by Racheli Sofer – Ami Magazine
The crowd is always popping with excitement when Yosef Serebryanski, who you may know of as Yossi Balloons, chassidic balloon artist, is twisting his creations. A chassidic balloon artist? Yes!
Why did you decide to become a balloon artist?
It all started just over 10 years ago when I was a bochur. I was at an upsherin and saw someone making balloon animals. I watched for a while and I like trying new hands-on things, so I decided to learn how to do it. The next month, when it was Purim, I brought my first bag of balloons along, and as a group of us bochurim went around to read Megillah for people, I made balloon animals for them. After that, I kept doing it for fun, until slowly, people started to actually book me! I realized that there is a need for entertainers who parents approve of their children looking up to. Seeing the happy faces convinced me to fill this need!
How did you learn how to work with balloons?
I started with a book. Then, I bought a bag of balloons and a pump and tried it out! Well, all I can say is mistakes are the best teachers! As is practice and perseverance! I’ve also learned a lot from kids. (A kid once asked me to make a balloon fish in a balloon fish tank. It was such a hit—I ended up putting it in my show for a while!) I eventually also took some courses.
There are courses on balloon art?!
You bet! There is a Balloon Artist College online (actually run by a Jewish person in Israel) and they teach balloon art and how to structure a show and lots more. I’ve also been to several balloon “jams,” where balloon artists get together and practice making different things. There are actually even international conferences for balloon artists. I haven’t been to any—yet!
Is this your full-time job?
No. I work as a softer stam, plus I run the crafts in local after-school programs in the afternoons. I do balloons for parties, upsherins, and camps which happen mostly on weekends, on holidays, and in the summer, although I can usually make myself available any time I’m asked to do balloons. So it’s not my full-time job, but it’s definitely the most fun 😉 I love interacting with the kids and I find it energizing. I’m so glad when I can make people’s simchos more simcha’dik, and I try and bring Hashem into it by adding toichen to my shows.
Walk us through the process of creating a balloon masterpiece.
Fold, squeeze, and twist. You fold the balloon over, give it a squeeze where you want it to connect, then twist the balloon so it will hold. Do this three times along any balloon, and you can make any four-legged animal, just by changing the proportions to make a longer neck or shorter ears, etcetera. This is the basic technique. Elaborate, and you’ll have your masterpiece!
How do you keep it from popping?
I wish there was a foolproof way! Balloons are popping on me all the time! Here are a few ways to minimize it: Use good-quality balloons. Use fresh balloons that haven’t been lying around for a long time (since latex balloons are biodegradable so the latex will deteriorate with time). When you blow up the balloon, “burp” it (let out a bit of air so it’s not as tight). Keep your fingernails out of the way as you twist the balloon, and try not to let the balloon touch grass or concrete, because those can be sharp too.
Do you use any special tools? Do you use special balloons or ordinary ones?
I use a professional brand of twisting balloons (“twisting balloons” are the ones which are long and skinny) of which the regular size is called 260. To inflate the balloons, I use an electric pump. I have a tool which cuts the balloon if I need it to be shorter. I also have a tool that holds the balloon open when I want to put lights or pom-poms inside.
How long do your creations last?
A few days, and then if they haven’t popped by then, they start shrinking anyway. Although, one mother told me that her kids kept a balloon I’d made them for a few weeks! I always say that my balloon creations come with a 24-hour guarantee—if they don’t pop at that point, I’ll help you!
Ha-ha! What’s the hardest thing to make?
After enough practice, everything hard becomes easy! That’s why my hardest designs are nonkosher animals and characters because I don’t practice them! Why not? Because everything that a child sees and hears affects him, so I would much rather give him something kosher to play with!
What’s your favorite thing to make?
Ice cream! It’s one of the most asked-for designs, it’s quick to make, it looks nice, it’s one of the few designs I actually made up myself, and also because, whose favorite is not ice cream?! Other favorites of mine include the Torah, gragger (which actually makes noise!), dreidel, giraffe, and any balloons that I attach to slap bands and headbands for the kids to wear. I usually make small things that take two to three minutes per item so kids don’t need to wait all day to get their creation.
Do you have any funny stories to share?
After I had business cards made, the first call I got was from a kid who wanted me to fix a balloon that popped.
Do you have any tips for kids who want to get into balloon art?
Buy a pump and a bag of good-quality 260’s in mixed colors. Then, find tutorials or get someone to show you how to do it. Practice. If you master even just the basic animal, hat, and flower, you can already start to make kids happy! Keep in mind that the balloon will pop, but a kid will always remember if it was a positive experience. Also, be careful—balloons are dangerous for babies. Don’t leave them lying around.
What’s your message for kids in general?
It says that the women in the desert who had a talent for weaving offered to weave the materials for the Mishkan. They had talent and they used it for Hashem. Whatever talent you are blessed with, or whichever hobby you get yourself into, think how you could use this for Hashem.
Even while entertaining, I dress as and call myself the “Chassidic” balloon artist because that is who I strive to be first and foremost, even while twisting balloons! Kids, remember who you are, no matter what you do!
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For more info, visit www.yossiballoons.com or @yossiballoons
But even better balloon artist. We had him for both our sons opsherns and he was amazing.
Great cousin Yossi!
Keep popping!
such a nice idea for an opshern
Ive seen him at a simcha before and all the kids were so entertained!!! Great investment for a party with kids
B”SD
Very nice & continued Hatzlacha I’m sure that you are very POP-ular
Hire him for the bris, bring him back for the opsheren, and then the barmitzvah…
Are so impressed!
Go Yossele!!!
Yossie, keep up the great work. Nice designs, very original, such a beautiful idea for kids. I miss hearing your great ideas. This story is a nice update on what your doing now. Regards, from Tzvi Handler, now of Neveh Erez, suburb of Jerusalem.
P.S. do an article next about some of your scroll work designs. I’ll look forward to seeing them.
He was really great at our sons bris