32-2,p6

Southern festivals warm up to winter

Atlanta, GA

The overwhelming success of the second annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival in Atlanta February 2-4 clearly established it as the premier jugglers gathering in the Southeastern USA.

86 jugglers from NC, SC, GA, FL, TN and KY convened for the mid-winter weekend festival, sponsored by the Atlanta Jugglers Association. Several hundred spectators dropped in over the course of the event to witness informal workouts, impromptu public shows and the Saturday afternoon competition.

For the second year straight, Louis Zeller of Marshall, NC was named by a panel of non-juggling Atlanta celebrities as winner of the "Most Spectacular" award. Mark Norman of Nashville, TN, was named "Most Incredible," and Rodger French, president of the Atlanta Jugglers Association, won "Most Stupendous" award. All got groundhog trophies.

Toni Shifalo, vice-president of the Atlanta Jugglers Association, said she hoped this success, on top of the same type of response last year, will spur other Southeastern groups to begin their own festivals. She said all but $74 of the $400 cost of the event was recovered from t-shirt sales, the $2 registration fee and hat-passing through the crowd at the public shows.

Chapel Hill, NC

The hard, smooth terrazo floors of Berryhill Hall has helped develop some extraordinary ball bounce jugglers in Chapel Hill, NC.

At least three of the dozen people attending the Berryhill Bounce-Out over the Christmas holidays could do seven off the floor, while others could do five. Ken Kaye, who learned bouncing at the Eugene, OR, IJA convention from Barret Felker, said his seven-ball bounce requires seven tosses per second. Kaye said he has seen Felker bounce nine balls continuously and flash eleven. Due to their excellent rebound, the Chapel Hill crowd prefers to use Viceroy lacrosse balls from Canada.

The highlight of the bounce-out sounded like the distant drums of many war parties as everyone present bounced as many balls as possible simultaneously. Someone voiced concern at that point on what effect the racket might have on the laboratory animals kept on the floor below. However, University of North Carolina medical students are accustomed to seeing Kaye, Glen Pickard, Bill Baker, R. Mary, Ben Weinstein and Laurie Wolf juggling in the high-ceilinged halls.

Berryhill's doors are never locked, and Chapel Hill jugglers may be found there at most times of day or night. Kaye has even managed to procure an upstairs locker to store his juggling gear.

Guests attending the bounce-out included Ernie Nolen, Chris Carter, president of the St. Andrews College Juggling Club in Laurinburg, NC, and the three Giduz brothers, Bill, Bob and Thomas.

Where jugglers meet...gravity fears to tread

Conventions

Return To Amherst Mini-Convention - Recapture the thrill of the 1979 IJA Convention! The Return To Amherst Mini-Convention will be March 29 and 30 on the Hampshire College campus in Amherst. It begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Robert Crown Center and continues non-stop through 10 p.m. Sunday. Registration is $5. Sleeping accommodations are available in the Hampshire College "barn" for those with sleeping bags. There will be a party Saturd.ay night and workshops Sunday. For more information or a map, call or write Eric Roberts, Cambridge, MA.

European Convention - London - March 28-30-Will be held in an ecclesiastical atmosphere-the nave of an old church now called Jacksons Lane Community Center on Archway Rd. London N.6. It begins at 10 a.m. Friday, March 28, ending with a public show from 8-10 p.m. Sunday night. Another public show will occur Saturday night from 8-10 also. The Community Center is opposite Highgate Station on the Northern line of the London tube. For more information, write Tim Batson; Sussex, England or call.

Midwest Jugglers Convention - St. Louis - June 6-8will be in Lewis Hall, 3701 Lindell on the Saint Louis University campus. Activities begin at 3 p.m. Friday, June 6 and end at 3 p.m. Sunday. The ceiling is high and unicycles are OK. Dorm rooms are available at $7 per night, but reservations must be made and confirmed two days in advance. For reservations, write Director, Lewis Hall; St. Louis, MO or call. For general convention info and a map, write Jim Gagnepain; St. Louis, MO.

Meetings

Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Jugglers Association, Thursdays 6-8 Moreland School, Euclidand Austin Aves. NE. Call Rodger French.

Boston, MA - The MIT Juggling Club meets from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays in the lobby of Building 13 on the campus. On warm days, the meetings will move to the front of the Student Center. Thursday meetings have been cancelled until further notice.

Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Jugglers Association, Tuesdays 7-8:30, Spirit Square, N. Tryon and 7th St., call Bob Giduz.

Cleveland, OH - The Case Western Reserve University Juggling Club meets Wednesdays during the school year at 5 p.m. in Adelbert Gym. Call Terry Butler at 216/368-2660, or write him c/o Thwing Student Center, Cleveland, OH.

Durham, NH - The University of New Hampshire Juggling Club meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building. Call Mark Neisser.

Eugene, OR - Beginners class 7-9 Monday, advanced lessons 7-9 Wednesdays at Lane Community College Downtown Center in Eugene Mall. Call Tom Dewart or Janet Planet.

Honolulu, HI - Jugglers gather Monday nights in front of City Hall near the Skygate sculpture from 5-sunset.

Los Angeles, CA - LA. City College is offering juggling lessons for beginning and intermediate jugglers for eight weeks beginning in late February. For details on this Community Services Program, see the College catalogue or call.

Los Angeles, CA - LA.Jugglers Forum Monday nights. Call Geno.

Nashville, TN - Sunday afternoons in Centennial Park. San Francisco, CA-Sunday all day in Golden Gate Park near the Conservancy, all day.

San Jose, CA - Saturdays 12-4 at The Magic Touch, 306 EI Paseo de Saratoga. Call Barry Bakalor or Jerry Miller.

Seattle, WA - Call Dave Finnigan.

St. Louis, MO - St. Louis Juggling Club, Friday evenings, Thornhill Library. Call Dick Vagt or Tom Thale.