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More than anything, though, the European convention showed the growth of juggling on the continent over the past ten years. The size of the gathering and formation of the European Jugglers Association were recognized as historic benchmarks.

As always, the story of the convention is best told from the point of view of the people who made it successful. Here are some:

Danny Avrutik. His flute melodies floated around drum beats to set a festive stage for a night-time fire juggle by the Charante River on the second night of the convention. A large crowd gathered on the quai around a clearing reserved for jugglers of torches, devil sticks and a flaming diablo.

Tim Batson. He organized the third European convention in London. His friend, Lynn Thomas, had organized the first European convention in Brighton, England, as a close alternative to the IJA convention. Batson noted that the five ball endurance contest has been a convention activity since the beginning, but that little else has stayed the same.

Moshe Cohen. An American-born performer who has spent the past several years wandering Europe. It's a lifestyle shared by several other people who came to Saintes - Avrutik, Lee Hayes, Ed Lamont, David Lichtenstein, Kevin Brooking and Cotton McAloon among them. The challenge of entertaining crowds in different languages has given these people a sharp sense of what works.

Brooking, for example, silenced a rowdy Club Renegade crowd on the first night of the convention with actions as simple as playing with a cigarette lighter flame. Pushing in different body parts created different notes from a penny whistle in his mouth. He attaches a balloon to his flute and plays "Yankee Doodle" with it.

Moshe, a veteran of several European conventions, MC'd the three-hour public show on the convention's final night. The juggling hall was transformed into a 2 ,200-seat theatre with portable bleachers and sold out.

Notable acts he introduced included: John Ballenger's three ball manipulation in jester costume, Barry Rosenberg's flawless runs of six and seven balls; the ex'traordinary diablo passing of Duo High Fidelity; Antonio Bucci's bouncing of 7 and 8 balls; Marianne Stamp's coldly appealing new-wave ring routine; the comic antics of jugglers-turned-tennis-stars Bernd Bothe and George Meuller; the sensual and the hard-edged dance of the Kempovskies. Moshe took center stage himself for a torch swinging piece.

Cotton McAloon. Winner of London's 1986 Covent Garden Street Performer's Championship. This hard-living, highenergy performer was thrust onto the European scene early when his father moved to Paris to escape the Vietnam draft.

A pinball addict at age 15 who quit school at age 18 to juggle full-time, he speaks five European languages. He's recently joined with a fledgling circus, Parody Paradise, in Germany to present small ensemble circus-theatre around Europe. "I want to be free, perform, then do nothing the rest of the day, " is a quote that captures his gypsy attitude. Some would call him debauched, and he has a jail record to support suspicions of a lifestyle on the fringe of proper society.

But his juggling is smooth and creative. He rolls clubs on his head like others do balls, juggles five clubs and shows a vicious yo-yo act. His bright red hair, lack of nationality, bawdy jokes and loud personality are all assets in the anarchy of the European streets. Still young at age 22, he makes no plans about his future career. "I'm never sure of anything except that I enjoy being the center of attention," he said.