active 2 years, 2 months ago

Base

Name

Eric Bennett

Type of Artist

Spins Flags

Region

California

My History

How would you describe yourself as a flagger?

Insecure.

What is it about flagging that you enjoy the most?

Playing with my friends and connecting during particular songs. Seeing the results of a newly-dyed piece of silk. Learning.


How long have you been flagging? How did you get started?

Three years maybe? I saw Larry & Ted at the 2-4 club in Philly one night; they noticed how interested I was and started teaching me. It helped that I only lived a few blocks away from them at the time…


What was your first flagging experience?

GALA Chorus Convention 2000, San Jose. C-Force performed at the closing party, at which my friend Dan was the DJ. That was th first time I’d ever even seen flagging, and I thought it was just the coolest thing. The guys from group invited me back to their hotel room and we took turns with the flags. It was awesome.


What was one of your best flagging experiences?

House on the Hill, Halloween, a few (2?) years ago. A party at a huge, amazing, beautiful house, with people flagging and fanning in every room. Music courtesy of the sensational Warren Gluck. This was my best experience because this was when I became friends with Peggy.


Who has inspired or taught you?

Larry Reigel & Ted Savage got me started. Inspirations: Peggy Weitzman for her expressiveness. Suzy Strazulla for her freedom. Tom Ruble & Brian Baxter for style. Candida Scott Piel for being an ongoing resource to the community. Don Baker for silk dying, both as a physical act and as a means of self expression and freedom.


Do you make your own sets? Can you describe what kind you make?

I’ve made a few sets of flags, all dyed silk, of various weights and sizes. I’ve tried different weights of silk; I LOVE the heavier silk satin/charmeuse, but it does get heavy if the flags are big. Lately I’ve been focused mostly on fans. I’m still in the experimenting stage. Big fans, little fans, 11 spines, 19 spines, different weights of fabric, figuring out how it all moves. And just for the record, fringe is HEAVY.


Where do you often like to flag?

Outdoors – at the park, the beach. And anywhere that one of my favorite DJs are (Susan Morabito, Warren Gluck, Mike Duretto…)


What are your favorite types of flags to work with, and why?

My silk flags are my favorites right now; nothing moves like silk, and I made them myself. I moved to San Francisco at the end of 2002; silk is what most people play out here, I guess because hand-dying them is the thing here. So I’ve been enamored with silk since I moved here, although I’m starting to find a balance between the “new” dyed silk and the “old” Larry Reigel synthetic/piecework style (new and old for me, that is). I do love my flags from Larry, though.


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  • Avatar Image
    Don Baker : February 11, 2006

    I hope that ypu are well, and that the world and your reality is good to you.

    All my love, always!

    Don


  • Avatar Image
    visitor : July 24, 2005

    Peggy:
    you take my breath away…


  • Avatar Image
    George McCarty North : March 21, 2005

    Eric, my buddy

    It’s always great seeing my friend. Both of us crossed over from the Gay Chorus world into the Flagging world. I hope to see more of you, even though we’re on different coasts. Rock on!

    George