NYC Highlight

I was sitting here thinking about my first trip to NYC and how amazing the city and people are. I always think of a couple of guys I watched for about an hour one day who turned out to be one of my trip highlights. They were fantastically multi-talented and funny. I was looking for them on the web and ran across this article which mentions them but which also gave me the breakdown on how things are done in NYC parks, etc. I thought people just did their "thang" whereever, whenever. It's an older article so things may have changed somewhat. I love the characters and talent to be found on the street, in the subway, and in the parks. You can shell out megabucks on the Broadway and Off-Broadway shows but don't forget these guys and gals as they strut their stuff for pure enjoyment and a buck or two from their appreciative audience.

Pounding The Pavement

There is definitely a strategy to performing on the streets of New York City.

Issue: July/August 2002
By Jessica Cassity

"There’s no rougher audience than on the streets. They tell the honest truth."—Tac, Manhattan street performer

Tic and Tac’s signature move: The Helicopter
This summer, walking through lower Manhattan’s Washington Square Park on the weekend might mean weaving through a crowd 10 people deep, standing in a circle 80 feet around, everyone in it clapping to the beat of an old Michael Jackson tune. What’s the big deal in the center of the mob? You don’t have to fight your way to the front to find out, but you should. New York City sidewalks, parks, tourist attractions, subway stations and even subway cars often double as stages for a wide variety of dancers; and while we’ve seen everything from tappers to Tangoers, b-boys and b-girls are definitely the most prevalent. But a boom box is not all you need to be successful dancing in the streets; there’s a lot more than meets the eye to this vagabond profession.

STREET BEAT

Twin brothers and entertainers Tic and Tac live up to their names: Tic stands for talented, impressive and creative; Tac is an acronym for top audience controller. The two, who have performed at Harlem Globetrotters’ basketball games during halftime, can be found performing acrobatic and comedic routines with their five-man group, the Tic and Tac All-Stars, in the center of Washington Square Park every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. “We do between forty-five-minute sets and hour-and-a-half-long ones,” says Tac of the well-rehearsed show that attracts hundreds of people every time they put it on. “We do about three a day, minimum.”

They put themselves through quite a workout, performing traditional b-boy moves as well as stunts like flips, jumping over one another and the human helicopter, where one twin horizontally balances on the standing twin’s head and is spun around like a big propeller. Though the members, all of whom are self-trained, have all the crowd-pleasing moves down, it’s not just the technical feats that draw the audiences in and make them stay through the grand finale.

DANCING FOR DOLLARS

Of their winning ways, Tac explains, “My twin brother and I write all the material. We carry the show with comedy. When you’re giving a great performance and the audience feels the positive energy, it’s not just about the moves.” He adds, “There’s no rougher audience than on the streets. They tell the honest truth. Your show has to be real. If you don’t have a real show people won’t warm up to you. The best show wins.”

In short, their daring tricks amaze and attract an audience while their clever dialogue makes the crowd laugh, linger and withdraw cash from their wallets—and not just pocket change, either. The group has even received hundred dollar bills. Tac says with a little laugh, “I make my check in two days while these people work five.” The performance space is up for grabs though, and is earned by crowd size and longevity. “If you don’t have a minimum thirty-minute show, you can’t get a prime-time spot. We build an audience. Other shows work around us,” says Tac. “Our show is so big now it doesn’t even belong on the streets.”

LEGAL LOGIC

There are different rules and regulations for performers in various areas of NYC. The Tic and Tac All-Stars only apply for permits when using amplified sound and, according to the Street Activity Permit Office, no permit is required for dancers who want to perform on city sidewalks. However, to perform on a sidewalk alongside or inside a city park, performers must acquire a free 30-day permit (with a $25 processing fee) from the City Of New York/Parks & Recreation Department (http://nycparks.completeinet.net). In subway stations, while it is legal for anyone who abides by station rules to perform, preference for some sites is given to those who pass an audition each January for the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Music Under New York Program (212-362-3830). Some tourist spots like South Street Seaport actually audition performers long before the start of summer, so check each site for its guidelines. ds