active 1 year, 2 months ago

Base

Name

Louie Cortez

Type of Artist

Spins Flags, Spins Fans


Region

Texas

My History

How would you describe yourself as a flagger?

Like a hedge wizard, I learned on my own. I didn’t have a flag mentor to show me how to make flags and the basic moves. I had to put it together myself. Needless to say, my initial flags are more weapons then dancing tools. Anyone who has seen them would agree (lol). However, having this as my basic platform to learn from, I think I would describe myself as a lone wolf. When I attended the first flagging workshop, I saw moves I had never seen before but at the same time, I realized I was doing things no one else was doing. I like that.


What is it about flagging that you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the energy that is created (both physically and spiritually). I like the zone I enter when I’m in the throes of my flight. In my mind, I feel like I am painting the song I am dancing to. A splash of water colors are at my disposal and the music is the canvas upon which I paint.


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

I have been flagging for about 6 years. I was drawn to it through the bar’s tv circuit party recordings they would display (I’m sure we’ve all seen them). Occassionally, amid all the beef, there would be a flagger or fanner showcasing his talents. I found this absolutely astounding. I was still in college at the time and on one particular evening I was driving back to my dorm about 3 in the morning and I decided I wanted to make a set of flags but I didn’t have any idea what they were made of or how they were made or how the flagger kept them aloft. So what I did was take a couple of hand towels (i was starting out small) and drove a clothes hanger along one side of it (yes, I know. Now it seems pretty ridiculous but at the time it made perfect sense). I spent the rest of that morning trying to twirl them about and mimic what I saw. Eventually (like a couple of years later), I met someone who showed me an actual pair but by then, I was already fanning (having found a mentor) and so flagging hit the back burner for a bit but eventually it called to me and now I do both and enjoy every minute of it.


What was your first flagging experience?

I kinda started this on the previous question "How did you get started" so I will continue from that answer:

After twirling the towels about until they were practically shredded, I decided to try make own flags but again, without a mentor, I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I tried to look it up on the internet but couldn’t find anything (I don’t know if this was prior to the Centrifugal site or if google wasn’t quite as proficient as it is now). I watched the bar videos and managed to befriend one of the bartenders who would rewind the tape for me over and over again (at my request). I went out and bought Lamé and sewed washers into the corners (Gay-Ninja flags!). These were not little washers but big, hunkering, 3" washers that would leave huge gashes in the walls when they hit. Wow, no wonder no one bothered me, no one wanted to get hit. So my first public appearance, after training for about a year and making my first crude pair, was at the Bonham Exchange(BX) on a Saturday night (back when the BX was the place to be on a Saturday night). No one had broken in the dance floor yet and everyone was standing around on the sides. The music was getting pretty good and I could sense the anticipation of everyone waiting for someone to go out so they wouldn’t be the only one out there. After tanking myself up on three 151 punches, I braved to be the first one out. I went to the middle of the floor and took my position ready to break into dance. I could feel everyone watching me as I listened for the beat to break into. Until me, there was no other flagger in San Antonio. Vistors, maybe, but no one with any consistency. So when the beat finally hit, I hoisted my flag into the air and had a vision of this beautiful Lamé fabric unfurling in the club light as the music crescendoed but in reality, I threw my hand up and the flag flew from my hand and onto the floor since I was stepping on it. My moment of glory quickly fadded into absolute embarrasement. So in true diva fashon, I bent down, picked it up, and continued as if nothing had happened. So much for my magical first time. Surprisingly, no one has ever brought up the incident in coversation. Oh joy, they were just as drunk as I was!


What was one of your wildest or craziest flagging experiences?

This new club was opening up and they were celebrating their grand opening. They hired me to get on the roof and flag for them. They had these two big lights on me and my friends later told me they could see me from four blocks away. I had a blast that night since they paid me in drinks!


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

I didn’t always use hand towels. Like I stated earlier, I eventually made the transition to Lamé. Of course, you can’t dye Lamé so I didn’t experience the awesome power of the acid wash dyes for many years later. With that said, I ended up creating my own style of flag without even realizing it. It wasn’t until the first flag workshop up in Dallas that I had a chance to realize this evolution. My flags are a product of my own piece-meal attempt to put something together from what I saw on the Circuit Party videos and influenced from my fanning experiences.

Instead of using curtain weights, I created a pocket using mesh fabric. With standard flags, most people do not differentiate from a left handed or right handed flag, with my set, there is a difference due to the placement of velcro tabs in order to fill the mesh pocket with glow sticks. The glow sticks provide the weight as well as color for my dancing. In addition, in the area where one holds the flag, there is a boot-lace loop sewn into the fabric. This allows the flagger to spin the flag on his finger allowing a few more moves that wouldn’t be possible without it. Realizing my flags are truly unique, I’ve decided to name the style: Louie’s Legacy. It is my own contribution to the canon of knowlege that is emerging due to the wonderous efforts of Patric and Philip.


What advice do you give to beginning flaggers?

If you don’t get it right away, sleep on it.
Even when you’re asleep your mind is still working out the dynamics of what you are doing. Like rubbing your stomach while patting your head, it seems awkward at first but rest assured knowing that this is only temporary.
Tomorrow, when you try again, you will see, you are doing much better. And this is how you should approach flagging for the rest of journey: each session a learning experience for the next attempt.
In no time at all, you will find you have learned more than you ever thought you could.


Louie's Latest Activity See All →

  • Avatar

    Louie Cortez posted an update:   1 year, 6 months ago · View

    Getting ready for a halloween party this weekend! You all be safe, my brothers and sisters!


  • Avatar

    Cortez, Luis posted on the forum topic
    An Emergency   3 years, 2 months ago · View

    Also why would he ask you to keep
    this to yourself if he was emailing the group? Poor Andrew that he should be
    comprised by malicious e-mail but let me also take this opportunity to inform
    the group of another virus going around. Over the weekend my nephew got hit
    with a virus that pins itself to the start up sequence of the computer and
    disables the computers anti-virus program. It is called “Anti-Virus One.”
    It initiates a cleaning sweep and informs you that you have a load of viruses
    in your computer and for a fee it can clean them up for you. Basically, this program
    is asking for protection money against itself. But even if you pay it, it doesn’t
    remove it—it merely resets itself and after a period of time does it
    again. So be cautious! If you see this pop up on your computer, try to download
    a free anti-virus program that will deal with it specifically (Google:
    Anti-Virus 1 removal—that’s what I did) or you can also find
    instructions on how to remove it line by line—an option I’d suggest
    for those that really know computers.
     
    Well, that’s my two cents!
    Happy computing, Spin Tribe and stay safe!
    ~Civa
     

    From:
    SpinTribe@yahoogroups.com [mailto:SpinTribe@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sfxxv@…

    Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 10:59 AM

    To: SpinTribe@yahoogroups.com

    Subject: Re: [SpinTribe] An Emergency

     

    This is a scam. It has happened in the leather community before. How did
    they get on our list.

    Ask yourself…. if you are on a business trip why wouldn’t you bring your
    phone ….. why wouldn’t you email or call your office collect for help … why
    not ask for an economy ticket?

    DO NOT BE TAKEN IN

    __________________________________________________________

    **** NOTE FROM THE MODERATOR****

    Messages from long time members are unmoderated. If this issue baloons into a
    more frequent infractions we can look into tightening the process. Good luck to
    all of us that we don’t fall victim to identy theft.


  • Avatar

    Louie Cortez posted on the forum topic
    Another response to Instructor certification   3 years, 8 months ago · View

    I agree completely with Daniel Tyler. Given that so much work has
    been developed to codify our movements into one language and that
    dialogues exist from East to West coasts, it seems to me that we are
    heading for the next step in our evolution: Peer-review and
    assessment for those that want to be assessed. Dance companies have
    sprung up (Axis Danz, Houston Flyboys, Temple of Poi) and these
    companies are laying the foundation for schools of thought. Workshops
    bring together different ideas from across the country–we are
    teaching each other and it is wonderous.

    Issa,I think what you are offering is awesome. Thank you for sharing
    your story with us. I am glad you have an opportunity to do what you
    love for a living.

    I, for one, do feel it is important to hand the art down from teacher
    to student as it was passed to me. I felt completely enriched by that
    process and have since done the same. However, I have, in the past,
    been hired to flag on top of night clubs, at parties, and fund-
    raisers. I’ve been paid for sewing, for my flags, and to teach. I
    think most of us do it and I guess that makes me just as much "an
    opportunistic, money grubbing __________ you fill the blank" as
    everyone else.

    Louie
    aka "Civa"

    Ps: Informing us, Issa and future entrepreneurs, is awesome but
    spamming–now that does deserve a slap on the wrist!


  • Avatar

    Cortez, Luis posted on the forum topic
    What a great article on fan construction   3 years, 10 months ago · View

    Yes, yes! Very nice indeed! I hope you
    take Phillip up on his offer and let him post your article on flaggercentral. Thank
    you for a very thorough explanation.
     
    Louie
    Aka Civa
     


  • Avatar

    Louie Cortez posted on the forum topic
    looking for ribs/spines for fans   3 years, 10 months ago · View

    Hi all, I know this question pops up from time to time but has anyone
    found a reliable source of ribs for fan construction? With the
    continual growth of the internet, occassionally I find bamboo ribbed
    fans that come very close to what I’m looking for. Has anyone else had
    any luck?

    ~Civa


No one has posted to Louie's wire yet.

Louie's Galleries


Louie's Friends


Louie's Groups