Rubber Ritchie
Rubber Ritchie, balloon man modeller and artist based in London is a former contortionist. Maybe you remember him as a contortionist as he appeared on many TV shows and in major films. He is now a yoga teacher, actor and professional bass player but is no longer performing his contortion act. As a balloon modeller he is available for parties, photographic work and commercials and film work anywhere in the world. You may have seen him at Crystal Palace FC as part of a Spot On Entertainment pre-match entertainment package.
“Is there anything Rubber Ritchie can’t do?” Chris Evans.
Balloon modelling or balloon twisting is the shaping of special modelling balloons into almost any given shape, often a balloon animal. People who create balloon animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters, Balloon Benders and Balloon Artists.
Twisters often perform in restaurants, at birthday parties, fairs and at public and private events or functions. Two of the primary design styles are: “Single balloon modelling”, which restricts itself to the use of one balloon per model. “Multiple balloon modelling” uses more than one balloon.
Each style has its own set of challenges and skills, but few twisters who have reached an intermediate or advanced skill level limit themselves to one style or another. Some twisters inflate balloons with their own lungs. For many years this was a standard and necessary part of the act. However, many now use a pump of some sort, whether it is a hand pump, an electric pump plugged in or run by a battery pack. Or a compressed gas tank containing air or nitrogen. (Wikipedia)