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Many of you may have already read this in the latest issue of the Point. Thank you so much to the APP for publishing this, and to James Weber for his help getting it in at the last minute. Your help and hard work was greatly appreciated. 

The 16th annual Association of Professional Piercers’ conference marked more than just another year of learning for many of us visiting Las Vegas that week. For those involved with the suspension community, a major highlight was celebrating CoRE’s 10th anniversary with their outstanding performance, “A Journey to Enlightenment”. I said once before that Constructs of Ritual Evolution is the hardest group I have ever written about, and I think somehow it became even more difficult after seeing them in person. There is just so much that can be said about them; even the fact that the show managed to happen was a testament to the hard work and dedication of this group. With some major setbacks, including the original venue cancelling at the last moment, it took a tremendous amount of work to not only relocate the show but to also adapt the performance to fit the new space in which it was going to be held. If it were any other group, this show could have easily been a disaster. But it wasn’t just any group; it was CoRE. It was 10 years of experience with true performers on that stage and behind the scenes pulling it all together. The result was nothing short of breathtaking.

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Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come. – Tagore

Sunday a great silence passed through the suspension community worldwide as we learned that Arwen “Spliff” Rosa had passed away that morning. Those who met him and even those who hadn’t mourned together at the great loss to this community. I have been told before, that the clearest statement about the life someone led can be seen in the number of broken hearts when they leave. I think looking at that, we can all agree that Spliff lived more than most people who are around 100 years. He touched lives around the world, he brought the suspension community closer together, and was truly loved by more people that you could count.

Rather than let ourselves dwell on the sadness we feel, I would like everyone to take a minute to celebrate the incredible life that Spliff led. I haven’t met anyone who knew Spliff that didn’t have a great story to go with it. I would like to invite everyone to share any great memories they had with Spliff here so that we can all have a reminder of how lucky this community was to have him in it.

Memorial Service
Saturday October 22, 2011
Christopher T. Jordan
302 Long Beach Road
Island Park, NY 11558
2-4pm & 7-9pm

Money needs to be raised to pay for his service.  Any amount that you can spare would be appreciated very much.  Please donate through the Paypal link below.

I must say this Suspension Competition has created quite the uproar. When we came up with the idea and presented it to several different practitioners the reaction was all positive. However, once the contest was made public we started to receive both mixed and negative feedback. Strangely enough, it didn’t come from the people we expected. Heck one of the biggest opponents to the contest did in fact do a guerrilla suspension a month before this contest was announced.

First crane suspension – Stelarc 1985

In the public criticism blog several valid points were made. But trust us there is a method to our madness that will be made clear if you read on. Also we will try to identify errors in our judgment and determine if the contest will continue, be changed, or stopped. Read more

Once upon a time the suspension world was full of young-uns.  Of course there was the occasional old guy that got involved, but for the most part it was a young person’s games.  Now a couple of decades later, what do we see?  Numerous practitioners in their 30′s and few reaching middle age.  Yep, seems that we are all getting old together.  This year has seen Steve Joyner, Håvve Fjell, and now as of today Rick Pierceall turned 40.  Man-O-Man where has the time gone?  You know it’s just a matter of time before we will have to establish the retirement home for hookers.

OK in all seriousness, today’s blog is about the birthday boy.  Now if you’ve ever met Rick Pierceall, chances are that you have not forgotten him.  First impressions are the he is big, intense and down right intimidating.  When this man speaks people shut up and listen.

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For those of you that keep up with suspension shenanigans, this next video is not new news to you. But for the readership that missed this little gem, from the Tulsa Oklahoma chapter of AGRO, well let’s just say you gotta love the crazy people in this world.  Back in March, Jesse Star with the help of Rick Pierceall‘s crew experimented with a mini bike and some hooks.  Enjoy:

When you think of dangerous suspensions what comes to mind?  I’m sure one of the two helicopter suspensions might be your first thought.  Yes two, Criss Angel was the second.  Joey Strange did it first 5 years prior but that’s another blog all together.  Maybe it’s one of the crane suspensions.  Stelarc did hang over 200 feet (61 meters) in the air from a tower crane back in 1985. There is a beautiful video of him suspended in the center of Copenhagen, but we have yet to find a clip a online.  Possibly one of the human mobiles?  Again another entry you will see in the future, but today’s blog deals with something a lot smaller, but potentially just as dangerous, the 360.  The video below compiled by Ron Garza shows some clips using the device, created by Steel Fetish, with multiple warnings included.

We realize, to many people, suspension is all about pushing boundaries, but safety cannot and should not be sacrificed in the name of performance art.  If you do have a wild hair and feel like trying something that’s never been done before, please do the research, test the physics and check your math.  Being the first has its rewards, but putting yourself or your team at risk is never worth the glory.

A look back from guest writer Heather Cherry

July 2004 – We wanted to do a suspension where it would be peaceful and quiet, so the location seemed ideal, a deserted sandbar a half mile out in the ocean. We took some friends of ours who were very interested in experiencing a suspension. But what started out as a personal experience for the four of us – myself, Gus Diamond, Marilyn Mena and Samantha Hughes – became a public spectacle for those who are ignorant of the facts to slander and misunderstand our purpose.

There is a serenity in this art form. For me, suspensions are about mind over matter and a deep spirituality. I focus inward and then slowly work into pulling myself. Its a gentle stretch, slow, and then you feel some slight stinging and then your back just gets warm. Its not horribly painful. It looks much worse than it is. I really mean that. It is a wonderful euphoric feeling to be floating, you can clear your mind and at times you find your own personal utopia. It is a deep insightful look into your soul and feeling the environment around you. This is all about conquering fear and inner strength.

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Today, August 10th, 2010 is definitely a very important day for the world of suspension.  What might you ask makes this date so special?  Today my friends is the 80th birthday of my teacher, mentor, and friend Fakir Musafar.

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In 2001 I was lucky enough to document my friend Blair  do his first chest suspension.  At the time I ran a website called spcOnline. You might have read it when you were still in high school, or perhaps not. This photo was part of a gallery on that site; and with Allen’s blessing I’ll be sharing photos from my last twenty years in the community with the readers of Hooklife.

Our techniques and practices have evolved very quickly over the last decade; some of the photographs will seem archaic by our ever changing current standards. Betadine stained skin with rigging that weighs more than the suspendee, blood allowed to run freely… rest assured that through documenting our history we’re able to learn from our mistakes as well as our triumphs.

If there’s one suspension everyone seems to love it’s the spinning beam, but most people don’t know the story behind it.

In 1998 TSD (Traumatic Stress Discipline) was hired by Keith Alexander for the opening party of Dee Snider’s film Strangeland held at Webster Hall in New York City. Night of 1000 Scars, as the event was named, was supposed to showcase a 3 man human mobile. Do to a technical error the beams were rigged too low allowing the three men (Pat, Xeon and Allen) to touch the stage. The outcome was the accidental invention of the spinning beam suspension.