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Best Kendama Color for Performing?

Started by Anthony A, 15 February, 2012, 22:09:24

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Anthony A

So I'm going to be buying a large Kendama for fun but also for performing in elementary school circus assembly shows. My main concern is the color of the tama. The audience is usually 300-500 elementary school kids and the shows take place in school gyms. The lighting is not always ideal and is sometimes a horrible shade of yellow or orange. I want the tama to be as visible as possible but at the same time not blend in with my hand (like a yellow tama might) or get blurred out by the lights (like orange might)

I'm thinking of going with a bright green, a neon green or a neon purple.

Can anyone who performs kendama offer some advice?

Thanks.

GbH

I think the most obvious answer is white.  It's something I've tended to default to for kendamas and many other types of prop for quite a few years now.  I struggle to think of a time when I've ever regretted it.  I guess, though, before thinking about the kendama's colour, think first about what you're most likely to be wearing, as you'll do well to choose something that contrasts with that. 

Of the Sunrise non-white colours that I've got, the neon yellow is perhaps the most striking - I've made good use of this with a black/yellow outfit.  The neon green is nice, but not quite so eye catching.  I don't think I have a neon purple to compare, so can't really comment on that.  I guess some of the new metallic colours might work well (silver in particular, perhaps) but, again, I don't have these myself.

AlexSmith

Sunrise UV performers are definitely what you'll want from the sounds of things. The yellow is crazy bright, they make an orange, pink and green in UV as well.

Anthony A

GBH - I have been thinking about what I'm wearing into consideration. I usually wear a white button down so white doesn't work so well for me but I have been thinking abou changing my clothes. White is definitely classy though.

Alex - I'm going to be getting a Sweets Biggie kendama so I can basically get any color a want. I met them at a juggling festival last year and they are going to work with me on the color. The yellow worries me because I am white and like I said before, I usually wear a white shirt so I want a strong contrast to that.

I'm also thinking of going with a bright red or the classic red color.

The Void

If you've ruled out white, which I would go for (although I usually wear black), then you probably can't go far wrong with a bright UV colour. I would probably stay away from a blue or purple though. Red is classic, but possibly a little dark. Pink, Orange?
If you don't want to BUY MY BOOKS 😉, then why not ask your local library to order them in, and read them for free? That would help too. Cheers!

Anthony A

Quote from: The Void on 16 February, 2012, 12:54:54
If you've ruled out white, which I would go for (although I usually wear black), then you probably can't go far wrong with a bright UV colour. I would probably stay away from a blue or purple though. Red is classic, but possibly a little dark. Pink, Orange?

I agree that white is super classy and very professional looking.

The other thing I have to contend with is the company I work for likes to use these ugly circus-y backdrops to make the gyms look more festive. The backdrops have thick vertical stripes that can be either blue and white or red and yellow (yuck!)

I have a Sweets UV Green kendama and that thing is BRIGHT so that is a definitely a possibility.

Anthony A

I have also been thinking about getting some kind of stripe on it. I think it will increase it's visibility and let people see the ball spin.

Any thoughts?

The Void

A stripe is possibly quite a good idea - it will help the audience to notice that the ball is/isn't spinning.
Go for a strong contrasting stripe colour. Red stripe on white ball? Blue on orange?

It's up to you really. It does sound like you've put a lot of thought into this already, and you know your potential performance venues and audiences, so just go for it!

By the way, welcome to the forum! (Introduce yourself?: http://www.kendama.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2.0.html )
If you don't want to BUY MY BOOKS 😉, then why not ask your local library to order them in, and read them for free? That would help too. Cheers!

Anthony A

Quote from: The Void on 17 February, 2012, 22:28:46
A stripe is possibly quite a good idea - it will help the audience to notice that the ball is/isn't spinning.
Go for a strong contrasting stripe colour. Red stripe on white ball? Blue on orange?

It's up to you really. It does sound like you've put a lot of thought into this already, and you know your potential performance venues and audiences, so just go for it!

By the way, welcome to the forum! (Introduce yourself?: http://www.kendama.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2.0.html )

I have put a lot of thought into it. Perhaps too much haha. I know it's up to me and what I like but I wanted to get the opinion of other people who have performed kendama.

I will be sure to post pictures of it when it's done.