Busking

Busking is defined as "the practice of performing in public places for tips and gratuities." Those entertainers engaged in busking are called buskers. The term "busking" is more frequently used in England; in America, we call buskers "street performers."

All kinds of entertainment are performed by buskers; magic (sometimes called "street magic" or "close-up magic"), acrobatics, trained animal acts, balloon modeling, clowning or comedy, contortion, seemingly impossible escapes, dance of all kinds, fire eating, juggling, mime, puppeteering, snake charming, poetry recitations, painting and sketching, sword swallowing, and probably some I haven't thought of. "Living statues" is a relatively new form of busking.

There are many reasons why a performer busks. Breaking into the entertainment industry is tough, to say the least; so sometimes performers busk simply to make money. Sometimes they busk for attention, just for fun, or to socialize.

Busking is sort of the "bottom rung" of the entertainment industry ladder, but you'd be surprised at how many very famous entertainers and groups started out as buskers. Jimmy Buffett, George Burns, Bob Dylan, Bob Hope, Jewel, Steve Martin, Dolly Parton, Simon and Garfunkel, and Robin Williams, just to name a few, all started their careers as street performers or buskers.

Like real estate, the three most important factors to a busker's success is location, location, location. In most forms of entertainment, the audience comes to the performer; but in busking, the performer goes to his audience. The best busking sites are sidewalks, where there is a great deal of foot traffic, or in places where people are waiting (subway stations, train stations, airports, etc.) Near any tourist attraction is an excellent busking location.

The next time you see a busker or a street performer, you might just be witnessing a performance by a future superstar. Breaking into the entertainment industry is tough. Give the guy (or gal or group) a generous tip!