As usual, workshops were scheduled every hour not occupied by major events. More than 30 workshops covered a diverse group of topics that included non­juggling areas like magic, balloon sculpture, physical comedy, rope spinning and baton twirling.

 

The most popular workshops concentrated on more traditional skills - three ball juggling with Daniel Holzman, rings with Robert York, cigar boxes with Jeff Daymont and advanced club passing with Martin Frost. Mike Stillwell and Michael Kass led a kickups workshops attended by nearly 300 people!

 

Speaking of popular attractions... what do conventioneers do at midnight? They go to Club Renegade, of course! The nightly stage show sponsored by the Renegade Jugglers features unscheduled performances by anyone brave enough to take the stage. From midnight to 2 a.m., jugglers played music, jugglers parried verbally with the audience, jugglers did magic, and, of course, jugglers juggled. These R-rated evenings of fun were definitely crowd-pleasing.

 

While the scheduled events were the backbone of the convention, the real meat of the week was open juggling in the cool, cool gymnasium. Both the main floor and' balcony areas stayed full from early morning until the maintenance crew swept peopIe out the door at 4 a.m. daily. The following highlights were observed on the floor:

 

· Jeff Mason doing two diablos on one string.

· Steve Mills balancing his new baby, Michelle, high overhead in the palm of his hand.

· Owen Morse joggling seven balls.

· Two unidentified jugglers riding 25-foot unicycles.

· Noah Chomy and Steve Pilon each showering six balls.

· John Nations juggling five tennis rackets. · Bob Whitcomb juggling five clubs while spinning a ring on his leg and ball on a mouthstick.

 

Add to these highlights some other impromptu events - like late-night combat juggling and five club joggling races (the winner managed 20 yards) - and you've got a week of non-stop excitement.

 

Rounding out the week was the annual public show, "Juggling, And Other Delights." Staged in the Akron Civic Theatre, a restored vaudeville palace, it was a perfect showcase for the multitude of convention talent.

 

Art Jennings acted as Master of Ceremonies and Miss Tilly directed the Mos quito Lounge Band - a smorgasbord of musical jugglers playing such instruments as saw, washboard, tuba, kazoo, accordion and trombone.

 

The program included the club passing and takeaways of newly-crowned Teams Champions Manic Expressions, mime from Randy Judkins, acrobatics from Benji Marantz and Cyrus Koski, and the World Emergency Circus (who performed every chance they could!) Soozie Shireman choreographed a balloons-and-glitter production number that featured a cast of 60.

 

At an awards presentation prior to the public show, champions received their medals and volunteers got certificates of thanks. In addition, IJA affiliates presented their own awards. Edward Jackman, U.S. National  MC, won the second annual Atlanta Jugglers Association "Wild Style Award," while The Jest Jugglers from Ohio presented their first "Best Jest Award" to Lane Stuart for a Samurai cigar box routine.

 

As everyone packed up to leave for another year, they were counting down the days until the 41st convention next July 12-17 in Denver, Colo. Thanks go to 1987 convention coordinators Kevin Delagrange and Tom Bennett for an outstanding job, and wishes of good luck to Tricia Allen, Denver coordinator. See you there!