FDC2014 14. – 17.8.2014!

[samuli]

FDC2014 14. – 17.8.2014!
Finnish Diabolo Festival (FDC) will happen again for the 9th time in Eräjärvi, 14. – 17.8.2014.

The one and only diabolo festival in Finland 2014 will be held again in the idyllic village school environment in Eräjärvi, Orivesi.
The 9th annual FDC will once again gather Finnish diabolo hobbyists and professionals together. The program includes workshops and performances from top performers in the field.

Invited guests include such a talents as:
Håvard & Jarle Bergo (Norway)
Tonza (Juupajoki)
William Gilbert (Switzerland)
Donald Grant (Scotland)

At event there is also change to join this competition:
3rd. DIABOLO MOD CONTEST AT FDC2014
You will need to make your own diabolo from regular items. You are not allowed to use any real diabolo parts while making your own mod! (threaded bolts, nuts, and hardware washers are not counted to be unique diabolo parts).
Best diabolos will get prizes.

Rules:
- All entries must be submitted for judging at the event no later than 5:00 PM Friday, August 15th. Entries should be turned in at the registration desk
- Entries may be by proxy (Someone else can bring your diabolo, however the person entering the diabolo on your behalf must be familiar enough with the diabolo and it’s maker/modder to answer basic questions about the diabolo)
- All entries must be in a small bag or box and have the name, address, and e-mail if available of the person entering
- Written descriptions detailing the features of the diabolo are encouraged (if the judges can’t figure out what you’ve created, or all the important aspects thereof, it’s your fault, not the judges’ So make a list of all the parts, where did you get them etc.)
- The Diabolos will be judged in following criterias: Innovation and creativity (including creative use of materials), Quality, fit & finish, and visual & artistic appeal, not forgetting the Playability.


and not to forget this:
During FDC an annual event called Diabolothon is organized. The event combines athletics and diabolo and was created by the Finnish Diabolo Association in 2007.

and for Kendama people there's good change to upgrade your gradings as Donald Grant is official BKA examinator, we have BKA grading event at FDC2014 too. 
I just got this message from Mr. Grant ' I'll bring my exam papers and some workshop kit too.  Might be able to sort out some prizes too, if there's time to do a jam/ mini-comp.'
So there might even be Kendama competition!!!

better get ready and book your travels to Eräjärvi now!

Join us!

[Graham Milligan]

how much are the tickets to this event? would really really love to attend

[samuli]

TIckets are 75 € from the door but if you pay before 15.6.2014 you get it for 60 € and Finnish diabolo association members get it for 55 €

With people coming abroad we usually have been able to make good deals as it would just be superb to get more players from abroad to join us and the fun.

[7531]

nice, what is the best way to go there? what is the close airport?

[samuli]

Ryanair flies to Tampere, with other companies Helsinki might be best option with more flights coming in.

Then we have pick up lifts from Orivesi railway and bus stations to the festival site.

Transportation from the Orivesi train station will be organized. Please let us know when you are scheduled to arrive at the station before the festival. Also include number of passengers. If you don’t let us know, we might not be able to pick you up. The first rides start around noon on Thursday,  Return rides to the Orivesi station on Sunday will also be supplied by the festival organizers.

Map:
https://maps.google.fi/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=102753723097776997233.000466b8591bdd65fdb33&cd=2&sll=61.567026,24.55101&sspn=0.129302,0.267448&gl=fi&hl=fi&ie=UTF8&source=embed&ll=61.576669,24.55204&spn=0.01961,0.054932&z=14&dg=feature

[samuli]

Convention place & stuff

Convention is held a gain in Eräjärvi due to it's quiet, peace and cheap spaces. There is a one shop, one restaurant and the convention place. Also a lake with the sauna. Sleeping happens in a school so bring your own sleeping bags with you. There's a small gym where the workshops and some shows happen. Also a small kitchen for making your food. We serve breakfast made by Marko Akkanen (he promised to do this this year).

Bear in mind that this is a small convention which is concentrated on diabolo juggling. So almost everything is about diabolo. There will be again the diabolothon sports championships. We believe we'll see Jouni Ihalainen and Marko Akkanen etc winners defending their fame this year as well.

Here's some things that might bother your mind about getting to convention place.

Connections (Airplane, ferry, trains, our car)

So Eräjärvi is a really small village 30minute drive to east from Tampere. Tampere has airport (Ryanair) so you can fly there and take a train to closer. More advisable is to contact the organizer so we can come and get you from the airport or Tampere.

People coming from west with the ferry over the sea (probably Sweden) should go to Turku first. And from there on with train to Tampere. Same with the foreigners who are coming first to Helsinki. Either by ferry or airplane. From Helsinki catch the train or bus to Tampere.

Once in Tampere it is fairly easy for us to come and get you by car. Or you can take a train to Orivesi which is a bigger town close by Eräjärvi. All the Finnish diabolo men & women are going there. And taking a lift to Eräjärvi.

If your arriving to any city in Finland, there might be a chance that some body from there is coming to convention. So it's much more easier to travel with locals or get a lift. If you're coming please contact us, we might be able to make things easier for you once you're here.

Ryan Air flights are really reasonable to Tampere. And if you are coming to FDC by plane. Just send message and we figure out how to get to convention place.

[alex_levit]

Hi Samuli! I want to join. Already send you a message with details.
Alex Levit.

[samuli]

Alex, you're welcome. I'll pm you soon. Leaving to WYYC tomorrow.

[Graham Milligan]

im really sad im not going to make it.

But i might book my flights like 7months in advanced next year!

[samuli]

Graham, Everybody should come to FDC as it is the oldest  annual diabolo festival in the world. Next year it is the tenth time when magic will happen. Would be great to see all you here.

[vilihendrix]

****, i should propably register myself in just realized that it's going to be in 2 days

[samuli]

How about doing the HLGCBS stands for FDC2014
(High, Low, Goal, Crush, Bane, Surprise and is a traditional post-convention game/review format)

Here is the my version of the truth for FDC2014.
First I must thank everybody who participated and made this event possible. It was just cosmic. I really suggest everyone to join us at FDC, words can't really describe the event.

Here's my  HLGCBS

highlight
Galashow, the whole lineup was amazing and did superb job. Performers really pulled of the most unique and difficult feats with grace and style. This really was special. Great stage with good stage lighting and really good sound technician. This Gala really was amazing!


lowlight
For some reason I didn't do enough diabolo. Way too busy with other stuff and talking and playing Neo Bomberman


goal
My goal was to attend all the workshops but I didn't manage take part in any of them. I really wished to learn stuff from Joona, Jarle, Haavard and William. They really a amazing.


crush
William and OJJ, William with his style and the touch with diabolo, There's no other player like him. Just loving it all the way. OJJ came to play Gameboy EDM music for trickjam but ended up doing the sound tech stuff for Gala as well and even had time to be a DJ at sauna by the lake. Loving this guy as well.

 
bane
Getting a kind of mohawk hairdo week before my wedding. Lack of sleep.


biggest surprise of your festival
That it has already been running annually for nine years and next one is tenth. How this all has happened?

[Not Skilled Yet]

Awesome, I really hope it'll be just as good if I ever go from the usa!

[Jussi]

How about doing the HLGCBS stands for FDC2014
(High, Low, Goal, Crush, Bane, Surprise and is a traditional post-convention game/review format)

I hope more people will put some kind review about convention. But anyway, here's my  HLGCBS.

highlight
Samuli said galashow, otherwise i would vote the same. But other highlight for me was foreign guests. This year we got Donald, Jarle, Håvard and William. I think together they bring awesome variation of diabolo techniques and styles for us to get inspired.

lowlight
I could not be in convention more than one day and one night which is way too short time. I didnt see the trick jam.

goal
My goal was to do diabolo as much as i can and maybe get more motivation to do diabolo next year, as last few years I haven't been diaboling as much as i should.

crush
Arvi and William. Arvi was the first in gala show and people who have seen "impact of creativity" knows pretty well what his act includes. But I was still pretty surprised how flawless and polished his act was and how well his character fits in. William was last and what an absolute brilliant act that was, i really appreciate his style and ideas.
 
bane
I have to leave convention so early at sunday that i get less than 3 hours of sleep. Maybe lack of sleep is a feature of FDC.

biggest surprise
That there was no more participants - i think every diabolist (at least from Europe) should be in FDC. Its not that hard.

[Rodrigo Prodohl]

Gutted I couldn't make it down next year for sure, but does anyone know of any diabolo meetups happening in Helsinki/capital area

[Crackers]

I'll take the time to write something proper when I come back because this deserves it.
In the meantime here's my HLGCBS:

highlight
The trip back from the sauna on the car's roof.

lowlight
None really...
If I had to pick one, I'd say the attendance was a bit low (Eljas?!). Hope to see more foreigners coming someday aswell.

goal
To someday come to FDC with a prepared show and a diabolo mod for the contest...

crush
Viljami's crazy trick.
 
bane
Having to leave early on Sunday and missing Diabolothon

biggest surprise
Arvi. Had very high expectations and he somehow exceeded them (by far...)

edit:
Oh! and breaking the most expensive diabolo in history is probably in there somewhere too. Not sure if that should be a high or a low 

[Not Skilled Yet]

Oh! and breaking the most expensive diabolo in history is probably in there somewhere too. Not sure if that should be a high or a low 

 

[Jussi]

Hey William, it wasnt most expensive diabolo in the world. Last year there was diabolo which cost over 3000 euros.. And of course there could be more expensive ones somewhere 

[vilihendrix]

alright, i'll do this thing aswell :p

Highlight
Henri's, Arvi's and William's tricks were mindblowing and very inspiring to watch. Also the trickjam had kind of enjoyable and unique feeling to it thanks to OJJ.

Lowlight
vertax run at diabolothon, not going into details with it.

Goal
i didn't really have any goal but i think that i did everything that i would've planned to do (couldn't dress this as words any better ).

Crush
Tonza's dj set at the sauna, it really took me into some kind of another dimension and it was too awesome.

Bane
hangover in the sunday morning and sleeping in the cafeteria sofa (damn you Jussi )

Biggest surprise
the gala show, it was arguably the best one i've been to so far, so many different styles and everyone doing their routines so cleanly and with almost none mistakes.

thank you all and see you next year at the 10th FDC


-Viljami

[donald grant]

Oops, only got back from Finland on Monday, and took a couple more days to recover!!  Better late than never, here's my......

HIGH  Catching up with old friends, meeting new ones!  Even with a relatively small turnout this year, the level of skills was crazy high and unbelievably solid.

LOW  Probably the first morning, after three hours sleep in the weights room, getting woken up by exercising women and shouty-angry man.  Shouty-angry man did not make many friends that morning.....

GOAL  Learn some new stuff.  Check!
          Run some kendama workshop/ exams.  Check! (Congratulations to Alexandr, Samuli, Aaro, Marko, Jarle)!
         
CRUSH  William has an awesome array of tricks, it's always fun to play with someone with too many tricks!
             And Marko's Sega Naomi cabinet; yes, I am jealous

BANE  People having to leave too early on Sunday.

SURPRISE  The show was rock solid; not just mad skills but pretty damn clean too. Shame I didn't get to watch it all live ('cos I was getting ready/ in it )  Watching it again on video was a hoot!  This was my third FDC and the show was certainly the best.

Many thanks for having me over again: it's number 10 next year; stick it in your diary, it'll be a blast!