NEWS

 

IJA NOTES

Life Memberships

The announcement that second-row seats at crowded San Jose convention events were reserved for IJA Life Members set off a run on the new membership category.

 

Life Members pay a $250 fee either all at once or in $50 installments over the course of a year. Life Membership income goes into an IJA Financial Security Fund, set aside in endowment with the intention of remaining that way. Besides the reserved seating at convention events, life members receive a discount on IJA merchandise, laminated and numbered gold membership card, special listing in the Roster, first class mailing of "Juggler's World," and an IJA lapel pin and cloth patch.

 

Members signed up so far are:

1. Bill Giduz, Davidson. N.C. 2. Rich Chamberlin, Kenmore. N.Y. 3. Mike Glass. Dallas. Tex. 4. Paul Fegen, Beverly Hills. Calif. 5. M. Renata Fossett. Minneapolis. Minn. 6. Rit Rittenhouse, Tucson, Ariz. 7. Lars Rohrbach, Berkeley, Calif. 8. Bruce Zalkin, Ft. Lauderdale. Fla. 9. Alan Howard 10. Glenn Ceponis, Philadelphia. Penn. II. Jackie Erickson, Phila.. Penn. 12. Gerald Martin, Richfield, Minn. 13. George Murphy, Treasure Island, Fla. 14. Toomey family, Seattle, Wash. 15. Zeke Ashley, Phoenix, Ariz. 16. Waldo, Boston, Mass.

 

1987 Convention Plans

Kevin Delagrange and The Rubber City Jugglers are planning an historical emphasis for the IJA's 40th anniversary convention in Akron, Ohio, next July 13-18.

 

Besides standard convention activities, juggling as part of the past 40 years of variety arts will be celebrated. An afternoon audio-visual seminar with IJA founders and vaudeville performers will convey a taste of "the way it was" for jugglers on show circuits now dusty and gone. Founders and past presidents will be honored for their contributions to the organization through these years.

 

The old and new will share the stage for at least a half-dozen shows. Club Renegade reopens in Akron and IJA artists will flock to be seen.

 

The current plan also calls for jogglers to make a three-day, 150-mile pilgrimage in reverse of sorts from Jamestown, N. Y., to Akron. Jamestown was the site of the first IJA convention. Interested athletes should contact Bill Giduz, IJA president.

 

A special 40th anniversary edition of Juggler's World will appear next June to trace the history of the IJA and some of its most colorful and significant members.

 

Juggling clubs and affiliates can help the promotion with an afternoon juggling festival in their towns on Saturday, June 20, 1987. That's a Saturday close to June 17, which is the actual 40th year mark. Get together to get ready for Akron! Interested groups should contact IJA affiliate coordinator Keith Watson  or 1988 convention chairman Tricia Allen.

 

If you would like to take part in any convention or 40th anniversary events, Kevin Delagrange can be reached at  Akron, OH.

 

Roster Revived

Plans for the 1987 IJA Roster have survived programming difficulties to emerge intact and healthy. IJA thanks to John Robinson for his help in straightening out the quirks in our computer. Barring unforeseen catastrophe, the Roster will be mailed to members in mid-November.

 

IJA Election Results

IJA elections for the 1986-87 year were held at the San Jose convention. Bill Giduz was reelected president and publications editor. Holly Greeley won vice president, with Barry Bakalor as championships director and Ginny Rose treasurer. Directors elected were Dale Jones, Andrew Schwartz and Keith Watson.

 

Persons wanting to nominate themselves or others for IJA office in the 1987-88 year must submit a nominating statement to the IJA secretary by January 1 in order to have their name included on the spring ballot. Write to IJA, Kenmore, NY.

 

Grand Slam Award

Anthony Gatto fell one victory short of winning the IJA's Grand Slam Award in the first year of its offering. Announced in San Jose, the IJA Grand Slam of Juggling A ward has been created to encourage and reward well-rounded juggling excellence. It will be awarded to a juggler

who in a single convention wins four championships events as specified:

 

1) The U.S. Nationals, 2) Any joggling race, 3) Any numbers event, 4) Teams or another numbers event.

 

The Grand Slam prize will be a unique Balfour-customized championship ring and a cash award. The cash award was set at $1,000 for this year, with the intention of adding to that amount yearly until the prize is won. The ring and part of the prize money are being donated to the IJA by Albert Lucas, whose 1984 victories in four events inspired the Grand Slam idea.

 

San Franciscans Sweep Milan Festival Prizes

Three acts from San Francisco's Pier 39 won top awards at the Milano, Italy, Premio Strada '86 festival in May. The High Street Circus (Andrew Potter and Wheeler Cole), Full Moon Circus (Cliff and Mary Spenger) and Ned Van Alstyne took the top three places among 20 acts in this judged event.

 

The producer of the festival, Raffaele Barki, set up the 1986 version as a follow-up to a similar event in 1985 that featured European performers. The three winners were the only juggling and varie­ty acts on the bill in the two- night event. Other spots were filled by street musicians and a BMX bicycle team. All acts were provided air fare to Milan, and won cash prizes which have not yet been received.

 

Van Alstyne and Potter downplayed the competitive aspect of the event, pointing out that the 2,500 member audience and 10 judges were much more receptive to variety performers than to the musicians.

 

All three dealt with the language barrier in creative ways. Full Moon Circus translated their entire act into Italian and memorized it. High Street created a running gag of their ignorance of the language by speaking phrases that they wrote on their arms, legs and other parts of their body. Van Alstyne departed from his usual style by miming his entire act.

 

Highlights of their acts included: High Street's passing clubs on 6-foot unicycles, Full Moon's slack rope juggling and torch juggling, and Van Alstyne's machete juggling and box routine to the Pyr Gynt theme. The show was also taped for Italian television.