Pioneer stories

Cristin
Cristin
Jul 21, 2017 · 5 min read

The one that dances with umbrellas

Alessio Ferrara, my first real-life pioneer and the one that dances with umbrellas; Copyright: Cristin Liekfeldt/Companisto

The warm wind sweeps through Berlin Kreuzberg as I am on my way looking for pioneers. As the definition tells me, I am looking for someone creative, that establishes new products and processes and is driven by an inner motivation. On this summer day I am going to meet Alessio, a friend of a friend, who is some kind of juggler and according to this friend of ours, may be a pioneer, too.

But how do you actually see if someone is a pioneer? What makes them so special, outstanding from others — let´s say — regularly passionate people?

As far as I know, he founded two companies — the Bus Theatre and Artekor Duet, juggles with umbrellas and travels all around the world. Seems to me, that this guy has a lot of things on his bucket list.

When Alessio is walking towards me and his appearance shapes away from the bushes, I somehow know he is different. I am actually wondering how people cannot see when people are entirely open with hearts and minds. To me, they look like a walking wardrobe with open shelves and doors, showing off their characteristics like colorful dresses, which are bursting out of it. So this tall, thin guy with the black Charlie-Chaplin-hat and the big, curious eyes is literally screaming ‘theatre’ at me.

Alessio and I sit down with a coffee.

My life is my work and my work is my life

“So, what is it that you do?” I ask and it somehow feels like the basic question that should be explaining everything that comes after that.

“Jep, this is the question I think about a lot. When people ask me, I usually start with ‘I am a circus artist’. This is shocking enough.” He smiles. “And then I tell them what this actually means. The concept of circus changed during the last years. I am not working with animals, in this way I am a vegeterian. I am a juggler, a performance artist, a founder, and a manager. I actually have three jobs at least. I teach in a circus school, Die Etage — Schule für darstellende Künste, I manage a philosophy festival, I am performing on stage.”

When I ask how many hours his workday has, he looks at me, bewildered and puzzled. “24 hours.” he says.

“Well, that´s funny. So, you don´t sleep, no? What are you, a vampire?”

He thinks about is, than shakes his head: “Well no but you know, I am still working during the time when I sleep, no? I have to digest, manufacture, you know?”

Good point, actually, but I am not fully convinced. Everyone would be working all the time then. Just because our body works automatically, doesn´t mean we´re constantly doing something in terms of being conscious and mission-driven. “Look, I don´t work. I live. Or both at the same time. My life is my work and my work is my life.”

“Well, but you have to take a break from time to time, don´t you? Like, relax?” I just have to ask.

Again, he thinks about it.

Let´s call it “research”

Then he laughs and shrugs his shoulders: “No, actually, no. I don´t know. Everything is work and nothing is. Work is to be looking at objects and figure out their physiognomy, playing around with them, create a concept, talk with people, practice. Then again digesting information, mix them, perform. Raising money, learn. I call it research.

“Well, in my experience, people don´t pay money for this kind of research. How do you live?”

“True. I work 90 hours for a performance but no one pays for it. I get paid for my 1-hour performance and that´s it. Sometimes, one of my jobs results in money, sometime the other ones do. My whole concept for work and money is different. I will always be looking for a way to make money but I don’t do it for money. I do it because I am attracted to the unknown. I want to know.

Look, I couldn’t live any other way. And I really tried. I tried working in a shop, I tried to live this way where people told me when to do what and how much I am worth. But this is not my way of life.”

“So, what drives you is curiosity? Could one say that?”

“Yes, absolutely. There is no path. Once I found something, I´m done with it and I am looking for another one. But if I ever stop looking, my life has ended. Or will change massively and I don’t think that is what I want.”

That´s how it looks when Alessio “dances” with umbrellas

About success, failure and happiness

As we keep talking about life, work, passion and somehow the mission that keeps you busy, I realize that being a pioneer has to be an extreme life. It is to be living with a question or a desire that surrounds you in every day and every minute of your life. I suddenly get what it takes to be extraordinarily great in what you do, whether you succeed or don´t.

Alessio is dealing with risk every day of his life. Not only the risk of not having enough money, but also the risk of breaking his bones when he backflips over the stage on an acrobatic performance.

“I fail all the time. I actually fail 99 percent of my time. I try, I learn, I try again. And in this remaining one percent I find something great. And this is when I feel — how do I say it — like a god!” He spreads his arms and smiles all over his face.

The special pattern in here is that Alessio obiously finds happiness in risk. Happiness in accepting the unknown.

“I founded the Bus Theatre to bring the experience of live performance to the people that can´t get to the theatre. Some of them have never even seen a live performance of any kind. So I wanted to bring the theatre to them.”

He explains, that he and his crew don’t rely on language when performing, they focus on the visual, on what is shown. Body language. The mimics and gestures. And whether they are performing in front of an audience or he is teaching students, he doesn’t fill them with content, opinions or techniques.

I am a learner

“I shock them and I learn from their shock. And they interact. I ask what they want to become and I try to help them. I am not a teacher. I am a learner.”

The bus Alessio and two friends of him bought, has two floors, seating and stage is all in one. There´s a lot of light, the constant feeling of creativity and freedom makes the air shimmer and smell adventurous. Although he and his co-workers and friends fail, struggle and expose themselves to the unnamed, they find meaning in performing, interacting with people and living a life in the unnamed.

When we walk away from each other, Alessio leaves a trace of glittering spirit in my mind. Meeting people like him inspires me to free myself of doubts and fear.

Maybe that´s what we can learn from these everyday pioneers. They don’t have to be working in engineering, science or astronomy.

What pioneers share is deeply human: the spirit of curiosity and the total commitment to the unknown.

_____

Want to get in touch?

Write me or visit my blog at https://www.companisto.com/de/blog. I´d love to get to know you!



Cristin

Written by

Cristin

Stories about entrepreneurship, european startups and crowdfunding insights. Berlin-based Companisto blogger.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade