News Notes

 

Parisians enjoy several ping pong ball jugglers

Daniel Holzman and Barry Friedman, the Raspyni Brothers, were recently fortunate to see three juggling acts in Paris. They sent in the following report on the Fercos at the 78 Cabaret, Gran Picaso at the Lido and Valente & Valente at the Moulin Rouge.

 

The Fercos performed juggling and magic in the Hot Shock Review, beginning with fast club passing and a smooth jump-over three club steal. Ferdinand Ferco did four clubs with one balanced on his forehead, then dropped it into a solid five club cascade. After throwing one over his shoulder he continued with a four club routine, including a very low shower pattern.

 

Tony Ferco followed with a brilliant three club routine, showing precise footwork and leg catches. Fer­dinand then performed with two ping pong balls, followed by Tony's awesome display with three, four, five and seven! They concluded with rapid plate juggling.

 

In a practice session the next day, the Raspynis watched Tony do consistent three ping pong ball pirouettes and even flash and catch eight!

 

EI Gran Picaso began his routine at the Lido with quick three ball juggling, followed by two-to-four ping pong balls. He threw plates back and forth with the audience and ended juggling five in one hand.

 

Valente, who has worked with his sister and other female partners, now performs with his beautiful English fiancee. He starts with a flashy three club routine and five clubs with under the leg throws.

 

For an impressive combination trick, he balances a flaming sword on his forehead, revolves a ring on his leg and juggles five rings for about 20 seconds. He then showed his mastery of ping pong ball juggling by spitting three no higher than two feet above his head in precise columns. He con­cluded his act with plate juggling. The Moulin Rouge show also included the Two Segura Brothers, who performed an acrobatic foot juggling act. "Definitely a four-star performance!" according to the Raspynis.

 

They further counseled, "We met all these great performers and found them very friendly and interested in IJA activities. So if you're in Paris, slip a note backstage and you may find yourself after the show enjoying great European beer and the company of some of the finest jugglers in the world. "

 

Shannon honored for non-juggling deeds

Congratulations to IJA member Claude Shannon, 68, of Winchester, Mass., one of five recipients of Who's Who in America's 1984-85 Achieve­ment A wards.

 

The award recognizes outstanding creativity and positive impact on society. Shannon was cited as "an innovator in information theory for his work with computers, in technology, mathematics and the physical sciences. "

 

What the citation failed to note, however, was Shannon's positive impact on the juggling world through his mathematical studies of the physics of the art and creation of numerous juggling machines, which he has shown off at IJA conventions.

 

Convention videos still in creation stage

Barry Bakalor, IJA video coordinator, reports he is still working on creating videotapes of the 1984 convention for sale to IJA members.

 

He plans to market four tapes, each recorded on a two-hour VHS cassette. One will cover the Juniors and Teams competition, another the U.S. Nationals with highlights from the Numbers competition and possibly joggling. The third will feature portions of the two Public Shows, and the fourth will be workshops. IJA members will be notified as soon as the tapes are ready for sale.

 

For underwater jugglers, and others unique

The following short note from Tom Cargill of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey has inspired the IJA to create a new officer - the Chronicler of Juggling Superlatives. Cargill wrote, In December, Herman Night and I did some six club passing at 18,500 feet on the crater rim of Mt. Killimanjaro, Tanzania. Is that a record?

 

No one knew if it was a record or not, but the organization's board of directors determined it was about time to start keeping track of such feats. The first person to respond to the call for a Chronicler was Erik W. Wikstrom, a three year member of the IJA from Baldwin, New York. He said, "I decided that I must instantly volunteer (for the post). I would consider it an honor, and a lot of fun."

 

His enthusiasm won him the job immediately, and the first entry in his chronicle will be Cargill's Mt. Kilamanjaro claim.

 

Everyone has done something unique. If you think you're the first person to juggle five balls underwater, or to joggle to the top of Pike's Peak or to chew gum and do two ping-pong balls at the same time, let Wikstrom know. Verification is not necessary, just write and say you did it (tell the truth!). Juggler's World will regularly publish the best of Wikstrom's gleanings so that they may be broken by still more outrageous ones.

 

Realize, please, the lighthearted nature of this particular effort. Serious record breakers should save their tries for the IJA championships or the Guinness Book of World Records. Write: Erik Wikstrom, Baldwin, New York.