Kate Mior - Portrait of a Young Street Performer
Bringing Joy to the People One Street at a Time
Aug 22, 2009
At first, the SuperEX crowd seems a little shy. The beautiful angel standing quietly on her marble column amidst the busy fairground draws only looks of puzzlement and inquiry. Some fair-goers glance over their shoulders as they walk past her while others wait around to see what might happen next. As they wait, the angel remains perfectly still despite the roar of carnival sirens and excitement about her.
Finally, she moves to adjust her position, makes eye contact with the crowd and gently waves to fair-goers passing by. When they wave back, she rewards them with a heavenly smile. If they don’t, she pouts in disappointment. While blowing kisses into the crowd, she notices a couple walking hand-in-hand. She grabs the boyfriend's attention and motions him to give her a call. The crowd laughs, pleased with this angel’s offbeat and flirtatious demeanour.
Kate Mior – International Street Performer
Kate Mior never thought she'd end up working as a street performer (or "busker"). Like many young art students, Kate's focus was on producing a body of work that would one day win her the admiration of critics and colleagues alike. Little did she know that busking would become more than just a cool way of earning extra cash while studying art at Ryerson, it would become a full-time job that would take her around the world, including war-torn Sierra Leone.
Award-Winning Filmmaker and Starbucks Barista
Many art students dream of winning awards and living a life of fame and noteriety. While studying Fine Art in Filmmaking at Ryerson University, Kate had already proved herself to be a dedicated professional with high standards of excellence. As an arts student, she was already being recognized and screened at world-renowned festivals such as Toronto's International Film Festival, Ottawa's International Animation Festival and the World Wide Short Film Festival.
Like many students, Kate worked at a local coffee shop feeding hungry Torontians their caffeine fix for the day. However, working a regular part-time job left her feeling bored and unfulfilled despite being well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming a respected filmmaker. Kate recounts on her blog how her frustrations at work finally ended with her walking out in the middle of the Boxing Day rush uttering the prophetic words that she’d probably have more money and dignity working on a street corner.
The Joy of Being Funny
The idea of working as a part-timer busker nevered really occurred to Kate Mior until one of her friends invited her to join an outdoor photo shoot. Kate, dressed up in tuxedo costume, suddenly found herself having more than a little fun with the curious onlookers. She got her first taste of busking and loved it. She also realized, for the first time, that art could be used to provide that temporary reprieve from the daily trials and tribulations of big city life.
Angel Sighting at College Park, Toronto
Standing alone on a busy street corner wearing nothing but an angel outfit is not what most busy Torontonians would do on a pleasant, sunny afternoon. For Kate Mior, however, it was a chance to show the lighter side of her artistic personality. Busking also gave Kate the chance to express her love for antique corsets and other historical costume-making. Since her very first performance at College Park, Kate has created and designed all of her outfits.
Pursuing a Life of Fun and Freedom
Upon graduation from Ryerson, Kate's desire for fun and freedom led her to pursue a career as a full-time street performer. No longer willing to limit herself to random street performances, Kate decided to take her act to festivals in Toronto and surrounding areas. Her new costume, Marie Antoinette, became a big hit at Toronto’s Buskers Festival and since then she’s performed on the streets of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Although Kate was pleased with her performance, she felt driven to fully hone her skills by seeking only the best teachers Toronto had to offer. She credits Dr. Guiseppe Condello for training her in the art of corporeal miming techniques and Toronto's premiere troupe of entertainers, Zero Gravity, whom she continues to work closely with today. As with any endeavour she pursues, Kate continues to be led by her passion to provide only the best for her audience.
Circus Without Borders - Bringing the Circus Arts to Sierra Leone
There is no other place in the world that has suffered so much hardship as Sierra Leone, Africa. After a brutal ten year civil war, Sierra Leone is finally on its way to reclaiming both its spirit and humanity. Through Accountable Development Works and Zero Gravity's non-profit organization, Circus Without Borders, Kate will travel to Sierra Leone with the sole purpose of bringing joy and magic to the orphanages in Freetown and Koidu.
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