Juggler Afloat!

San Francisco jugglers normally work out on the ground below Todd Strong's hull. But much cascading of rain and flooding kept most people away from "Rastelli Meadow" last spring. Strong, however, successfully kept the tradition alive and got in his practice!

 

Kids Say The Darndest... by Tommy Gabriel

I teach juggling in fifth through twelfth grades in North Carolina and reach 150 or more students each week. I'm surprised to find more than 80 percent pick up juggling skills with an hour's lesson daily for a school week.

 

Beanbags work for my teaching. Anything bouncy is terror in a gym full of excited kids. I think scarves have very lit­tle carryover value for most young jugglers, but they are sometimes ideal with handicapped students.

 

Teaching can be tiring and repetitious, but students show enthusiasm, I perform once at each school, but the most satisfaction is helping kids enjoy the freedom that comes from an art that requires discipline, dedication, concentration, patience and faith.

 

As the excerpts here show, kids say some funny things about their juggling experience!

 

"Thank you for your time with us. Why one of these days you may be able to juggle a hundred balls!"

 

I hope you come back next year. And I hope you don't get hurt on your things. "

 

"You are the best juggler of alI I have seen in my life. Do you go to school?"

 

"I've got a 14-year-old brother. He's a pain in the neck. I tried to show him to jug­gle but he was a flop. "