Page 14 Summer 1985
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Letters
& News, I
own and operate the Pop Top Cabaret, a show consisting of magic,
illusion, dancing and music. There is also some juggling. The beauty
of this part of the act is the way I produce the balls, juggle them
and make them disappear all with the rhythm of the music. In essence,
you don't have to have the skill of juggling six or seven balls to
have a great act. All I ever do is three. The most important part of
performing is to feed on the public's whims and not on your own.
My
show is booked all the time. I am presently working campgrounds in
Florida. When summer sets in I will be going north. Any IJA members
who hear about the Pop Top Cabaret coming to their area are welcome to
come perform on my stage. -Marvin
Wendroff IJA
beginnings, first-hand! As one of the old jugglers, I thought you might be interested in how the International Jugglers Association was created.
Once
upon a time many years ago there was a magician's convention in
Pittsburgh and about ten jugglers attended. By some method I cannot
recall, we located each other in the maze of mystifying magicians and
arranged to go to lunch to discuss our mutual interest. Unfortunately,
one of our very, very best jugglers, Clem Faust from Philadelphia,
missed the lunch and as a result there were nine around the table when
someone suggested, "We need our own organization." There,
that lunchtime,
When
we departed the restaurant someone took a picture and that tiny
nucleus grew into our present membership.
Present
was Art Jennings, a professional model builder for Westinghouse
Electric, who designed our logo with the hoop and clubs. Art was best
known as "The Bum Juggler." The curtain opened on a
tramp sleeping on a park bench in a lethargic manner. Art arose and
began his juggling act using the bench at times for a rola-bola.
Bobby
Jules of Pittsburgh, as a teenager, was directed to Art Jennings by
Harry Lind for instruction in club juggling. If Art will be remembered
for anything in juggling it will be that he taught Bobby Jules. One of
Bobby's favorite tricks was the three club kickup. Roger Montandon of
Tulsa, Oklahoma, also deserves a lot of credit for
West-coasters
win contests Robert
Nelson, San Francisco's Butterfly Man, won the Pier 39 Street
Performer's competition on May 19, taking home the $600 top prize.
Three
of the four finalist acts picked from about 20 acts entered were
juggling acts. Other finalists beside Nelson were Fred Anderson and
the American Dream Juggling Team (Scott Meltzer. and John Park).
Not
far away, Ken Falk of the San Jose Juggling Society, won top prize of $250
in a local talent contest. He plans to use the same act as a
competitor in the IJA |