Dube, Inc., expands with classes, new space

In the vast, vertical, concrete expanse of New York City, Brian Dube cherishes his 3,000 square feet of polished, rented, maple floor as the culmi­nation of a long-time dream.

For the past six years, he hand-fabricated every one of the thousands of clubs marketed under his name in his apartment, but the move to new quarters at 25 Park Place in July included the hiring of three full-time employees to help with the labor. There are also five classes and two open juggling sessions held there every week to help pay the sky-high New York rent.

The move allows Dube to foresee a future of almost immediate turnaround on orders, thereby eliminating the only complaint most jugglers have about his products. "In January, I couldn't promise delivery on clubs for 14 weeks," he confessed. Besides clubs, he markets bean bags, lacrosse balls, rings, cigar boxes, torches, devil sticks and diabolos.

But his success was built on clubs. He currently owns five molds for different styles. Outside contractors fabricate the plastic bodies, then ship them to New York where Dube and his staff insert shafts, put on top and bottom pieces, and custom decorate them.

However, Dube explained that a recent move to one-piece clubs marks a revolutionary change in his business. "They're just as durable, and less expensive," he said. "Because they're fully molded, there's no maintenance -- no staples or nails to work loose or dowel to break. "

An American one-piece club is available and a European soon will be. Diameter is the significant difference between those two styles, Dube said. His American model measures 4 - 1/4 inches at its thickest part, while the European club is a full inch thinner. Many performers are turning to the American club because of its greater visibility, Dube said. "People are realizing that larger props read better. It's no discovery, actually, because Harry Lind made all his clubs large 40 years ago. But with more amateurs becoming performers, I'm getting more orders for the larger props. The people in the show 'Barnum' wanted larger than normal bean bags for that reason. "

While half the new space is devoted to manufacturing, Dube hopes to finance much of his rent through juggling classes held in a 21 x 54 foot front studio.

Classes in beginning and advanced juggling, club passing and circus techniques are being taught by Fred "Garbo" Garver and Judy Burgess. "I decided to put on classes mainly to provide a space where people in New York can get together and juggle, but here in New York you've got to charge people to be able to afford it. "

Formal classes cost $8.50 each 90-minute session or $75 for 10, and Dube invites everyone to drop by for open sessions on Tuesday nights and Thursday afternoons. Be sure to drop $5 in the cash box, however.

Dube said he sits at his desk under the 14-foot ceiling some nights planning how to use the new space to produce more and better equipment. He said people are asking for lighter-weight equipment. particularly the club jugglers working on five and seven.

Also, there has been a marked turn to longer handles on clubs. to the point where they now represent about half of his orders. Dube himself prefers long handles. saying they are slower turning, better for passing, body throws and kickups. The diflerence between his short and long clubs is 1-1/2 inches.

"I made my first long club only about four years ago after seeing that Ignatov used exremely long ones. They caught on in a hurry'" he said.  ,

Dube is content to be in larger quarters and to make the increased commitment the move represents. "Im banking on the future of juggling." he said.  "I plan to work on marketing what equipment I have now, and I may expand into other lines of variety­

related props. "

Dube sends out equipment catalogs free in the U.S.A. and Canada. $2.50 everywhere else. Add:$1 for colIor photos of equipment.

BOXED OUT

By John T. Reutershan Bronx, NY

This installment deals with extracting the full range of possibilities from a juggling idea. I'm sure many of us have at some time seen a juggler who has created a new and fascinating pattern by simply rearranging or combining some basic moves already in our own repertoire. This article is a contribution toward helping us all be that juggler.

We will always start from the Standard Position (SP): hands gripping end boxes on top; middle box pressed between. Consider one of the most basic moves, the Turn and Turn (T and T): maintaining grip, right hand turns right box 180 degrees clockwise (1) and then 180 degrees counter-clockwise (2).

There are actually at least six ways to present this move: right hand repeatedly, left hand repeatedly, alternate right hand and left hand T-and-T's. staggered with each hand making the first half of the turn before either makes the final turn, simultaneous T-and-T's, or staggered simultaneous where the hands are always opposite (one on top and one on bottom in preparation for the simultaneous turns. This sequence proceeds from simple to complex.

Next, consider the turn and grab move T-and­G: begin with a right hand turn, but instead of another right hand turn as above to return to the start position, the right hand releases its bottom grip and re­grabs the right box on top while the boxes stay in a line (3 and 4). You can also work out the six ways with this move. The same is true of the G-and-T move (here the grabs are on the bottom, and the turn brings the hand up top. and of the G-and-G move.)

Note, for example, that there is plenty for the eye to follow in a staggered simultaneous T-and­G; and that a simultaneous G-and-G leaves all three boxes momentarily free. So, with just two basic moves. (a turn and a grab), and a framework of permutations, we have generated a fairly large set of patterns, not all elementary.

Staying within the realm of balanced sequences where both hands do the same work in one cycle, there is still a little more we can develop. Notice that we never combined a top and a bottom grab.

Doing so leads to a move such as this: From SP, first do a set-up right hand turn, then simultaneous G-and-G's, then simultaneous T-and-T's. etc, Applying the method of this discussion will squeeze out a few more of this type.

Of course. many of these moves look similar. and some arc probably only good for practice. My feeling is that if moves which arc mirror images arc both to be included in a routine. they should be back­to-back or close to it, else the audience will probably think you're doing the same thing twice.

I am not suggesting that a routine is a form of mathematical drudgery - no audience will complain that you omitted a variation. You decide what's interesting and varied. But it can't hurt to have an overstocked inventory from which to select.

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