Gather a group of entertainers in a room and pass out balloons. Many will struggle to inflate and tie, but will eventually succeed. Each one will twist, twirl, and manipulate it into a basic balloon dog. I can think of very few entertainment skills that transcends beyond its industry, but the balloon dog does just that.
I have met Aerialists, Magicians, Jugglers, Hypnotists, Comedians, Actors, Singers, and a couple of Musicians, who’s skills put them at the top of their field, who will boast “I can make a balloon dog”. It is a skill that they are proud to show off no matter how deformed the final product.
I may have learned magic as a child, done somersaults in the grass on a warm summer afternoon, told a joke or two, and sang off-key in the shower, but these are skills best kept to myself.
If there is a common DNA thread among entertainers, I would argue that the balloon dog is part of our genetic makeup. It is a bazaar badge of honor among entertainers to say, “I can make a balloon dog too”.