GT

GT the Entertainer

                                                                                          

Not too many performers in the acrobatic slam dunk game bring to the table what GT brings to the table.  But before I get into all of that. let me begin by stating the thing that allows GT to deliver what he delivers is he is simply a smart guy.  

Not only in the sense of being able to identify logical patterns which is a big part of intellect but he has the ability to also identify emotional patterns and connect them.  He has a lightning fast ability to see connections and coherently express them at will.  Combined with his penchant for telling it like he sees it, he has the gift of being funny.

His contributions to ACRODUNK are many and varied.  From graphic design to video editing and from show elements that have become iconic to just day to day team entertainment - GT has altered the trajectory of ACRODUNK for sure.

However small or large the impact might be, every member of a team leaves his/her mark.  Sometimes the impact is long-lasting and even permanent.  It is great to witness when a teammate comes to the table and takes what is already effective and powerful and makes it better.  GT has done that very thing with many aspects of our shows.      

Every great team relies on teammates that have deep reservoirs of ability and ACRODUNK has been fortunate to have many.  In recent years it has been GT’s connections that have helped populate our teams with awesome talent.  It is his gift as an entertainer that helps us be more than just a dunk team.  His gift as computer wiz that has aided our marketing, web and social media presence.  His gift of commitment that has saved many a dunk from disaster (you might have to watch the following clip twice to notice the role GT plays to make this dunk happen.  By the way, the graphic with the cool swirling ACRODUNK logo with fire and smoke at the end of the vid is GT’s work).

It was during GT’s first season with ACRODUNK, that his potential to become an effective teammate became apparent.  It was quite a busy season which we kicked off with about 90 shows over the course of 6 weeks.  G-Man got hurt just before Thanksgiving and with GT’s help we were able to get another dunker, Timothy Muscarella up and running to finish that leg of the tour.  Later as the 2nd half of the season was gearing up, another talented entertainer Anthony Grant was brought into the ACRODUNK family through GT’s connections.  (Tae Crawford and Matthew Marzo later joined our ranks thanks to GT's influence).

We went on to end that season with 2 veterans suffering major injuries and a changing roster from month to month and GT was the constant throughout it all - not without his own aches/pains and challenges.  He ended up performing in every show the core team had that season and began to find his voice as the funny man on the team.  

His catch-phrase “Stir at it!” became what was remembered most by audience members at schools across the country.  Being cool & funny is hard to pull off but because of his varied talents - dance, tumbling, dunking, humor - GT was able to win fans over nationwide.

GT’s confidence is admirable - I have enjoyed seeing the risks that he’s taken and the results that risk taking has produced.   Often times a challenge/opportunity will present itself and GT will profess his ability to handle it.  Whether he possesses the ability at the time is a minor detail because in most instances by the time the work needs to be delivered he will have figured out how to do it.

As we develop our stage show, GT’s talents as a DJ have been incorporated into the mix.  From our stint on America’s Got Talent to the shows we’ll create in the future. his role of helping create memorable shows continues.

Thanks GT for your contributions.  Although pint sized, you have gallons of talent and ability and ACRODUNK is all the better for it.

ACRODUNK CHEMISTRY

ACRODUNK H-Town

We received some feedback from a school show that was done recently. Here is what a principal said,

“Our students loved the ACRODUNK performance. This was the first assembly the students have thanked me for afterwards.”

This is great feedback and in another letter from the faculty and students of this same school we were told,

“Amazing entertainment! We love ACRODUNK!...The students were captivated by the stunts as well as the personalities of the show. The message delivered by ACRODUNK was not only spoken with words but also demonstrated throughout the show....Great job ACRODUNK!...Keep up the great work and we look forward to watching your show become America’s favorite entertainment.”

“Captivated.” What a great way to describe their students reaction. This is the kind of message that tells us we are doing something right and encourages us to strive for excellence everytime we get the opportunity to perform in front of an audience.

We have been performing for schools for 15 years and are grateful for the many similar letters we have received over the years. What makes this one so cool is that neither I nor Greg Mueller were a part of this performance. Byron Thomas, Keith Brown and Sadiki Fuller were also not a part of this performance.

This performance was delivered by a team that had their first show together 3 and a half weeks prior to the show at this school. Greg (GT), Josh (3D) and Matt (Marzo) have been blowing up the spot during our SPORT OF THINKING school tour and show no signs of slowing down. While each of these guys has years of entertainment under his belt, it was only 1 month ago from the writing of this blog that they began working as a 3-man team to carry out this tour.

It would be easy to say the tour has been a success because of the systems we have in place for training and running the tour or the legacy we all strive to uphold. It would be easy to point to GT’s experience with school tours or each guys desire to be effective or even my and Greg Mueller’s influence. While all of those are part of it, I am excited to realize that most of the reason for the tour’s success is Chemistry and that these guys love what they do - and they are great at it!

There is real chemistry that exists between these guys on and off the court and when on the court, it is evident that they are having a blast and the audiences connect with that. Each of these guys has individual strengths that when combined make them a powerful force to be reckoned with.

I especially like that in the midst of the early mornings, the long stretches behind the steering wheel, the sleeping in a different bed almost every night, the non-breakaway rims, the heat, the cold, the aches, the pains, the warming up and cooling down and the missing of families and friends - GT, 3D and Marzo still have the desire to make the show better.

I salute GT, 3D and Marzo for taking ownership as they recruit young people into the Sport Of Thinking. Keep up the great work! The Legacy Continues.