Site
Specific House Gymnastics originated when Ford chose to bust a daring
move on the large fibre-glass Goose that takes pride of place on a traffic
island in the Forest Fields area of Nottingham. The Goose is in place
every year during the first week of October and heralds the start of the
traditional Nottingham Goose Fair. This daring stunt took House Gymnastics
into an exciting new arena as well as bestowing Ford with his first serious
injury. It meant that House Gymnastics could offer up unique and once in a
lifetime opportunities that could only happen in specific locations and even
at certain times. Hence 'The Goose' is a move that can only be
recreated on the actual Nottingham Goose when it is in place on the island.
House Gym practitioners are encouraged to submit photos of their own site
specific attempts.
The Goose
| first official Site Specific move | 03-10-02
Synchronised moves are
not exactly
site specific but are a specialised type of move. They involve two or more House Gymmers performing exactly the same move in the same architectural area. The moves do not have to be exactly symmetrical but this does make the synchronisation more aesthetically pleasing. If there is a large group of House Gymmers feeling particularly subversive, they could attempt 'Undercover Floor Chickens'. This is a mass synchronised move which can be used to surprise onlookers in a public space such as a bar, shopping centre or museum. Around 20 people, evenly dispersed within the public area, are needed for the performance to be effective. Invent a secret sign or noise at which everyone will try to perform
Floor Chickens for 20-30 seconds. They will then walk away and go about their business as if nothing had happened, baffling onlookers.
The
aim of Site Specific House Gymnastics is to create moves that are exclusive
to a place and importantly this should be referred to in the title of the
move. Existing Harrison&Ford moves can be performed in a synchronised
fashion, or site specifically, or completely new and original moves can be
invented which are absolutely site specific and could not be re-created in
the house. It takes the performance away from the domestic environment and
creates new possibilities and challenges. Site specific moves can be busted
anywhere from an art gallery to a shopping centre, inside or outside. Remember
the more difficult/high risk the better.