37-1,p3

Letters:

Expressions of one art

After reading the letters column in the Fall and Winter issues of Juggler's World. I was surprised to find European colleagues who seem to have an inaccurate impression of what goes on at our U.S. conventions.

Our European friends are proud of the fact that their conventions have a very playful atmosphere. They seem to feel that the same can not be said of the American IJA convention. In fact, one letter stated that "to introduce serious competition would be to destroy this uniquely playful atmosphere. "

I strongly disagree, and feel that this type of thinking will only serve to divide our organization. The IJA embodies all aspects of juggling; the competitions are just one part of its annual convention. When I attended last year's convention, I was very proud of the fact that on any given day you could look out over the convention floor and see all types of jugglers - amateurs as well as professionals - helping each other, exchanging ideas, and all in a very friendly atmosphere.

The competitions were conducted in much the same way, with all of the competitors displaying good sportsmanship throughout. By keeping future competitions under the code of good sportsmanship, I believe that we can enjoy competitive games while maintaining a friendly atmosphere.

Past and present administrations of the IJA have always strived to improve the quality of each convention, as well as expanding the public awareness of juggling in a positive way. We as members of the IJA should never forget that juggling is an art form, and as with all art forms there will naturally be differences in the way each artist expresses himself.

Who is to say that one is better than the other? We as jugglers should always be respectful of how each of us chooses to express the art form of juggling. *

Albert Lucas - Las Vegas, Nevada

Stats on European fest

I enjoyed reading about the 7th European convention in Juggler's World. To give a complete picture of the convention, here are the nationalities represented at our festival: 46 people from England, Scotland and Wales; 5 from Canada; 14 from Switzerland; 3 from Italy; 4 from Belgium; 3 from Finland; 2 from Israel; and one each from India, Austria, Greece, Kenya, New Zealand and Australia.

I want to thank everyone for coming to Frankfurt. All together we made this convention come true, created that atmosphere, "spread the thought of juggling" and won new friends for it. As a continuation of the festival, we're now meeting weekly, Thursdays from 5-11 p.m., in the same building where the festival was held. Its the Volksbildungscheim, Eschenheimer Turm, Frankfurt. Best wishes for '85! *

Fritz Brehm Frankfurt

Biased reporting

In a recent interview with Don Smith, I learned that Juggler's World content is biased. (ed note: He was not mentioned in the Winter issue article "Jugglers By The Bay.")

Donnia, also known as Ray the Heavyweight Juggler, has been associated with IJA for two years, and has been performing in San Francisco for the past five years. It is of no small consequence that Ray is a black juggler. This in itself his work noteworthy of coverage,

With a man juggling five fire torches, four basketballs and four bowling balls as well as flashing nine rings and nine balls, I find Juggler's World sorely lacking scope. People are people regardless of they look. Jugglers are people too,

Mary Struthers - San Francisco

Serious drop-cuts

For the most insensitive question asked to a juggler in 1983 by a wife in another room I nominate, "What are you pounding on?"

For the least sensitive remark made by a child too young to hit in 1983 I nominate "I heard you juggling, dad." Any other nominations out there? *

Wes Kobylak - Rochester Juggling Club

Juggling in the movies

Doc Orbit writing again to tell you about 20 films with juggling scenes in them not previously on my last two lists. They are:

1. Song of the Open Road (1944)

2. Swing Fever (1944)

3. Operation Petticoat (1959)

4. The King's Pirate (1967)

5. The Three Musketeers (1974)

6. The Pirate of Penzance (1981)

7. Knightriders (1981)

8. Kung Fu Commandoes (1982)

9. Jade Claw (1982)

10. The Beach Girls (1982)

11. Paternity (1982)

12. Lookin' to Get Out (1983)

13. Octopussy (1983)

14. Twice Upon a Time (1983)

15. Two of a Kind (1984)

16. Bachelor Party (1984)

17. Splash! (1984)

18. Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

19. The Bounty (1984)

20. Toby's Gorilla (1984)

Of these, I think "Jade Claw;' and "Lookin' to Get Out" have the best juggling scenes in them. This brings the total list of films I've recorded to 105. The big surprise is that I have finally gotten myself into a film juggling. It's "Toby's Gorilla," filmed in August 1983. I was filmed doing five balls, three clubs and three torches. I also appeared in background scenes and as a bunny rabbit!

Doc Orbit

If you must smoke...

At an antiques fair I visited recently in England I spotted an old vitreous enamel sign advertising "Ogden's Juggler Tobacco." Intrigued by this I contacted Trevor Buckley of Imperial Tobacco Ltd. which owns Ogden's who took the trouble to arrange the following photographs and information.

Introduced in 1925, Juggler Tobacco is 60 years old on November 28 this year. It cost 7p. an ounce in 1925 and had the label shown in picture A. In The 1930's the pack design was changed (Picture B) and in1958 it ceased production as a pipe tobacco and is now sold as cigarette hand rolling tobacco with the label shown in picture C.

Produced in Liverpool, it costs I pound 75 (about $2.50) for 25 grams. Mr. Buckley was unable to find a reason for the choice of name back in 1925, but it is good to know that jugglers have their own brand of tobacco for whatever reason! *

Charlie Holland