Background
Tyler Spades’ passion for the flow arts becomes clear when you look at his list of appearances and activities. Stationed in Portland, Oregon, he specializes in Contact Staff and Contact Sword, but plays with a variety of other props as well. He’s been involved in the flow arts practice since 2007. Included in his long list of adventures is his 2013 tour along the Burmese border of Thailand as a member of 2013 Spark! Circus. He publishes a monthly article called “On the Road of Flow” for the Fire Arts Magazine. Spades is now adding “producer” to his long list of titles with his upcoming showcase featuring an all-star lineup of Portland locals, Ecstatic Fire!!! More information about Spades can be found on his website.
Teaching
Spades teaches Contact Staff every Tuesday at the Lotus Seed in Portland. Locals beware, the class fills up early, so reserve your space now.
Performances
On most Saturdays, he can be found spinning for Kingdom Saturdays at Q Nightclub. He kicked the 2014 off with stilt walking for Beloved’s Inspire Truth in Portland and 2015 with fire performing at Q nightclub. If any of you watch the fantastical series from NBC, Grimm, Spades is one of the featured circus artists performing dragon staff, staff, club juggling, club passing, LED double staff, LED contact sword, and LED club juggling. As part of the Heididuckler Dance company, Spades performed double fire contact swords for Ragnarok.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urYxDrasMjk
In February 2014, he went to the Gem and Jam Festival in Tucson to get down with some fire staff and fire contact swords. He will also be teaching 4 workshops and performing every night at the 2015 Gem and Jam Fest. Spades has performed live for countless musicians including Diplo, Gaslight Lamp Killer, Tycho, and Skrillex. In addition to his regular Festival Showcase performances, he’s been seen spinning at Glow Me: Portland, the Wow Hall, Burning Man: Black Rock City, NV as a performance organizer and performer, and Feast Portland.
Workshops
Spades teaches juggling, staff juggling, beginner and advanced contact staff and contact swords. In 2014, he was an instructor at these festivals:
- Spin In’ a Prop Gathering: The Dalles, OR
- Lucidity Festival: Santa Barbara, CA
- Master Ong’s Flow Retreat: Vista, CA
- Spin Summit: Black Forest, CO
- Kinetic Fire Gathering: College Corner, OH
- Fire Drums: Nevada City, CA
- Spin Out: Sundre, Alberta, Canada
- Southern Illinois Fire & Flow Retreat: Vienna, IL
- Oregon Country Fair / Darling’s Reunion: Veneta, OR
- Pacific Fire Gathering: Tillamook, OR
- Portland Juggling Festival: Portland, OR
Please contact The Flow Arts Institute if you have an instructor you would like to nominate for Instructor of the Month.