JW: Are you learning to enjoy working with the audience?

AG: When I was smaller I didn't have that much presentation, but now I'm getting into it and talking to the audience some. I like it better. My friend David Sax put together my music, and even the new music makes me more in the mood. It's new wave stuff -- Phil Collins, New World Order. I'm also getting a new costume that fits the style better.

 

JW: You haven't been to a convention since 1986 in San Jose. What are you planning for the convention in Baltimore?

AG: I'm looking forward to getting the IJA award and competing for the numbers records.

 

JW: And you think you can break your old numbers juggling records?

AG: I break them all the time every day here so I'm real confident I can do it in Baltimore, though it's different when everyone's watching you. I'll have eight balls and try nine balls. I'll do 10 rings, if that goes well I'll try 11. And then eight clubs. That's the hardest trick I do. Everything's hard about it -- catching them, throwing them, making sure they don't hit when they're in the air.

 

JW: If you could snap your fingers and have three juggling wishes, what might they be?

AG: I've got them in my head already -- 12 rings, 9 clubs and 11 balls would be something. I don't know where to hold the extra ball though, I'll have to get a holster to do that trick.

 

JW: April 14 is your 16th birthday. One of the greatest fears in the juggling world is that Anthony Gatto is going to get his driver's license, get a girlfriend and forget about juggling. Have people really got anything to worry about?

AG: Not that I know of. I like what I'm doing. There are more difficult things to do in life, but it's not like this is too easy either. It's just eight minutes a night, but it's eight minutes of concentration and a lot of practice.

 

JW: The little bit of practice you do must leave you a lot of time to do other things. What else are you interested in now?

AG: I'm learning how to play drums, and I was taking boxing lessons for a while. But I got out of that. The guys I was sparring with are 6 feet, and I'm just 5'6", 130 pounds. I like skiing, and I've got my car now and work on that pretty much every day.

 

JW: Tell us about your car.

AG: Well, it's an '84 Jetta, and it's gotta be the coolest car in town. The stereo equipment is worth more than the car. I've had it for a long time now, and it's getting hard not to be able to drive it unless Mom is in the car with me.

 

JW: Is Las Vegas a good place to grow up? It seems like there's a lot of temptation toward trouble.

AG: I guess it is a troubled town, but if you have smarts, mind your own business and stick with the right crowd, it's OK.