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BISBEE — City Park was alive with children laughing at the strange long-legged creatures that were walking towards them.
It was easy to tell Flam Chen was back in town to add to the New Year’s Eve festivities. The Tucson acrobats who work on stilts and play with fire thrilled little ones with their banter.
Randall Swindell, dressed as Dr. Chen the Red Wizard, boldly stated, “I eat children.”
The young ones scattered with smiles of happiness on their faces.
 Ethan Hall, 3, is not too crazy about meeting Dr. Chen the Red Wizard (aka Randall Swindell) during a visit by Flam Chen of Tucson, a pyrotechnic acrobatic group. (Ed Honda-Herald/Review) |
Then they began running between his legs and asking all manner of questions. He strolled over to the children’s slide, and little ones took off down the slide and landed between his carefully placed legs.
Off to the side, other children were making lanterns for their rooms and for the parade if they were lucky enough to be allowed to stay up late.
Bisbee artist Joseph Klinger was lending a hand to 11-year-old Molly Hottel. She chose to start with a metal sieve attached to a bamboo pole and draped a garland of blue tinsel around it. Then she used purple tissue paper to line her lantern “shade” and topped that with a layer of purple cellophane. As the finishing touch, she attached a few bangles.
“I’m going to use it in my room and put glow sticks in it,” she said while frowning because she wouldn’t get to be in the parade.
While some were busy with their lanterns, other children were testing their skills with makeshift poi — tennis balls in tube socks. Poi are used by the Maori people of New Zealand in their fiery dances. The pyrotechnic Flam Chen members use fire in their dances as well. The socks teach the craft without the risk of burns.
Three-year-old Elizabeth Landen was catching the rhythm and twirling away. Though every now and then, she’d bop herself on the head, it didn’t matter, she was having fun.
Standing around looking a bit dazed was a visitor from London, England, who now calls Manhattan home — Manhattan, Kan.
Hal Dace had been deserted by a friend who had lived in Bisbee and brought him to town for the holiday.
But she was visiting with old friends up in the stands.
The film animator wasn’t exactly sure what the plan for New Year’s Eve actually was, so he didn’t join in with the lantern-making. “I’ll have to wait and see what she has planned,” he said with a smile.
The 25 members of Flam Chen enjoy spending New Year’s Eve in Bisbee.
Local merchants and residents chipped in to pay the $4,600 tab that covers food, lodging and helium for the balloons that carry aloft one of the acrobats skyward for the 100-foot drop at midnight.
Bisbeeite Sean Hicks is a fan of Flam Chen and brought them to town last year for a non-alcoholic, family-style celebration.
The crowd loved them and when they wanted to return, he went out and started gathering donations to cover costs.
Considering their shows run over $20,000, Bisbee folks are getting them for a bargain.
Nadia Weier has been a performer for 20 years and founded Flam Chen 10 years ago when she tired of working in the dinner theater.
There are between six to 12 people who perform depending on the show, and they keep busy performing around the world.
The troupe has taken circus antics, martial arts, aerial arts, stilts and theater and have combined it all into a visual and audio feast.
Her husband, Paul, explained that Wednesday night’s show was called the Stage Show of Dr. Chen — sort of a Chinese circus.
“Just imagine a Chinese circus touring Arizona and ending up in Bisbee for New Year’s,” he said.
The skit shows off the acrobatic talents of the members who perform various feats of daring.
For now, though, there were many, many balloons to be filled with helium — an hours-long process. It was time for the crew to get things ready and for the stilt-walkers to rest their muscles before the big parade and the evening’s show.
SHAR PORIER can be reached at 515-4692 or by e-mail at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
