Balloon Chat

Uncategorized Boards => The "Star" Interview => Topic started by: Graham Lee on September 02, 2008, 08:35:29 PM

Title: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on September 02, 2008, 08:35:29 PM
Dennis & Ingrid have agreed to the interview which I'm looking forward to as there going to do it as a couple & each give there own view on things which are like chalk & cheese, so we may end up with a domestic ;)
Ingid makes some amazing dresses & her fantasy flowers are great.
Dennis is the straight man to Guido Verhoef & they both made the DVD's with hearts, B-Bodies, Geo's etc.
The portfolio page is all I have at the moment but as soon as I get a website etc I'll add the details;

http://dennis_haha.balloonhq.com/ (http://dennis_haha.balloonhq.com/)

Just found the website;

http://www.hahaentertainment.nl/ (http://www.hahaentertainment.nl/)

Also found some you tube clips of Indgrid's fashion show dresses that she made at The Millennium Jam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWJdzhSc6kM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWJdzhSc6kM)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB4rXPYA ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB4rXPYAN0w&feature=related)

Ingrid's dress is also on this link with some other amazing balloon related work;

http://www.betallic.com/main.php?view=p ... otoCatID=2 (http://www.betallic.com/main.php?view=photogallery&CatID=2&sid=&PhotoCatID=2)

This link is a must see........... http://www.theartofballoons.com/Page10.html (http://www.theartofballoons.com/Page10.html)

More of Deniss & Ingrid's balloon work;
http://www.ballonvouwen.nl/ (http://www.ballonvouwen.nl/)
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 18, 2008, 11:42:41 AM
The date for Ingrid & Dennis to answer the questions has been set for the end of the month, 24/30th Nov.
Met them both over the weekend at the NABAS show in Stoneleigh Park & went out for a lovely Indian with them, Dennis tells a good story or two.
Looking forward to this interview as both are going to answer the questions seperately with both there viewpoints, so it should be fun :D

Graham Lee
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Ingrid Ha Ha on November 24, 2008, 07:20:13 PM
Hello to you all,

For the people on this balloonforum who don't know me I will make a short introduction.

Together with Dennis I run Ha Ha entertainment. Mainly we sell balloons, juggling, circusatributes and magic. Besides the selling we give advice to our customers about the products we sell. All the materials from balloons to juggling and magic everything we sell we can (sometimes only one of us) do ourselves.  And besides the selling a part of our job is teaching. We do different workshops in all kind of skills in balloons. Dennis does mainly modelling and the crossover between decorating and modelling. I teach diffferent workshops with the fantasyflower technique.

The biggest achievement:
In my skill was the dress I made last year for the Millenniumjam Fashion Award Show. For everybody who is a member of balloonmagic it was on the cover off number 53.And the dress I made for NABAS laste year. Theme Moulin Rouge. The difficulty for this dress was that it has to be worn all night long and you should be able to dance and party in it.

Together with Dennis and Jochem we made the muppets. Stadler and Waldorf in their balkony. This was for the muliti balloon competition at the Millenniumjam 2005.

We organise in our own building workshops and one-day jams. But for us this years challenge was the Millenniumjam. Leo from IBS asked us if we wanted to help him organising the Millenniumjam. And han more all the technical and creative things for the Fashion Show. So we did run the Gala evenings, Fashion  show technically as Dennis and I both worked in the theater we knew what was needed for technical equipment and could do this years show as we wanted it to be. Leo gave us carte blanche in our vieuw of the Fashion Show. the only thing which was given was the theme Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons. As I participated the Fashion Award show the last two years I knew what the designers had to coop with. Because this is a very hard and demanding competition. Not only because the technical skills of balloon weaving but the long hours you make (20 hrs or more is not unusual) and the theme, circumstances you've to deal with. For us this was the final off 14 months of hard labor. As you can read on this forum in the chitchat it was really great. And for everyone who wasn't their you've missed out on something great as you can see on the photo's it was one big rush of balloons, meeting friends, comptitions and parties.

Hope you know know me a little better through my chat and the photo's I've attached.

Come on pop the questions to us.

Ingrid
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 24, 2008, 08:34:46 PM
Hi Denis & Ingrid, thanks for the write up about yourself. Very interesting & informative, sorry for the delay in putting the questions up but I've been loading up the car & driving up to Birmingham today for the Sempertex party we're having tomorrow :D

Here are the first lot of questions;

1, What road led you into balloon modelling?

2, when did you get started with balloons?

3, What's your best twisting experience?

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 24, 2008, 08:36:50 PM
Hi Denis & Ingrid, thanks for the write up about yourself. Very interesting & informative, sorry for the delay in putting the questions up but I've been loading up the car & driving up to Birmingham today for the Sempertex party we're having tomorrow :D

Here are the first lot of questions;

1, What road led you into balloon modelling?

2, when did you get started with balloons?

3, What's your best twisting experience?

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Dennis-HaHa on November 24, 2008, 11:29:29 PM
1, What road led you into balloon modelling?
Well I started performing before we even knew about balloons, I was 3 years old when I had my first public performance.
Both my parent worked in a (childrens)circus so offcourse I started early.
The balloons came in my life when Ingrid bought me a present, she got me a small balloonkit, consisting of 25 modelling balloons, a handpump and some stickers.
We were having diner at our best friends and she thought it would be fun to play around with the balloons.
Immediately when I started twisting them I knew this was special, the day after we rushed to a partystore and bought our first "real'bag of balloons, the addiction was there to never leave.

2, when did you get started with balloons?
The addicting started 12 years ago, (time flies when your on latex)

3, What's your best twisting experience?
I really enjoyed making the Muppets sculpture at TMJ 2005. Just the fact that we were 33 hours non-stop twisting and succeeding in what we had in mind was just great to experience.
I must admit after the 33 hours I would have told you differently, but after a while you only remember the good things.

Another thing that comes to mind is a complete different thing. When we just started incorporating the balloons in our entertaining performances (and our menu off figures was not that long) we had a woman coming up to us in a restaurant where we worked.
She asked us if we could make something special for her mum, because this was avery special day.
When we arrived at their table and asked about there special day, the daughter said to us that her mum only had a couple off days to live and this was their very last day out together.
So there we stood, completely overwhelmed with the answer we got.
Immediately after the answer sunk in I thought to myself "what the ??????? can I make for this lady"  
Luckely I bought a videotape the week before where a flower vase was explained and I saw the instruction (only once) for it.
So I made her a bouquet of flowers in a vase and after handing it over to the mum, the daughter said to us "this was the best thing that could have happened to us today" we said goodbye and were totally shocked for the rest of the day.
Even now when I write this I get goosebumps  

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?
A that is a clear one, I am not very good in mouth inflating, so I always use a pump. One day we had a 3 hour job for a corporate party and all 5 of our pumps desided that it was time for their retirement.
It was so strange, one after the other broke, got jammed, etc. and this was in the first half hour, so we had 2,5 hours to go.
Ingrid had a small squeeze pump (like a rubber ball with a nozzle on it) that kept on working, so she was squeezing like crazy to inflate her balloons. I on the other hand was forced into 2,5 hours of mouth inflation, boy the headache that I got from that.
I only did smaller figures at the end of the show, no big stuff that needed much inflation.

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
At the moment I must admit that I enjoy teaching the best. Just to see how much we can share amongst each other and giving people new ideas is what I like best.
When I teach I try to make it fun, not only for the delegates, but also for myself, I consider teaching as a form of entertainment. People learn the most when the have fun.
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 25, 2008, 11:37:55 PM
Some more questions from the list;

6, What's your favourite age to entertain?

7, Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?

8, What's your favourite thing to make at the moment?

9, What is the most asked for model?

10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?

11, Who is your market aimed at?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Ingrid Ha Ha on November 26, 2008, 09:40:01 PM
Hi Graham and other balloon chat members,

I'm to bussy with Ha Ha entertainment and al the things involved running a businnes that I don't preform anymore. I stopped already a few years ago so I don't think I can answer any of these questions.
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 26, 2008, 10:26:53 PM
Sorry Ingrid, I thought you both still did go out entertaining, you learn something new every day as they say ;)
Hope these questions are better for you;

12, Do you decorate/entertain at corporate gigs?

13, How long have you been running the business?

14, As your business grew did you cut back gradually on the entertaining?

15, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?

16, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future?

17, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?

18, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?

19, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?

20, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex?

21, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design?

22, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?

23, What makes you laugh?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Professor T Wist on November 26, 2008, 11:09:36 PM
Who would you most like to make a model for and why, what would
you make them ?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Pascal Grooten on November 27, 2008, 01:00:46 PM
Hi, Ingrid. When and where can I attend to those 1-day jams? Belgium has no jams, except TMJ.
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: cashmagic on November 27, 2008, 07:22:13 PM
have you got any plans to bring any more dvds out for the sur five them all? like one of 646s or the new un dipped 321s
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Ingrid Ha Ha on November 27, 2008, 10:49:20 PM
Quote from: "Professor T Wist"Who would you most like to make a model for and why, what would
you make them ?

If you consider Fashion as a model!
The one BIG thing I really want to make is a costume jacquet which can be worn in the same technique as my Moulin Rouge dress. Or maybe in time some complete other technique.
And this is ofcourse for Dennis to wear it to a fancy party

And if it has to be worn by a famous some one it would be George Clooney or Pierce Brosnan

Ingrid
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Dennis-HaHa on November 27, 2008, 11:07:54 PM
Quote from: "cashmagic"have you got any plans to bring any more dvds out for the sur five them all? like one of 646s or the new un dipped 321s
Yes, We are planning new DVD's, I don't know if it will be in the Surfive them all serie, but there will be more of our stuff on DVD.
We hope in the first 3 months of 2009 to release our next DVD, I'm also working with some other very high skilled artists on DVD's with there stuff on it. This will be release around the same time.
When they are released, I will make sure it is announced here
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Ingrid Ha Ha on November 27, 2008, 11:14:25 PM
Quote from: "Parcival"Hi, Ingrid. When and where can I attend to those 1-day jams? Belgium has no jams, except TMJ.

We organise them ourselves. Mostly in our own building and than it's very quick full already with our own customers so we don't put them online. Our workshops we give are announced on the following website http://www.ballonvouwen.nl (http://www.ballonvouwen.nl) Sorry but it's a dutchwebsite. We're planning to do some bigger jams next year but we don't know what time yet. If we do a big JAM next year I will post it on this forum to. I promiss.
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Dennis-HaHa on November 27, 2008, 11:32:48 PM
Do you decorate/entertain at corporate gigs?
No it is not combinable with the rest off our business anymore. And also if we would do that we would be the competitors of our own customers and that is never a good thing I think.
We sometimes go with clients (decorators) to big jobs and help them, this way we still are up to date with our decor skills and also we enjoy working on big decors

13, How long have you been running the business?
At the 1st of april 2009 our company has been around for 12 years, but it still feels like we started last week

14, As your business grew did you cut back gradually on the entertaining?
No, I decide on a day that I didn't wanted to perform anymore (I had some bad experiences and needed something else) so we stopped after we done all the gigs that were booked already. Thats when I started doing more teaching (just another way of entertaining)

15, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
Do what you love and the money will follow, think different. I see a lot off people (here in Holland) who just do what they have seen somebody else do, so they will always be "a copy".
There is a market for every form of (balloon)entertainment out their, do you want to sing songs on stage while making balloons, it is possible, go for it, try.
Also I would say: never stop learning, learning is the key for us to be successful.

16, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future?
I still love the teaching part, so I would like to do more of that, also the combination of decor and twisting is something that I will try to focus on more in the future.
Offcourse we also want to supply our customers with the highest level off service and advice, so thats another thing we constantly work on.
17, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
Yes I really didn't liked my first clownshoes

18, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?
At the rate it is going on now it is hard to tell, because it is developing so hard, it is tough to keep up anyway.


19, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?
The prime-minister of the Netherlands, I made him a had, but we had to promiss that we would take pictures of him with it. (it was election time and he is not the most cheerful guy)

20, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex?
A lot off enthusiasm comes from our own Jams, we have them every 2 months for our customers and we now have a very firm base off people attending these jams. What really excites me is when I see how people grow in there skills after being to workshops/Jamsessions/events and see how they tell about it with such a passion, I really get energy from that.
Also just jamming with a small group of good friends I really like, when everything is possible and the weirdest things are made

21, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design?
My method of coming up with new stuff is based around playing. For our DVD's we just sit and play with the balloons we want to use for that DVD. While playing you get ideas and work on from them.
What I also do is copying "real things" like toys, from balloons. I just see the toy in basic balloon shapes or techniques (I know it sounds weird) and reproduce it.

22, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
Jango Edwards (//http://www.jangoedwards.net/ In my opinion one of the best clowns in the world, he doesn't wear much facepaint, but I really like his style, absurd humor, and physical skills

23, What makes you laugh?
See question 22?
Like some people know I sometimes have a weird sense of humor, I really like dark humor and the very direct hard humor of some comedians. examples: Chris Rock, Eddy Murphy, Richard Pryor, but also some stuff of Andrew Dice Clay I like a lot.
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Ingrid Ha Ha on November 27, 2008, 11:34:56 PM
12, Do you decorate/entertain at corporate gigs?
NO
13, How long have you been running the business?
 We started our business in 1997
14, As your business grew did you cut back gradually on the entertaining?
No just stopped, I think Dennis is still entertaining but than in his workshops.
15, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
Do as your heart tells you.
16, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future?
The same as we 're doing know but then bigger
17, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
NOPE NOTHING
18, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?
I like the Forums as this one. A lot of people think alike and have the love for what they do. Whit each other you grow more than just playing on your own. Keep on going you all
19, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?
Anke Fredericks my model in the Fashion Shows  :D  :D  :D
20, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex?
Our Customers
21, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design?
My surrounding: Fashion-Flowers-Art-Movies-Friends- time of Year and of course the balloons themselves
22, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
I like to work with friends on a project like we deed on the last Dress I made. We had so much fun together. That's what I like best in our job. The fun you can have with other people.
23, What makes you laugh? Dennis :D
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on November 28, 2008, 12:54:45 AM
Quote from: "Ingrid Ha Ha"23, What makes you laugh? Dennis :D

Ingrid,
This one made me LOL :D  :lol:  He makes me laugh as well ;)
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: cashmagic on November 28, 2008, 04:18:39 PM
Quote from: "Dennis-HaHa"
Quote from: "cashmagic"have you got any plans to bring any more dvds out for the sur five them all? like one of 646s or the new un dipped 321s
Yes, We are planning new DVD's, I don't know if it will be in the Surfive them all serie, but there will be more of our stuff on DVD.
We hope in the first 3 months of 2009 to release our next DVD, I'm also working with some other very high skilled artists on DVD's with there stuff on it. This will be release around the same time.
When they are released, I will make sure it is announced here

Sounds great any hints whats going to be on it and who?
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Dennis-HaHa on November 29, 2008, 09:00:26 AM
Quote from: "cashmagic"Sounds great any hints whats going to be on it and who?

We will keep it a surprise, just be patience and wait :)
Title: Re: Dennis & Ingrid Hogers, 24/30th Nov
Post by: Graham Lee on December 01, 2008, 10:18:12 PM
Dennis & Ingrid,
Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions from the forum :D Appreciated.
If anyone does have some more questions I know that Dennis does look in on the odd occasion.
Hope to see you both soon.