Strinka considers the job a big step up for his career nonetheless. The pay is better than he's ever made and the circus represents an entree to the international juggling arena. Felker refuses to rank the street and stage according to value. "To me it isn't a step up, just like it wouldn't be a step down if I went back on the streets where I started. There are tremendous ar­tists both places," he said.

 

Their current act doesn't represent the limit of their capabilities, but includes tricks they consider perfectly reliable.  "We practiced passing 11 rings until we got 100 throws, and even got 15 throws from each hand with 12 the one day we practiced that," Felker said. "But in the act we just want to be consistent with ten."

 

Their first show as a duo was live in front of more than six million people. That was in Chile last December for the nationwide television program, "Martes 13." Felker said, "I was pretty nervous. We hadn't done anything for an audience except a couple of school shows back in Colorado. But Jim treated it as just another show. That tells you what his temperament is like!"

 

The two met originally in 1977 in Arizona. Strinka lived there and Felker was in school at Arizona University. Strinka had just learned to juggle and had never seen anyone do much with the skill until he and Felker began meeting to practice. "He was amazing," Strinka said. "I had never seen anyone that good in person."

 

They parted ways when Felker moved to Boulder, Colorado. Strinka went to college for a year, but quit because, "I was doing more juggling than studying." He worked with the Circus Arts Troupe for two seasons, then moved to Boulder himself in August 1981 because it was home to good jugglers like Felker, Airjazz and John Leffmgwell. For more than three years he worked the streets and odd jobs in that region, including some fairs with Sean McMahon.

 

Felker returned from his third Globetrotters tour in April 1983. He toured.Asia for Jugglebug, then decided to work with Strinka. They worked up and act and sent out publicity material worldwide. They didn't have to wait long for calls from agents offering work.

 

The decision to team up with Strinka represents a turning point in Felker's career. He worked hard to become a successful solo juggler and had tremendous ambitions in that regard. "There was a time when becoming the greatest juggler in the world was important to me," he confessed. "It was a hard lesson for me to learn that there were limitations to my skills with numbers. I learned to do a couple hundred throws with seven rings and balls, but being honest with myself I couldn't say it felt natural. I realized it just wasn't going to happen, so I decided to work on other things - entertainment and the experience of travel. "

 

Following their premier on the Chilean television show, they worked at the Inter­national Casino in Nairobi, Kenya, for the month of December 1985. Then it was off to Switzerland to work at Chez Maxim, the best nightclub in Geneva. The Big Apple Circus was the next concern to recognize their talent and sign them for a tour. As for the future, Dynamotion expects to continue working in international casinos and nightclubs. Felker would certainly not mind a European circus, either.