- Daniel and Ken Trush
- Founders, Daniel's Music Foundation
- Posted: 06/05/10 | Recorded at Gel Health '09
Daniel and his father Ken founded Daniel's Music Foundation (see danielsmusic.org) to provide free music classes to people with disabilities.
Daniel describes the foundation's genesis this way: "When I was 12 years old, one of my five brain aneurysms burst in my head while I was playing basketball. I was in a coma for 30 days and hospitalized for 341 days, but who's counting? Although I still face challenges, music has always played an important role in my life. It helped me in my recovery and still brings me happiness. I want to share this gift with you."
- Eric Singer
- Founder, The League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots
- Posted: 06/04/10 | Recorded at Gel 2010
This robot can really play. The GuitarBot begins Eric Singer's presentation, live on stage, after which Eric explains the thinking behind some of his other projects in LEMUR: the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots.
- Rob Kapilow
- Composer, conductor, pianist, and music commentator
- Posted: 05/27/10 | Recorded at Gel 2010
Rob Kapilow brings music into people's lives: opening new ears to musical experiences and helping people to listen actively rather than just hear. And at Gel 2010 he explored how to listen for "things that make you go hmmmm."
- The Ebony Hillbillies
- African-American bluegrass band
- Posted: 05/27/10 | Recorded at Gel 2010
As one of the last black string bands in the U.S. - and the only one currently based in NYC - the Ebony Hillbillies keep an important legacy alive with a rootsy, homegrown style that many forget was a key element in the genesis of all the music we cherish as uniquely American: jazz, blues, bluegrass, rockabilly, rock and roll, and country.
- The Gregory Brothers
- Creators of Auto-Tune the News
- Posted: 05/27/10 | Recorded at Gel 2010
- 2 comments
The team behind Auto Tune the News, the phenomenal video serios, takes us behind the scenes to see how the experience is created.
- Cathy Salit and Sharon Krumm
- President, Performance of a Lifetime; and Director of Nursing, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
- Posted: 02/23/10 | Recorded at Gel Health '09
Oncology nurses have one of the toughest jobs in the world: treating cancer patients day after day and maintaining focus and professionalism despite the taxing emotional terrain. Here Cathy Salit and Sharon Krumm describe a unique project that has helped improve the working environment for nurses at Johns Hopkins.
See also:
- The Flying Karamazov Brothers
- Jugglers, artists, performers
- Posted: 02/23/10 | Recorded at Gel 2005
Showcasing their tremendous multidimensional talents, the Flying Karamazov Brothers performed four short segments at Gel 2005. In this segment the brothers start with a perfectly executed juggling routine and end with "a gift from heaven."
See also: FKB's touring schedule
- Jamy Ian Swiss
- Sleight-of-hand magician
- Posted: 02/05/10 | Recorded at Gel 2009
There is one key ingredient in all good magic tricks, and Jamy Ian Swiss reveals it before taking the audience through a magic trick as shown from the magician's perspective. This is one of the most thought-provoking and talked-about presentations from Gel 2009 and should be required viewing for anyone in the business of creating good experiences. (Hint: the key ingredient is also the essence of good listening.)
See also:
• Pomegranates and empathy (and another reference in Deception considered helpful)
- Bruce Shapiro
- motion control artist
- Posted: 01/21/10 | Recorded at Gel 2005
Choreographing a robotic arm to create art - even dance - is no small feat, but Bruce Shapiro delivers both in this Gel talk. See also Bruce's site, The Art of Motion Control.
- Bruce Molsky
- Musician
- Posted: 12/28/09 | Recorded at Gel 2009
- 1 comment
Well-known for performing traditional Appalachian music, Bruce Molsky also blends folk music styles from across the world.
- Charlie Todd
- Urban prankster and founder, Improv Everywhere
- Posted: 12/08/09 | Recorded at Gel 2005
Having run pranks in subways, stores, and many other places, Charlie Todd is well known through his Improv Everywhere missions. In this presentation from way back in 2005, Charlie shows some footage of early missions - including one of the first no-pants subway rides.
- Michael Christensen
- Co-founder, Big Apple Circus; founder, Clown Care
- Posted: 11/22/09 | Recorded at Gel Health '09
Visiting children and their families in the hospital, Clown Care founder Michael Christensen has learned to focus on "what's going right" in the room. Speaking at the first Gel Health conference, Christensen describes how his clown rounds got started, and finishes with an on-stage performance as Dr. Stubs.
See also: Big Apple Circus's Clown Care
- Alison Young
- Singer-songwriter
- Posted: 03/19/09 | Recorded at euroGel '06
Songwriter, singer, and uke player Alison Young was a hit in Copenhagen at euroGel 2006. Here are two of her songs.
- Lelavision
- Musicians, sculptors, performers
- Posted: 02/19/09 | Recorded at Gel 2008
- 1 comment
Like many of the best Gel presenters, Lelavision is difficult to describe in a few words. Are they musicians who sculpt? Or dancers who weld? Their performance here blends music, design, nature, sculpture, choreography, play, and a commitment to the simple, handmade item.
- Andrew
- Composer, performer
- Posted: 01/21/09 | Recorded at Gel 2007
- 2 comments
Andrew is a composer with a twist: he creates songs by request. Readers of his website (songstowearpantsto.com) email him ideas - often silly, random, or ridiculous - which he dutifully turns into full-fledged songs. They're often surprisingly catchy and witty, and Andrew's range of musical styles is amazing. He's an outstanding Gel presenter who, like others we've seen, takes "throwaway" material and creates something great.
See also - Sam Brown from Gel 2008, who draws cartoons from reader-submitted ideas
- Marc Salem
- Mentalist
- Posted: 12/02/08 | Recorded at Gel 2006
- 9 comments
Marc focuses on "how the mind creates reality and meaning," according to his site, and this presentation shows how. Chiefly by observing non-verbal communication, Marc is able to distinguish truth from falsehood in a very engaging exercise with audience members.
- Henning Rübsam
- Choreographer, dancer, Sensedance
- Posted: 11/20/08 | Recorded at Gel 2007
Henning describes the important place that dance occupies in culture today, and shows some of the elements that go into creating a choreographed dance - both for ballet and modern dancers.
See also Henning's interview in Good Experience.
