Gum boots, hiking boots, cowgirl boots, army boots, fancy boots, business shoes, health sector shoes, joggers, ballet slippers, clown shoes… whatever boots pictured the many different walks of life women are involved in, that’s what was called for when the newly formed Acquired Taste choir members took to the tightwire for our first ever performance.
The act was created by Libby Bloxham as part of the Portraits of WOW show in 2016, and was performed to an amended version of Lee Hazlewood’s song, These Boots Were Made for Walking. Led by Kim Irwin and accompanied by The Cabbage Tree Combo band, the choir was decked out in their boots as they attempted to find their balance and walk the tightwire whilst singing and playing their kazoos.
Most of the choir were new to circus, and welcomed the challenge to walk on the wire, as this act was about women having a go, helping and supporting each other to achieve our goals and find a balance in life.
Lyrics (Libby Bloxham)
The world keeps sayin’
what we should be doing
telling us all the way that we should be
We keep seeing an open book before us
and we can write the story that we see
These boots are made for walking
and that’s just what they’ll do
These boots will help me walk the line
and do what I wanna do
Workin’, playin’, making, doin’ oh yeah!
Singin’, writin’, caring and sharing too
Laughin’, lovin’, groovin’ and a movin’
teachin’, learnin’, dreamin’ and growin’ true
These boots are made for walking
and that’s just what they’ll do
These boots will help me walk the line
and do what I wanna do
—Libby Bloxham