NEWS

 

Board Votes To Combine Awards With Competition In 1989 Championships

The IJA board of directors has voted to incorporate an awards night with the 1989 IJA Individuals Championship at the Baltimore convention. While Championships Director Craig Barnes was asked to make only minor refinements in the competition, the evening format will be different than in the past.

 

Changes in the format of the event will be directed by Dave Finnigan, who submitted suggestions in a detailed proposal to the board of directors. Citing lack of time and insufficient research, the board rejected Finnigan's call for immediate replacement of numerical order of competitive finish with a medal system. However, his suggestions for restructuring the evening's events to create a more positive atmosphere were accepted and will be implemented in Baltimore.

 

Finnigan, who will serve as MC, said he would like to see an evening of "congratulations, praise, applause, appreciation, awards and hugs."  Citing poor attendance at previous IJA awards ceremonies, Finnigan said that presentation of awards during the Individual Championships will assure a large audience and a warm reception for those who receive awards. He said he would like to recognize everyone in the hall for various merits - those who attended past conventions, judges, workshop leaders, convention organizers, the IJA staff, special guests, "old-timers," sponsors and affiliates.

 

Finnigan said, "the competitions night should be the most positive night of the convention. It will be a chance for us to thank all of our hard-working members for their work."

 

Though there will be no major rules changes in the competitions themselves this summer, the board will consider suggestions for the 1990 championships. Interested parties are invited to write to Barnes. Also, people contemplating entry in any event should contact Barnes for complete regulations. His  address is:  Berkeley, CA.

 

Registration fees for all events except joggling races must be paid by July 1, or be subject to a late fee. All competitors must be IJA members.

 

For 1989, Barnes explained that the championships are intended to reward and encourage professional quality juggling acts. Competitors in the IJA Individual and Team championships must display an appropriate level of competence, as determined by the preliminaries judges, even if there are fewer than the maximum number of competitors. Competitors should be prepared to perform their finals acts in the preliminaries, which are closed to other contestants and spectators.

 

Competitors are expected to behave professionally in such matters as registering on time, and being familiar with rules, deadlines and stage conditions. They should have a polished act with the expectation of no drops. Difficult tricks will be amply rewarded, he said, but drops will be heavily penalized.

 

Only juggling and object manipulation will be scored for technique in the events. Other skills such as acrobatics, comedy or magic count only insofar as they directly enhance the overall performance of the act.

 

The qualifying level for individual numbers competitors will be 6 clubs, 7 balls and 7 rings. For team passing, it will be 9 clubs, 10 balls and 10 rings. Numbers competitors must qualify at the convention, and only the top five competitors will advance to the finals. Competitors in the finals will have two minutes in which to achieve their longest run, but they must achieve a qualifying run within the first minute to continue.