My juggling mate just called me and asked if I could take a circus workshop teaching people to unicycle. The idea is that the people will be divided into small groups to learn one circus skill (eg juggling, poi, stilts…) for 3 hours, then put on a short performance with their new skills.
I know there are plenty of people who have learnt to ride in less than 3 hours, and if I’m lucky there will be such a person in the unicycling group. However, if I’m not so lucky and no-one actually learns (worst case scenario) it would be good to have a backup plan of other things to do. Also it would be good to have something for the not-so-accomplished riders to do in the show. Any suggestions?
ATM I’m thinking more confident riders could use a helper to mount and ride on stage and the less confident riders could use one helper on either side. I was thinking of riders using a supermarket trolley (or some other prop) for balance, though this might be more of a hindrance than an aid. Any other bright ideas or suggestions most appreciated! Go on, don’t be shy!
Make the objective for one student in the class to be able to ride supported by one spotter for 20 feet or something like that.
Some things that have helped speed riders along for me:
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a slight downhill incline
A fence/railing/wall
Seat adjusted properly
Have them sitting well on the seat
I plant a cone or something way ahead and have them pedal towards that. It helps them keep the wheel turning
Lots of encouragement
Enough padding to mitigate hesitation due to fear of UPD
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3 hours is not very long. You’ll probably come across some folks with a knack for uni.
My method for teaching the complete newby:
Show the student that foot position at 9 and 3 is good (safety position). And that foot position at 12 and 6 is bad (dead zone).
Five minutes of sitting still on the uni left foot forward (LFF), holding a wall or something.
Five minutes of sitting still on the uni right foot forward (RFF), holding a wall or something.
Rock the wheel slightly, LFF, RFF
Stand on the pedals, LFF, RFF
Have the student “ride” along the wall for a while. I suggest a series of 1/2 rotations from LFF around to RFF and stop. Then rotate to LFF and stop. Then rotate to RFF and stop. The stopping shows the student that they have control. Eventually they’ll smooth out the stops until the motion is continuous.
Have one or two people assist the student by holding his hand/s while he rides across an open space for a while.
As a backup you could teach them to do the trick where you hold the unicycle by the wheel (with the wheel in front of your face) and swing it so the frame goes in a circle (you take each hand off and put it back on as the frame goes past). That looks super cool, especially if multiple people do it together, and if you can do some unicycle swinging to music as a show if need be.
If you’ve got anyone who’s done any circus skills before, another unicycle related skill that isn’t anywhere near as hard is to balance a unicycle on your chin.
Before the groups are divided you should let people try and get anyone who is proficient or really interested in learning to go in your group, they will be more likely to succeed.
I agree with memphis mud’s method. Several people should be able to get to step seven and be rather smooth at it within your time limit. After that, just have them be assisted across the stage by someone vaguely hidden behind a moving stage prop. The audience will understand the need for the prop and the accomplishment of the rider. This might get more riders across the stage if not all of them.
I learned in about 2 hours, but it was spread out over three days. All three days I tried to ride until I was exhausted from flailing around. So my suggestion is to take enough breaks. I don’t think I could’ve went for three hours straight on my first day.
You might be able to get away with holding hands in a line; have everyone line up, with strong unicyclists on each end and one in the middle, and everyone holding hands together. I bet that after three hours, most of your charges would be able to ride while holding hands that way, and it would look more like unicycling than using a prop would.
trainer wheels
actually more seriously make sure the riders look straight ahead. start them riding along a wall.
make sure they put weight on the seat not the pedals, tell them not to worry about the unicycle (if you fall off then let the unicycle go where ever it wants to.
if you fall off forwards, lean back and possibly pedal a bit faster etc…
if they try to ride too slow it will be harder and if they try to ride too fast it will be harder also.
dont forget to tell them about the “safety pedal position”
and dont forget the towel.
thats all i have for now
Thanks for all your suggestions. Hopefully I’ll have at least one star pupil who learns to ride well enough to go on stage (either with a helper or without). I like your suggestion, Joe, of doing swinging tricks with the unicycle, rather than on it.
Heh, heh the audience will figure it out soon enough! This is indeed what we were planning on doing!
