Greg Tarlin Not Bad At All
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Skills List

Greg's got all kinds of different skills. Some appear in his shows, some appear with his walkaround characters, some are rarely used at all. This list is handy for film and TV casting agents who need someone with a special skill, or for event planners who want something particular to fit in with a theme.


  Juggling

Juggling Juggling is what Greg is very best at. He can juggle up to 7 balls or 5 clubs at once, but he's at his best when he's juggling just three of something with lots of movement and lots of tricks.
More about juggling
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   Stilts

See more about stilts on the stilt character page.
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   Hat tricks

For those times when a bowler hat is part of his costume, Greg does all sorts of hat tricks. He's got a ton of flips, spins, twirls, tosses and catches which keep the hat moving. The stilts/hat combo is great for meet-and-greet sessions as people enter a special event.
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   Pocket magic

Greg has some little magic tricks that are very quick and work well as ice breakers in small groups. If he's working the same room for a long time he'll often spend some time doing close-up magic with cards because it's a nice thing to do with an individual or a small group (as opposed to juggling which nobody wants to see TOO close up).
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   Yo-yo

Greg performs dozens of yo-yo tricks ranging from the classic ones you remember as a kid to the dazzling ones made possible by today's hi-tech yo-yos.
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  Balloon creations

In the last decade or so, balloon twisting has changed. It has gone from a one-trick-doggie to a true art form. Greg doesn't specialize in balloon twisting, although when he does make balloons they are fancier than the ones you likely remember as a child: multi-coloured, multi-balloon creations. If you are looking for someone who will stun you with never-before-seen creations on a big scale then Greg will be happy to recommend someone. If you are looking for someone to create 1000 simple animals for a huge line of kids Greg will be happy to recommend someone else. If you are looking for an entertainer with yet another skill that he can call upon when the situation is right then Greg may be just what you need.
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  On a unicycle

Greg has a small unicycle, and a 6 foot tall one. He can ride forwards and backwards, stay on one spot, bunny hop, twist, ride up and down bumps and curbs, and get on 5 different ways. Staying on a unicycle requires constant motion and is tiring, so he doesn't stay up there for hours at a time.
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  With some rope

Greg's all time favourite trick during walkaround has to be seen to be believed. It's a very, very simple trick. He just holds a piece of rope in his hand, and then snaps the rope and a big knot appears in the middle. The beauty is that it happens instantly and it really looks like magic! It can be done again and again, and it still looks magical. It takes less than a second, and it works from fairly far away and without language. It's the perfect icebreaker. It leads to him either doing another few rope tricks, or teaching people how to make knots of their own.

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  Balancing tricks

Greg can balance almost anything on his nose or chin. The smallest he can manage is a pen or a spoon and the largest is a bike or a step ladder. He can do most anything inbetween the weight and size of those. He can also balance things on his hands, arms, shoulders, feet, and on each other.
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   Crystal ball

Greg can roll a small crystal ball around his body in a hypnotising way. The ball gracefully defies gravity as it rolls smoothly up and down his arms, back and forth across his hands, and from his forehead to his ear and back.
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  Spinning ball, other spinning tricks

The spinning ball is a walkaround favourite. On his own Greg can spin the ball (basketball style) on his finger and then switch it from finger to finger, hand to hand, curl his arms around, toss it under his leg or aroung his back and catch it spinning on an opposite finger. The real beauty of the spinning ball in walkaround situations (for kids especially) is that Greg can start the ball spinning, and then transfer the ball to anyone else's finger and they can continue to spin the ball on their own. It's a magical moment for a youngster when Greg pulls his hands back and the ball is left spinning in their very own hands. A great "I did it" feeling and a great photo-op. Greg can also spin flat things like trays, and he can even manage to spin a child's swimming pool on his finger.
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  Playing with fire

For those situations where it is appropriate, Greg loves to play with fire. Everyone is drawn to a fire performance. Fire has a primal attraction for people, and it also involves the thrill of danger. He can, of course, juggle flaming torches. He also likes to spin a large staff with fire on the ends, and swing a set of Poi (which are esentially balls of fire on the end of chains or wires). He doesn't eat fire or breathe fire (he may be dumb, but he's not stupid). Fire is most effective at night or in dimly lit situations, and it is best performed outdoors, although many big indoor spaces are fine, too.
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  Juggling with lit props

There are situations during strolling gigs when Greg is indoors in dim lighting and fire is not appropriate. For these he has a set of juggling balls and clubs which are lit from within. They are very bright and colourful and look terrific. The patterns they make as they travel through the air are magical.
Pictures of the lit props
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Lit Props

  Miniature bicycle

Mini Bike Greg's got a tiny circus bicycle which stands only 45cm tall (18in). Yeeeha!
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  Penny farthing bicycle

See more about the penny farthing bicycle on the Ye Olde Bike Guy character page.
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Penny Farthing Bicycle

  Workshop

Greg has lots of workshop materials to teach groups of children or adults several different skills. He can teach juggling, plate spinning, yo-yo tricks or balancing tricks.
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