher Gery Deer, coordinator of the bullwhip component of the festival.

The 68-year-old Green had battled liver cancer for the past year. Founder of Stunts Canada and co-founder of the Wild West Arts Club, Green gave more than 2,500 performances and appeared in numerous TV shows and films. He was the whip coach for Anthony Hopkins in 1998's "The Mask of Zorro."

Even from childhood, Green always knew he wanted to be in cowboy movies. He moved to Vancouver from Australia in the 1960s to look for work in Hollywood, eventually working with many of the great Western actors.

Always a gentleman who made time for others, Green was much respected and liked by all who met him, both personally and professionally. His willingness to share his knowledge of and passion for whip cracking helped set many of today's pro bullwhip artists on the right path.

On a personal note, I met him once, in Las Vegas at a WWAC convention, where he was enjoying events with his buddy Mark Allen (Western Stage Props) and whip great John Brady. After watching me perform a quick newspaper cutting routine with an 8-foot bullwhip which I made scarier by taking the hand-held scrap of paper down to postage-stamp size, he said only one word to me:"Impressive!"

That one nod of approval from a man I admired meant the world to me. It was a shining moment I have never forgotten.

While he and his wife never had children of their own, a whole generation of stunt men and women and whip performers can rightfully consider him a godfather of their art. His like will not pass this way again soon.

(Photo by: Headshot, StuntsCanada.com)

TURNING LEAD INTO GOLD

2010-06-28T04:44:00Z

This is a real story.

The folks at America's Got Talent were flabbergasted when I declined their invitation to audition. The first time, the second time, the third time, with three different production assistants, by phone and email. It was inconceivable to them that I would not want to do it.

Let me see if I can explain my reasons: If I held a cow patty in one hand and a lump of gold in the other and said you could have only one, which one would you choose?

From what I see, most folks would grab the cow patty.

So if I ask you to pick between performing live and doing something for TV or film, can you see that I am giving you the same choice?

I'd rather perform live than for film or TV. Why? What is it that makes what I do in front of a real audience so much richer and more satisfying to me?

The risk of failure is profoundly greater, of course. You get one shot and you do it or you don't. You can't keep trying until you get it right.

It's a shared experience as it happens, for me and for the audience. It's got blood and bile and sweat and truth in it. The audience is an integral part of this creative and interpretive process, not merely a crowd of passive receptors. When a show is going well, the audience accepts what I'm putting out and returns it to me amplified, so I can take that energy and give it back to them again. It is an alchemical process.

It's a big gamble, every time, and there are no guarantees. Just like in life. And when it works, it works for everyone, back and forth. The TV camera itself can't give you that immediate, sensory feedback.

It's a high. And like sky diving or red-lining a motorcycle, it can be addicting. When I do a show or demo, I tingle, from my bones to my skin. When I don't do it for a while, I feel stuck and half alive, as though my real life was going on somewhere without me.

Maybe we're performers because we are endorphin junkies – I don't know. What I do know is that most addictions are negative – they sap you, drain you, consume you and give you nothing back but the desire to continue doing the thing more and more, whatever the cost.

But there are positive addictions, too. Things we do habitually, maybe obsessively, that ground us, reaffirm something in us, wake us up and strengthen us on many levels. Like jogging. Or meditating. Or braiding whip lashes. We can take such a moment's activity and carry it with us through each day as an asset, not as a liability.

Besides, there's this: if you do something for a camera, you can do it only once for the first time. If you appear on America's Got Talent, 12 million people see you and you will only repeat yourself from that moment on with that act. It's over and done.

If I do it live, each fresh audience experiences it anew for the first time. By repetition, it gets sharper and cleaner, and I get a hell of a lot more mileage out of my material. If I do a quick AGT routine for an audience of 250 people, that same material I could use only once for a single taped audience could give me 48,000 live shows. So – why would I want to be on AGT? I've got nothing to prove, and I'd have a hell of a lot more to lose than to gain from the experience. This one's a no-brainer.

Finally, I'm an unrepentant control freak. I enjoy feeling like I'm in the driver's seat. I don't have to worry about being edited, abbreviated or asphyxiated. I feel a lot like a bull fighter before I go on, making sure I'm dressed correctly, my equipment is ready, my mind is settled, my heart is pounding, and I am breathing through it. All this nervousness actually helps me sharpen up for a show because under it is the confidence that comes from knowing what I am doing. I can actually enjoy this transitory nervousness. Fear and excitement are the same thing physically, except with one you are breathing and with the other you are holding your breath. I think you can figure out which is which.

So for me, performing is like holding the Philosopher's Stone, that alchemical amulet that turns the lead in time itself into gold. Everything about it, from choreographing to practicing to rehearsing to presenting, contributes to my ongoing high of being alive in the world on my own terms.

With all respect to the folks at AGT, no game show contest on earth can give me that.

So, let's ask again: would you rather have the cow patty or the gold? Keep breathing, amigos. See you soon -

-Robert Dante-

Hold On To Your Hats

2010-05-30T08:13:00Z

Changes between now and the end of the year:
- Summer program (Bullwhips in the Open Field) at Walker Art Center is gearing up smoothly
- We've activated http://www.bullwhip.mobi , synopsizing our regular web site for cell phones and I-phones. It is unsophisticated (which means it downloads faster) and contains regularly updated information and schedules.
- Dante's Bullwhips is now an official supporting dealer of the Single Action Shooting Society. Our first ad appears in the Cowboy Chronicles in July.
- We have now resolved to make an entry into this blog and to bullwhip.mobi at least once a week (more often, if needed).
-Our new line of Indy-style entry-level bullwhips will shortly be available. Last year's introduction of the line proved successful enough for us to make this an ongoing part of Dante's Bullwhips' activities.
- Next week finds us in Kansas, and we continue to add updates to our calendar for new shows, demos, workshops and appearances between now and the end of the year. Calendar is current at http://www.bullwhip.net.
Remember - you heard it here first.
-RD-

Summer Program: Bullwhips in the Open Field

2010-05-23T05:38:00Z

Whip cracking goes public on five Sundays this summer with Dante's Bullwhips and the Minneapolis Bullwhip Academy taking part in the Walker Art Center's Open Field project in the Twin Cities.

Free and open to the public, the 5-session program introduces whip cracking to newcomers of all ages and gives members of the Minneapolis Bullwhip Academy a venue to enjoy whip cracking in the open air.

Whip cracking is a popular world-wide hobby, sport, and performing art in circus, stage and Wild West event. Some loaner whips will be available and eye protection will be provided. Children must have parents present. Each session is 30-45 minutes, followed by 30-60 minutes of whip practice. This ongoing event is free and open to the public (anyone can watch), but the number of active participants may depend on Dante's consideration of safety. Here are the dates:

June 13, Sunday at 2pm - Session 1 - ABC: The Basics of Bullwhips
June 20, Sunday at 2pm - Session 2 - Intermediate Whip Cracking: Slow & Fast Figure 8's, Flashes, Volleys, Two-Handed Routines
June 27, Sunday at 2pm - Session 3 - Tricks 1: Impress Your Friends! Stuff You Can Do Right Now
Aug 1, Sunday at 2pm - Session 4 - Tricks 2: Impress Your Audience! Stuff You Can Do with Practice
Aug 15, Sunday at 2pm - Session 5 - Wind Up/Extra Help for Special Problems

The Walker Art Center's website is at http://calendar.walkerart.org/index.wac.

Clarke's Second Show

2010-05-02T16:32:00Z

This fellow is going to be someone to watch for down the road.
(I also like that the word "Courage" makes a fine subliminal message from the far wall.)
Well done!

Many Thanks, Tonya Kay!

2010-04-29T02:37:00Z

I love fan mail, but I really smiled at this one from Tonya Kay, the whip cracking beauty seen on many TV shows.

"Dante, I am loving your book! I know it took me a long time to dive in, but that is sincerely about nothing more than other commitments. Now I am having a ball and think you are too cool!"

And a tip of the top hat to you, too, Tonya. Thanks!

(Tonya Kay's web site is at http://tonyakay.com . A complete listing of her on-screen credits can be seen at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1800223/ . )

Good News for Minneapolis Whip Crackers

2010-04-28T19:15:00Z

The Walker Art Center at 1750 Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis launches a new summer program on June 3 - Walker Open Field, transforming its big green back yard into a cultural commons, a park celebrating the creative assets and collective knowledge that abound in the Twin Cities. This gives the Minneapolis Bullwhip Academy a place to crack whips under the open sky.

When Paul Cunningham, a local whip handler, told me about the program, I contacted Open Field Coordinator Sara Shaylie, and her response was both immediate and encouraging:

"I think your whip cracking and practicing demos would be a great addition to the Open Field."

Happily, I have experience putting together safety protocols, as I did at Pierce College, Dream Circus and Will Rogers State Park in the Los Angeles area and Sunset Park in Minneapolis.

Additionally, there will be an Open Field Bar & Grill available for us post-practice, featuring barbeque fare, house-made lemonades, local beers, and specialty martinis by Wolfgang Puck. Hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am-5 pm, and Thursday, 11 am-9 pm. Activities will be subject to city and park regulations.

For more information, go to the Bullwhip Academy group on Yahoo at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bullwhip Academy

Video of the Month - The Wide World of Whips

2010-03-19T07:35:00Z

Robert Blake, Dutch whip cracker and street performer, knows how to make folks sit up. In this YouTube video of a European TV show, he banters with the show's host before getting down to business - and he does mean business! They don't speak English, but the whip sings in the universal language of fun and excitement.

Anthony Quinn

2010-03-15T04:17:00Z

I love the "Road" movies with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.
Some are better than others, of course, but the 1940 "Road to Singapore" is one of my favorites.
In addition to the still funny inside jokes, it also features a little episode in which Anthony Quinn cracks a bullwhip at Dorothy Lamour as a club act with the flavor of an "Apache Dance," taking a cigarette out of her mouth (no CGI needed!) and doing wraps around her waist and hands.
Dorothy flinches just a little when the whip splits her cigarette, but she stands still for the flower-off-the-hairband shot. We do not see who is on the handle end, but the safety margin seems adequate, even if it appears close.
When we do see Quinn with the whip, he seems to know what he doing, executing circus cracks, overhand flicks and side shots with ease and confidence.
Next time it's on TMC, check it out - Quinn's moment comes near the beginning, before Lamour teams up with our stalwart globetrotters in this film, the first installment in Paramount's most profitable movie series of the 1940s.
(And if you want to see the sequence for yourself, head on over to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6duJ9tfdmfA )

Shooting from the Hip

2010-02-13T22:17:00Z

Doing The Right Thing

2010-01-24T02:18:00Z

I heard someone say, “The Executive exists to make intelligent exceptions to the rules.”

Whip cracking requires a lot of Executive Decisions. This is inevitable where there is no single right way to do a specific thing.

We can’t even agree on our terminology.

A whip’s lash is AKA a popper is AKA a cracker is AKA a snapper, etc, depending on who you ask. And a straightforward Circus Crack is AKA a Gypsy Crack – you get my point.

Some Australians have tried to codify a repeatable combination of cracks (called a ‘Flash’) with descriptive titles, such as Mike Murphy’s “Mad Coachman.” But even the Sidney Flash and the Victoria Flash are essentially the same with only one minor difference: one begins with a Circus Crack and the other begins with an Overhand Flick. Other than that, they are the same crack.

Replacing a cracker on your whip requires a series of Executive Decisions. What material do we weave the cracker from, how many strands do we put in, how long is the fuzzy part supposed to be? The arbitrariness of it all continues when we try to tie the cracker onto the whip, because although this knot is basically a self-tightening hitch, there are still several different ways to tie it.

So, with all this subjective reality and chaos swirling around what is supposed to be an uncomplicated activity, how do you decide what is right?

Well, I can’t tell you what’s “right” – you have to make that Executive Decision for yourself. But I can at least share with you the benchmark that I use when I am deciding which way to go.

That test is this: “Does it work?”

The highest compliment I can give someone is to say, “That worked!” And yes, there may be several different methods of doing something so it works. They all could be right and correct. Just like us, with all our variations, differences and unique qualities.

The only unshakeable constant in whip cracking is Newton’s Second Law of the Conservation of Angular Momentum. But even when we apply this formula to the whip, it is, like Life itself, always moving, never exactly the same.

(This piece first appeared in the newsletter of the Wild West Performing Arts Society, an affiliate of the Single Action Shooting Society.)

New Record Set

2010-01-20T07:45:00Z

NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS

2010-01-13T05:46:00Z

The year ahead has started to take shape, and it already looks like it's going to be a good one. Here are a few items to notice:

- The devious spam left in this blog's comments boxes is gone, and their originating IPs have been banned. I apologize for allowing that to happen. The decks are now clean and clear.

- The Bullwhip Stimulus Package is almost ready to be unveiled in its new incarnation. Test sales over the summer exceeded my expectations, so you are invited to stay tuned for what's next.

- Gigs are being booked, travel plans are being made. Venues are coast to coast in the US and Canada. Updates will be posted at www.bullwhip.net/appearances.html. (Even America's Got Talent was chasing me again on the phone, this evening. We'll see....)

- Copies of my columns in the monthly newsletter for the Wild West Performing Arts Society will be posted here, as well, if you'd like to see them.

And that's just for openers!

-Robert D-

WILD WEST PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY LAUNCHED

2009-11-24T02:22:00Z

Convention Set for Dec 3-6 in Las Vegas;

Yours Truly Named Bullwhip Columnist

The recently formed Wild West Performing Arts Society (WWPAS) will have its first convention Dec. 3-6 as part of the larger annual convention of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS).

Dr. Buck Montgomery, Trail Boss and long-time member of the 85,000-member strong SASS, announced a lineup of experts and performers like Jack Dagger, Dan Mink, Mark Allen, and Paul Nolan. The gathering includes workshops and seminars, contests and competitions on Dec. 4-5, with prizes such as engraved belt buckles and huge bragging rights (at least until next year's convention).

This year's event honors the late Joe Bowman, an iconic figure for many years in Wild West performing circles. In his memory, the new Straight Shooter Award will be given annually to "an individual that has shown continued support and preservation of the Wild West Arts."

In an open letter, Montgomery said, "The response we are getting from Wild West performers, former Wild West Arts Club (WWAC) members and SASS members has been and continues to be incredible. My phone has to be charged twice a day and I think my computer is overheating."

The WWPAS' new monthly newsletter will include a regular column about bullwhips (and everything that pertains to them) written by whip pro Robert Dante, a former professional journalist and author of "Let's Get Cracking! The How-To Book of Bullwhip Skills," available on Amazon.com.

For more information on the WWPAS and the SASS/WWPAS convention in Las Vegas, write to Dr. Buck Montgomery at P.O. Box 7123, Goodyear, AZ 85338, or call 623-521-3856, or send an email to DRBuc@cox.net .

Good On You Both, Major and Clarke!

2009-11-21T05:23:06Z

When I was in England over the summer, I enjoyed the hospitality of Major Horton (that really is his first name) of Wolverhampton, and I had the chance to crack some whips with him and his friends. So I was happy to see an article and a videoclip about his whip cracking skills on the Star and Express website. The piece noted Major recently won a pair of gold medals at a US whip competition.

Good on you, Major! This affable Englishman also said that he now holds the "unofficial" world record for most bullwhip cracks in one minute, having reached the number of 266, quite a bit higher than my own official Guinness World Record of 254, so I am confident this 66-year-old man may repeat his remarkable feat with the proper documentation.

I was happy to see as well that Major used the opportunity to mention whip cracking in the context of the Olympic Games. In my opinion, a better ambassador for whip cracking will not be found.

I am also looking forward to the day that the prestigious Guinness World Record will be broken yet again by a woman and by a teenager. For teenagers, I would keep my eyes on a young fellow named Clarke Bynum of Tennessee, who posted the video below (watch for the speed of his volleys). So good on you, too, Clarke!

THE PRICE OF FAME? "Indy" Whip Sold At Auction

2009-11-10T03:13:00Z

A recent auction of Hollywood memorabilia included one of the bullwhips used by Harrison Ford in an Indiana Jones adventure film.

What was the price one person thought it was worth?

Hold on to your hat, Buckaroo: it was $56,050.00! And even this was not a record for the auction price of a used on-screen Indiana Jones bullwhip!

The bullwhip was one of many whips used by Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Whips for all the Indy films have been made by legendary whipmaker David Morgan, with additional whips from Joe Strain. Aussie Terry Jacka provided some whips used in the fourth and most recent installment of the ongoing saga.

I hope owners of authentic Indiana Jones used on-screen bullwhips know which scene their whips appeared in. It's kind of hard to keep track. To help things along, I will share with you a Youtube video which purports to be a compilation of all the whip shots in the series (well, the first three, apparently).

Another Out-Of-The-Blue Revelation

2009-10-05T04:48:00Z

Imagine My Surprise!
The swashbuckling actor Robert Taylor could handle a bullwhip fairly credibly!
I spent part of this rainy and blustery Sunday indoors, indulging one of my guilty pleasures - old adventure movies.
There was the goateed Robert Taylor in the 1955 "Quentin Durward," wooing Kay Kendall in Cinemascope and waving his sword wildly at every noble opportunity. As he thwarted yet another attempt to murder him in a stable, he seized a conveniently placed bullwhip (looked like a 6- or 7-footer) and used it in a slashing attack against his would-be assassin, knocking his helmet off and carving a streak across his forehead.
I was immediately sitting straight up, narrating the action to myself like some ringside radio sports hack from the 1940s:
"It looks like he's got a stockwhip or a bullwhip, folks, and here comes a blistering series of Circus Cracks. As the camera pulls back, we see him pulling the whip around his body with his hand sailing over his head to start a 3-crack sequence of Overhand Cracks from both sides of his body. He keeps the whip moving, he does not hit himself, he is fearless and unflinching, his foot position is pure perfection and - oh! Oh!
The bane of every whip cracker has just happened, folks!
His whip has wrapped around a beam in the stable ceiling! What will he do? Will he swing down with the whip's thong tightly gripped with both hands in some improbable homage to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or will he come up with some other unlikely magic in this pre-CGI production?"
And lo and behold, our brave Scotsman-cum-Californian takes the handle of the whip and swings it toward his attacker. As the bad guy is distracted by the object sailing at his face, our hero leaps at his armored killer, using the chaos to his own advantage.
I was pleased to see the director allowed the whip, even in its brief appearance, to do what a whip can really do, which was certainly more than dramatic enough for the moment. Frankly, it was a bit of a jolt to see such a moment of reality in an otherwise piece of fictional froth which asked me to believe that Robert Morley was actually King Louis XI of France (no matter what role he plays, he is always and ever Robert Morley to me).
It was a postcard from the Universe, like the one that showed me Akim Tamiroff''s unexpected expertise with a whip (see earlier post). So well done, Mr. Taylor - you could act and crack a whip at the same time with conviction. And in so doing, you brightened an otherwise gloomy Sunday afternoon for this viewer.

Heading Into October!

2009-10-05T00:31:00Z

My last entry in this blog was a few months ago, but a lot has happened between then and now. I will recap the high points quickly so I can resume writing here with a clear mind and not be concerned about playing catch-up. Sometimes one lives faster than one can record.

The "Ride a Horse, Feed a Cowboy" event in Hulett, Wyoming was an astounding experience, from the horse and rider who came into the bar to chat with folks, to the "branding of the bank." And daring Mary's debut went extremely well. So pleased was I that I rewarded us with a day trip to Devil's Tower - eerie, mystical, breathtaking place. Took us an hour to walk all the way around it, and every ten feet its appearance seemed to change. It's for good reason the natives consider it a sacred place. There is something palpable there.

The following weekend, we had the pleasure of working with Pistol Packin' Paula at the Shooters Roundup in Morristown, MN. This continues to be one of my favorite events.

And last weekend, I spent several days in South Carolina with some fine people, doing demos and workshops for an annual event. This particular trip cemented my respect and affection for the area. If you ever get diown there, be sure to try the sweet potato pancakes. Wow!

Back at home in Minneapolis, the work on my right shoulder continues. I am diligent in my stretching and exercises, and while my range of motion has improved (somewhat), I may never do a Tasmanian Cutback again, I think. The old and familiar pain down the right arm is never too far away, but the adrenalin of performing lets me ride through it. It also has forced me to become more creative with my stunts. You will forgive me if I do not give details here, but I have beenhearing other whip crackers use my narrations and perform my tricks since they apparently do not have imaginations enough to do something original of their own. Sigh. This is so like saying because there are only 88 keys on a piano keyboard, all music must have already been made by now.

So - I'll post more news and photos (possibly, video) in the next few weeks, as The Adventure continues! (And oh, does it ever!)

A Worthwhile Cause - and Someone Else is Even Doing All the Work

2009-07-10T04:14:00Z

(Note: I recently received this letter from Steve Huntress, a darned good whip maker. I share it with you because I think events like this have made a difference over the years - a BIG difference, and this event particularly deserves your support. I'll let Steve tell you himself. RD)

*******

Hi Robert,

In August, I'm returning to the Appalachian Trail to hike another 500 miles or so. This year's hike is dedicated to raising money for colorectal cancer & to the memory of my mom, who passed away from it back in 2005..

My question is this: would you mind making a mention of the fund-raiser on your blog? It would mean a great deal to me. As an added promotion, I'll be giving away a whip at the end of this year's hike. It'll be a drawing from the names of all who give a minimum of $25. I appreciate any mention you make of this cause, Robert!

Steve.
www.neawhips.com

*******
(Steve gives more detailed information on his blog at http://noreastwhipblog.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!67BCBDB7CB3E81F4!247.entry?sa=673840144

Steve's doing his part, and now it's our turn. Please - let's get behind him. Thanks! RD)

Dante in London - The Indiana Jones Adventure

2009-07-10T03:51:00Z

While I was in London, the cameras were filming, and those cameras caught a few good moments of whip cracking. Hope you enjoy them.

"New Indiana Jones game is a great crack!"