The History of Buns of Butter

When Fitness Guru, Kristen Baumliér, moved to Iowa in the Summer of 1997, she had plans to open a gym in which the aesthetic of exercise would be changed. Instead of doing step aerobics and using equipment that is fuschia and teal, Baumliér wanted to do something different. She investigated questions such as , "Can you work out and drink beer at the same time?" and , "What is the relationship of food and exercise?" When Baumliér found Public Access Television in Iowa City, IA, her investigation turned into the form of a video. "Public Access Television provided me with video equipment to illustrate my ideas. It also provided a larger audience than the audience of an art gallery or gym." Baumliér started exercising with different materials.

For three months Baumliér worked on making routines using food. For music, she picked bands from California that she often listened to when she worked in her studio. Baumliér choreographed routines to rock music, practicing in the farmhouse where she lived. After creating 12 workouts, Buns of Butter was born.

"It felt great to be able to use some of the music that I listened to while in my studio. It was exciting to use the music IN my art." Baumliér's lawyer/welder, Jack Kaye, helped her draw up contracts with the 6 bands whose music she wanted to use in the video. Kaye also helped Baumliér weld the cheese kick contraption for the Cheese Kick Routine.

The brother and sister fitness team of Ned and Kate Wiese were the first Buns of Butter dancers, and practiced the Buns of Butter routines with Baumliér. In December of 1996, the routines for the Buns of Butter video were taped. Baumliér edited the video together and released it in 1997.

The video has played on public access channels across the country, and has been heralded for its absurd images of fitness and food. There are 12 workouts in the Buns of Butter video including the Donut Spin, Ice Cream Lift, and "Butter Butt," where five pounds of butter are strapped into a butter holster belt. The music used in the routines are from Bay Area bands including Warm Wires, Carlos, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Fibulator, and Little My. There is a handbook which accompanies the video which has all the moves and routines illustrated. The book has directions for making the butter holster belt for the Butter Butt Routine, and for making a metal cheese kick contraption which is used in the Cheese Kick routine.

Since 1997, Buns of Butter has become a live show. Kristen Baumliér and Buns of Butter dancers perform live for audiences, demonstrating that you can get fit with high-caloric food. Each show incorporates new outfits, backdrops, and routines. Sometimes a regional routine is performed at live shows, such as the Corn Dog Run performed exclusively at the Iowa State Fair.

The Buns of Butter program has evolved and now uses special theme songs for routines, instead of the rock music used in the original video's soundtrack. Baumliér writes and records songs using a 4-track recorder and a computer. Some songs use music off of old 33 lps from Baumliér's record collection. Others feature Baumliér on guitar or keyboard, with other friends doing singing or drums. Some of these new songs are The Butter Belt Song, The Polka Hop (used for the Beer lift) and 50 Facts About Butter .
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Why not get fit with high-caloric food? Open your fridge and work out with Buns of Butter today!



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		THE HISTORY OF BUNS OF BUTTER
BUNS OF BUTTER The only workout big on beer, brats, theme songs and rock music.
	When Fitness Guru, Kristen Baumliér, moved to Iowa in the Summer of 1997, she had plans to open a gym in which the aesthetic of exercise would be changed. Instead of doing step aerobics and using equipment that is fuschia and teal, Baumliér wanted to do something different. She investigated questions such as , "Can you work out and drink beer at the same time?" and , "What is the relationship of food and exercise?" When Baumliér found Public Access Television in Iowa City, IA, her investigation turned into the form of a video. "Public Access Television provided me with video equipment to illustrate my ideas. It also provided a larger audience than the audience of an art gallery or gym." Baumliér started exercising with different materials. For three months Baumliér worked on making routines using food. For music, she picked bands from California that she often listened to when she worked in her studio. Baumliér choreographed routines to rock music, practicing in the farmhouse where she lived. After creating 12 workouts, Buns of Butter was born. "It felt great to be able to use some of the music that I listened to while in my studio. It was exciting to use the music IN my art." Baumliér's lawyer/welder, Jack Kaye, helped her draw up contracts with the 6 bands whose music she wanted to use in the video. Kaye also helped Baumliér weld the cheese kick contraption for the Cheese Kick Routine. The brother and sister fitness team of Ned and Kate Wiese were the first Buns of Butter dancers, and practiced the Buns of Butter routines with Baumliér. In December of 1996, the routines for the Buns of Butter video were taped. Baumliér edited the video together and released it in 1997. The video has played on public access channels across the country, and has been heralded for its absurd images of fitness and food. There are 12 workouts in the Buns of Butter video including the Donut Spin, Ice Cream Lift, and "Butter Butt," where five pounds of butter are strapped into a butter holster belt. The music used in the routines are from Bay Area bands including Warm Wires, Carlos, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Fibulator, and Little My. There is a handbook which accompanies the video which has all the moves and routines illustrated. The book has directions for making the butter holster belt for the Butter Butt Routine, and for making a metal cheese kick contraption which is used in the Cheese Kick routine. Since 1997, Buns of Butter has become a live show. Kristen Baumliér and Buns of Butter dancers perform live for audiences, demonstrating that you can get fit with high-caloric food. Each show incorporates new outfits, backdrops, and routines. Sometimes a regional routine is performed at live shows, such as the Corn Dog Run performed exclusively at the Iowa State Fair. The Buns of Butter program has evolved and now uses special theme songs for routines, instead of the rock music used in the original video's soundtrack. Baumliér writes and records songs using a 4-track recorder and a computer. Some songs use music off of old 33 lps from Baumliér's record collection. Others feature Baumliér on guitar or keyboard, with other friends doing singing or drums. Some of these new songs are The Butter Belt Song, The Polka Hop (used for the Beer lift) and 50 Facts About Butter . . Why not get fit with high-caloric food? Open your fridge and work out with Buns of Butter today!