Kyle the Balloon Ninja

Anyone who hires me can expect to get a balloon twister capable of saying "Yes" to almost any request if there's enough time at the event as well as someone who brings lots of showmanship to the performance in how fast I move, the way I interact and joke with the kids, and occasionally serenade popular songs as I'm making the balloons. You can also expect excellent customer service, prompt and reliable communication leading up to the event, professionalism, and top-notch quality and detail that sets my balloon creations apart. Realistically, if an event has tons of kids (such as a school event with hundreds of students) there won't be time for everyone to get one, but that means kids get to pick and choose what activities and games they want to do just like anyone who goes to a fair or carnival. I have connections with several other awesome local balloon twisters if anyone would like to hire multiple twisters to help the line move twice as fast. I am also happy to recommend people if anyone is looking for a face painter, special guest character dressed in costume, caricature artist, magician, or other performer for an event.

The reason my price per hour shows a range is because my rate on peak days of week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays) is $150/hr and on off-peak days it's little less at $130/hr. In a 2 hour time frame, it's possible to get every kid one balloon creation if there's around 40-50 kids or less. However, the higher the number of kids present, the simpler each balloon will need to be and I'll operate with a limited selection of quick, basic balloon designs. If there's a lower number of kids such as between 10-20, then I won't need to bring a sign of limited choices as I'll have time to open up my repertoire and honor almost any request. While kids are waiting in line, I not only make the performance as entertaining and engaging as possible but also will usually have time to offer each kid a bonus long balloon blown up that they can play with or try to make something out of which many kids have done. This can help keep them occupied and allow them to be creative. Typically, most events have time for every kid to receive one special detailed balloon creation and one bonus balloon, though occasionally if there's still time remaining after every kid has gotten a special balloon then I'll start moving onto seconds. Sometimes for huge events with tons of kids expected (like a school carnival), clients are interested in the option to purchase one or more bags of premade balloons from me for $50 each so that I make 10 of them ahead of time, and then have them with me ready to hand out at the event which can help a lot when it comes time to wrap up as my lines usually get long.

Finally, parents can expect me to model respectful behavior for kids and set appropriate boundaries when necessary at events such as giving friendly reminders to kids to ask nicely when they want a balloon rather than demanding them or reaching towards me to grab balloons from the table or my tool belt. If a kid is whining, demanding, or being aggressive in line, I like to wait until they calm down and change their behavior to be more respectful before I make their balloon so that I'm not reinforcing bad behavior. I really appreciate when parents with little ones or kids who are more impulsive help by staying close to their kid for support during challenging moments, and that way everyone can get their balloons faster and we can ensure things go more smoothly. Some people might have a misconception in thinking my job is to make people happy, but I accept the reality that no matter what we do we don't have the power to make everyone else around us feel happy all the time. What's in my control is to do my best each and every time I entertain at events, and how others decide to feel is up to them. I welcome feedback from others, and I'll be up front about what requests I can honor and which requests are available at another time/place. For example, a large rainbow or Santa can be requested in advance for an additional fee but not during an event because they both take around an hour to make them look good.

I'm also fine with anyone taking pictures or recording me in action at any time, and my only request is if you decide to upload anything online that you tag me as Kyle the Balloon Ninja in it. I won't post any pictures or videos of others online unless I have their consent first.

Balloon entertainment is a passion of mine and I'm grateful to be able to do it for a living! I was born in Fairbanks, AK, grew up in North Potomac, MD, and am now living in Portland, OR. My top values in life include family, respect, accountability, hard work, honesty, loyalty, empathy, friendship, critical thinking, and creativity. I was blessed to have an opportunity in college to learn how to twist balloons through lessons while living in Anchorage, AK, and although it was very challenging at first I'm really glad I stuck with it! I decided early on that I wanted to grow my repertoire of what I can make out of balloons by embracing the challenge of learning new creations and raising the bar for what's possible in the world of balloon art. The balloons themselves won't last forever, but the real value is the special experience and memories that are being created for all the kids and occasionally adults that request balloons too! While some people might feel they're "too old" to get a balloon, I've had requests from people in their 80's, 90's, and even a 100 year old woman, so it really comes down to the personality of the individual. Of course, the majority of the events I'm hired for have many kids there so I will prioritize kids first before moving onto adults if there's still time.

When I'm not doing balloon entertainment, my other career passion that I'm doing privately is skills training where I meet with kids, teens, and families around the community to support them in learning strategies/techniques to make progress in their mental health goals. I've been a mental health professional in multiple roles for over 12 years and just like with making balloons, I find purpose and meaning in this line of work especially as so many families experience generational trauma. I also enjoy playing table tennis competitively, love dogs, trivia, spending quality time with family/friends, playing piano, singing, watching funny videos, and am a big sports fan. Some of my favorite franchises includes Pokemon, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, X-Men, Mario Bros, and I enjoy watching both pro wrestling and MMA. I truly believe it's a blessing to be alive and healthy and I'm lucky to have found my callings in life to be able to serve my community!

My setup is pretty simple and quick as I don't need a stage or any sound equipment, though if there will be live music or speakers at your event, I will request to setup somewhere that's not too close to it so that the kids and me can hear each other without having to shout over the music. For larger events with lots of kids expected, I recommend having me at a table with several chairs in front to help keep track of who's at the front of the line because that has helped me consistently to make things organized and efficient. For outdoor events, I appreciate when there's a tent/canopy covering in case of rain, wind, or direct sunlight so that it helps protect balloons from the elements which can otherwise pop them or slow down the process of making them. Lighting is normally not an issue for me unless you're planning to have me for an event when it's dark outside or indoors with dim lighting. In those situations, I would request to be setup nearby enough light to where I can clearly see the different colors of balloons I need to use.