"We have a system of learning tricks," Mr. Moreira continued. "We piece a trick into about ten pieces, and then put them all together. We put two pieces together, then put three pieces together, then four. That's how I got him to do numbers. I'm sure he'll do twelve by the time I get to Los Angeles, which is about three or four months. Because he can do it if he wants to. He started so young, you see. With Albert, he knows he can juggle twelve or four­teen; he just has to get them out. And I know exactly how I'll do it."

 

When asked if the bright stage lights ever hampered his performance, Albert replied that he had grown accustomed to them. He has the most trouble with them when working with the Frisbees. "I lose the Frisbees quite often in the spotlights. I've developed radar," he laughed. "I look where I think they're coming out, and I see a little motion... If you started worrying about it every minute, it would slowly get to you. The only thing I have them do is shut off the fans." He was referring to the overhead fans that help maintain the proper temperature for the ice.

 

Albert stated that ''The biggest thing in performing is the miss. Usually when I miss, well, that's it; it's gone. You know what you can do, and you like to do your best at the appropriate time. But it doesn't always happen. I've had a very good record. I've never missed at any of my nine New York openings. I did the Ed Sullivan show twice, in 1969. It was live. I was supposed to do six and a half minutes, but Joan Rivers started running a little long. The producer kept coming backstage to tell me - three times! Finally Dad says, ''That's it!" But I went out there, and I still did all my time. I think I cut into some sponsor, but I still did all my time. They were mad, we were mad; but it turned out all right."

 

"Last year I used to keep stats on myself, on my tricks and how many times I missed in the year; how many shows I did without a miss. And then I figured how many throws and catches I do in my act, which was about 2,000.  In these two weeks here, we've done twenty-three shows. I've only missed twice. "

 

Before the crowd arrived for the afternoon performance, Albert treated us to a private show. He demonstrated ten rings, nine rings with two others spinning on his legs, eight rings, seven balls, five tennis rackets, and a three club routine. Albert's performance was marked by the seeming effortlessness with which it was performed.

 

As Albert sat on the edge of the ring cat­ching his breath, he discussed his view of his future accomplishments. He demonstrated his technique for releasing the hoops from his hands, which enables him to do large numbers of rings without the aid of a belt. "The advantage of this [technique] is I Gan do twelve and always go to a belt. Where the disadvantage is, if you hit the belt early, where can you go? Just more rings on the belt. So I feel it's an advantage, starting from the hand. It's also my opinion that starting from the hand is what numbers is all about the preciseness required to get them up there. But that's just my opinion. I'm sure other people have a good argument for that, but you have to do it any way you can get by on it.

 

''The only reason why I'm doing numbers is because, well, I guess there's a certain amount of spinoff you get from it. I get pretty good reflexes."

 

"When I do my act, I do it t.1\e best I can. I'm always changing my act. I'm always upgrading my act. As far as numbers go, when you start doing large numbers in your act, you can't come in cold turkey like I do sometimes and just go out there. You can't do it! The body just -you start tearing, is what you do. So you don't want to do that. I haven't reached that point. I do seven, I might put eight in, because I do eight very well. I seem to have a natural ability for even numbers. I don't know why that is. ... I might do twelve for the sake of doing twelve. Because my little brother's coming up fast on me. [Laughs]. He's already doing seven!"

 

When the conversation turned to last year's UA convention and the championships, Albert gave us his opinion of the multiplex controversy: "...I feel that individually thrown, individually caught is the way to go. I asked Bobby May; he felt the same way. I've asked a few jugglers; I think Dick Francis expressed his opinion one time about that... he felt it was more of a trick with seven balls rather than plain juggling with seven balls."

 

What does Albert plan to do in the future? He has been with the Ice Capades for six years, having signed with them when he was twelve. His contract extends for another two years. And then? "Retirement! When I'm 20 I'll retire financially, I guess. I'll just juggle and go where I want to go perform [now] and don't have much time for my juggling anymore."

 

If my father had been a juggler, according to Albert's timeline I would have been retired three years ago. Instead of writing hall passes, grading papers, and arranging parental conferences I too could be practicing my twelve rings sans belt. It wouldn't matter though; Dad started when I was six and he hasn't yet been able to teach me to skate.

 

Donna DiMoo