Festivals, continued

 

Y's Festival show 'creates' juggling of epic proportions by Steve Richards

 

About 100 jugglers from as far away as New Jersey and Michigan converged on the University of Missouri-Columbia for the fourth annual Jugglefest April 19-21.

 

Sponsored by the University Y, the festival featured a parade through downtown Columbia, a Saturday night show and workshops for novices.

The highlight of the weekend for most people was the 13-act Saturday show. One of the favorite skits for the overflow crowd of 300 was that of "Suspenders," a.k.a. Mike Kramer and Gary Podolosky, who presented their version of how juggling might be portrayed in the movies. The "Biblical epic" imitated the story of creation. On each day of creation another ball was juggled until seven were in the air.

Informal workshops offered by the "pros" for local residents and university students evoked reactions ranging from awe to frustration as non-jugglers worked on the cascade pattern.

Some of the professionals practiced new acts and traded tips. Jay Cady and Leslie Seifert-Cady worked on juggling six clubs back to back. The pair have been partners for three years, based in Kansas City but performing throughout the Midwest in high schools, nursing homes and colleges.

Another professional, Terrell Hayes, had just completed a four-month tour. Hayes, who was until three years ago a trial and tax lawyer in Nashville, performed 150 shows in colleges and prisons during his latest tour, and plans to spend the summer in San Francisco performing at Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.

Why did he leave law? "I was tired of spending most of my waking hours in conflict," he replied. "I was being paid to worry about other people's problems."

 

Mainland winter prompts January Hawaiian fest

The four-day-long first Annual Hawaiian Jugglers Festival climaxed with "An Evening of Vaudeville" on Jan. 17 at the Kalani Honua Cultural Center on the island of Hawaii.

Performers featured in the show includ­ed most of the 30 jugglers attendingthe festival. An audience of about 300 people enjoyed Oahu's One Ring Circus, "da kine" (top) juggler - Salty Scotty of the Hawaiian Seven Seas Circus, the Waldo Woodhead Show, Robert Nelson the Butterfly Man, the Pineapple Circus, Charles R. Brown Jr. and the Renegade Jugglers.

The festival was organized by Graham Ellis and Benji Marantz, who coerced some of their mainland friends to warm up in the islands last winter and then decided to put together the first-ever gathering of Hawaiian jugglers. The festival climaxed a good winter of performing in the islands, Marantz said. "Street performing is a tough nut to crack here because Polynesian entertainment is so engrained," he commented. "But they're opening up to street performing. It's gonna happen."

As an aside, it should be noted that Marantz and a partner, Don Heafner, won the mens pairs and overall categories of last year's U.S. Nationals acrobatic cham­pionship. "My stage experience as a jug­gler helped me out a lot in front of the acrobatics judges and crowd," Marantz said. He and Heafner plan to defend their title at the 8th national competition in New Orleans in June. *

Can you say Anisq' Oyo? At least you can juggle there! by Jeff Walsh

Nearly 300 jugglers gathered for the 9th Annual April Fools Jugglers' Festival in Isla Vista, California. The weekend event began Friday night in a gym on the DC­Santa Barbara campus across the street from the site of the 1982 IJA convention.

Barry Bakalor, IJA video services coordinator, set up a big screen TV in a corner and juggling videos ran continuously.

Saturday's action moved to nearby Anisq' Oyo Park. More jugglers arrived, a local reggae band provided music and a makeshift midway began to take shape as merchants sold their wares. Mary Wisser of Anaheim brought a display of juggling memorabilia and live juggling happened all around.

A Public Show was held Saturday night in the Magic Lantern Theater. Performers included the festival host Stomboli Family, John Gilkey, Mark Bakalor, Bob Mendelson, Paul Belanger, Ken Martin, John Leffingwell, Oren Canfield, Ken Falk, Christa Bell Rypins, Kit Summers, Dan Menendez, Susie Shireman, Craig Barnes and Michael Kass. The successful benefit raised more than $650 for a local rape crisis center.

A local television crew filmed on Sunday, and clips ran on the evening news for two days. Spontaneous exhibitions and demonstrations dotted the park as people got in as much juggling as possible before heading home. Beautiful weather, lots of juggling, old friends and new all contributed to the best April Fools Festival to date.