Finland #2 - A challenging end of the year, zero sleep and a blissful embarkation

When we started preparing the whole tour, it was at a time when we really weren't bored. We had several performances every week, we produced a unique show for the annual CZ LOKO event, and we had the honor to prepare a fire show in collaboration with Michal Caban at Prague Playoffs. On top of that we put together a series of special performances for the New Year's Eve in Austria, where we presented light costumes for the first time. We lived our crazy beautiful dream, we just didn’t have enough time.

Training

The first group training of all eight performers was about exploration and learning the first parts of the show.

Even the performers were surprised when we told them that the show will be 20 minutes long. But they bit the bullet and went for it.

Terezka didn't mess with us artists and prepared quite complex and intricate choreography that included a lot of technical elements as well as dance moves. Everyone agreed that it was a challenge and it would teach us a lot. We have to admit that it's made our brains boil more than in a sauna.

To keep people in a good mood and motivated while training was not always easy. The training sometimes lasted 8 to 10 hours a day and then we'd go on to other preparations. (Meanwhile, Terezka, Majký, and Maťo were practicing for 2 more big shows). Everyone was physically and mentally tired and sometimes it felt like there was no end to it. It's not enough to do the right tricks and steps for a show. You have to live the show, to experience emotions. That's the only way to convey the right feelings to the audience. That's why we focused a lot on facial expressions and body language.

In case you’d ever prepare a similarly challenging project, it's good to focus on creating the most comfortable conditions possible. Take time with your artists and give them the best service. Not only physical (breakfast, coffee, candy, surprise) but also mental. Trust us, they'll appreciate it immensely and it will reflect on their performance.

Equipment and costumes

We have already mentioned in the previous article that we needed to buy a lot of equipment, but there was also a lot of stuff to make.

It was lovely to see what great people we had around us. And not only from the team. 

We were leaving on the 5th of January and therefore we knew that we would be finishing the last details during the Christmas holidays as well. A time that is strictly reserved for our families.

Ehmm... How do you reconcile that, right? "Well, daddy, you do this, mommy, you do that, brother-in-law, brother, sister, aunt, niece, you do this." And that was it.

Do you say that we shouldn't bring family into the business, or even use them? :) 

On the contrary. People who love us were very happy to help us and it was a wonderfully spent time with those we love the most.

We would like to thank our families because we couldn't have done it without them. Thanks to this event, we have a lot of new experiences together and we've made family bonds even stronger.

It looked like a factory in our house on Christmas day, but it was damn well worth it. :)

The last week before departure

Prague PlayOffs are done, we had time to sober up after the New Year's Eve performance and we had 3 days to our flight.

As it happens, the fatigue got us and we felt like we wouldn't make it. Those who have ever prepared a bigger event, or gone through a similarly big (or even much bigger) challenge will confirm that the last few days are a breaking point. 

We have to admit that now we wouldn't do some things the way we did back then. But that's an experience that each of us has to gain on their own. The last few days before we left, we slept an average of two hours a day and drank a ton of coffee. Sometimes we got frustrated and angry because things weren't going the way we imagined.

In hindsight, we can evaluate it and we have learned a lot from it. What's important is a lot of mutual tolerance of bad moods, trying to have a constructive debate and mainly to keep telling each other that it's going to be good. No matter what we fear, it will always work out.

Anyway, when we arrived at the airport on Sunday 6th of January and saw 8 artists, prepared, looking forward to the adventure that the light show tour in Finland and Sweden would bring. It was a nice feeling.

After that it was fast. Checking in luggage, getting to the plane seats, extremely quick teleport (some of us didn't even know they took off...), landing in Helsinki and Stockholm, the first "pre-celebration" night at the hotel, and the morning of the D-Day, which we all worked hard for.

D-Day

The feeling when we saw a floating 4500-person apartment building, when we walked through the entrance corridor and when we stepped at the ship's deck for the first time will stay with us forever.

After checking into our cabins we were about to set sail on the cold Nordic sea for the first time. We stood on the top deck, freezing winds of Finland on our faces, and we were able to hug and kiss and say, "That's right, we made it. Here we are, and 5 weeks of great experiences and a huge adventure are waiting for us."

We will tell you our stories of what happened on the ship (and there is a lot of it) in the third part of the article, and we will be happy if you let us know how you enjoyed this series on our first big overseas show tour.

What to say in closing. We are all destined to do what we want to do here in this world. Everyone has the same infinite opportunities and it's only up to us how we can use this life.

Follow your dreams. Work on your visions and wildest imaginations until you are exhausted, because that's where life is fair and it will reward you for your hard work and effort.

Don't listen to people around you saying something is not possible. Everything you need is with you and within you.

We thank everyone who has read this far. It motivates us to write for you and thanks to you, we can live our dreams.