So now I've popped my cherry on writing for Tip20! and chose the topic of 'starting to flair bartend.' That isn't something I wanted to do, for fear of those readers thinking that I ONLY care about flair bartending, but it needs talked about sometime.
Let me get some facts out... Fact One: Bartenders have egos... Fact Two: Bartenders can't be behind their bar without confidence... Fact Three: Bartenders need respect to do their job well and make enough money to survive...
Hopefully you will agree with all of these facts, so lets try to incorporate flair and see if we can't tie these together...
Fact One: Egos. How do you learn flair when obviously you won't be the best at the beginning... Well this takes the idea of checking your ego before starting your journey... Know that you won't be the best flair bartender in the world... Know that no amount of practice will make you the best flair bartender in the world... Know all of that, because being the best flair bartender in the world is an opinionated statement that can never be proved... But also know that you might be the best flair bartender to your regulars... That's what's important... It doesn't mean stop practicing when someone says, "Hey, you're the best bartender I've ever seen." It just means that when you hear that, you've arrived at a point where your practice has paid off...
The other thing is KNOW THAT EVERYONE STARTED SOMEWHERE. I can't stress that enough... There isn't a soul alive who came out of their mom and ran to the nursery... You learned to crawl before you walked, and that's the same concept that makes you good at flair...
Where to start. Well find someone who is seasoned at the sport (yes it's a sport, you can compete in it, you can win money, and some people have been able to live off that alone, much like EVERY other sport in this world)... If you're in the twin cities, look up LiquidMotion. The company was started by two local Minnesotans who both have contended against the best in the world and have earned the right to be called professional flair bartenders. They are more than willing to teach. Just visit their website at 4LiquidMotion.com.
If you're not in the twin cities area, look into the FBA, Flair Bar Association. That's how I learned. The guys I met in Hawaii all were FBA members and used the website to negotiate practice times and places...
Before you get too excited you should plan on having a bad back, because you WILL drop darn near everything you try to throw... It's not easy... I equate flair, when done correctly, to any other professional sport. Basketball players practice daily. Sure they've hit a free throw before, but when they practice, they don't stop when they hit one basket. They try to practice until they can't miss... The same is true with flair...
This brings up Fact Two: Bartenders can't be behind their bar without confidence. You gain confidence with practice behind closed doors... I, along with most flair bartenders, have spent more time practicing than bartending, but that's because I don't want to look bad behind MY bar... I don't get paid for practicing, but practicing gains confidence in trying the move behind my bar... They're inseparable...
Confidence will also allow you to poke fun at mistakes... Christian Delpech, who is the 8-time World Champion, and bartends in Las Vegas at Carnival Court outside Harrah's casino, drops tins/bottles/and spills during every shift. Why??? Because he's human... Gravity kicks in at odd times, but he's so confident in his abilities, as he should be, that he's able to just smile and laugh it off... Sure he looked bad at that one time, but he knows his talent level, and he knows that being human comes with making mistakes, but he doesn't allow people to jump on them...
That slowly incorporates the third fact, that bartenders need respect to do their jobs well and make enough money to survive... Guests can smell fear and dejection... So what you dropped a bottle, if every NASCAR driver who wrecked quit on the spot, who'd be left to race???? You'll gain respect by letting your guest in on the experience... Tell them you're worried about trying a move, but you've hit it before and feel confident to try it now at your bar... It lets them know that YOU trust them enough to bring them into YOUR night as well...
If by now you're thinking that flair might be for you, then start looking for someone to teach ya... Be mindful that they might charge you more at first, then once they see your devotion, you become a comrade and can learn just be hanging out in a practice studio (which also might cost, but think of it as a gym membership)... I can't tell you how many people have said they want to learn, and after I dedicated hours to teaching, they've given it up because it's too hard... Well what happens with those hours I spent teaching... My time spent is just as valuable as professors at universities or any other teachers one might need or use... Before paying them to teach you, see their credentials, make sure they have earned the right to teach before they take money; that'll also make sure you know what you're getting yourself into...
Flair is an amazing talent, and when done correctly can enhance any bar or restaurant, but the same is true for it being devastating when done wrong... The least you can do for your fellow bartenders who've dedicated their lives to flair is do it right or don't do it at all... Everyone wants the outcome, but few can endure the work that comes with getting their... Become that small percentage...
Cheers,
-Dave...
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