Two acts brought the house down at the teams competition, and appropriately finished first and second.

 

By luck of the hat draw for appearance order, Gravity's Last Stand was the second place want up to the winning trio from Boulder, CO, Airjazz.

 

The Gravity team of John Carvill and Jim and Matt Gagnepain won last year's team competition, and had a far better act this year. They delighted the crowd with Christmas in July juggling, right down to their red Santa's caps. They began by singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to juggling-produced percussion accompaniment, then did a well rehearsed and written juggling rendition of . 'The Twelve Days of Christmas."

 

An original song set to cigar boxes followed, and a topper ending brought the audience to its feet. One judge awarded them the convention's only 10 for their presentation.

 

Still, Airjazz was technically better and equally well rehearsed. Peter Davison, Kezia Tenenbaum and Jon Held performed a dancy act requiring practice, imagination and self-con­fidence. They were as entertaining with only three clubs as with fourteen, tuned to their music like just another instrument in the band. They moved from trick to trick imperceptibly, presenting always a picture of fluid motion and flash.

 

Other team acts and highlights in order of their appearance were:

 

Arsene and Waldo, clowning with a human hat tree, manipulating hats in tandem and passing clubs; Tim and Sharon Kapp doing shoulder stand juggling, seven club passing and some highly gymnastic flourishes; Passing Fancy Jugglers (Tom Dewan, Larry Wakeman, Ron Rourke) introduced house plants to the stage and manipulated clubs in dozens of fashions, including a 12 club passing line; The Tonure Brothers (David Levesque, Bill Fry, Rich Digiovanna) juggled their bodies ("500 pound cascade) and gave comedy impressions of the convention.

 

The Secret Circus (Detmar, Si and Collier Dogov) did ball juggling in a holy swami routine; The American Jugalos (Lou Carlet, Paul Goodman (began their act in bed, and woke up to pass eight pieces of breakfast fruit. They then spoke metaphorically of harmony and peace, but ended up proclaiming war on each other.