Page 31 Spring 1989
Business
aside, it was back to juggling for the 125 or so people who enjoyed
another Groundhog festival. The Saturday afternoon show ran 18 acts
long, including five children from the Mimosa School Juggling Club
who signed up for the
The
competition included 18 acts, but there were only three Phil
trophies for the amateur judges to assign. One should have gone to
judge Marvin Matthau (brother of Walter and a.k.a. "The Human
Seal") who got the show started by balancing on his chin a girl
seated in a chair!
The
judges chose John Nations of Columbia, S.C., as the "Most
Astounding" Phil winner. Nations did some inspiring combination
tricks, including five rings on a rola-bola. He also balanced a
racket on his head while doing two clubs and a ball, and dropped.
the balance down into a four-object juggle. Besides John's juggling,
the audience appreciated his assistant/girlfriend, Caroline Metash.
As
"Most Awesome," the judges chose The Howard Family
Jugglers. Andy and Joyce and their three sons Dan (12), Steven (10)
and Will (8) kept smiling throughout some simple ball, club and ring
passing routines. They appealed to everyone's sense that "The
family that juggles together deserves an award." Cindy Marvel
was definitely "Most Amazing" with club and ball routines
choreographed to music, despite a slow recovery from the flu, Cindy
held together most of her difficult tricks. On the sideline she was
practicing seven ball cascades and five club back crosses. She
performed some of her poetry during a midnight cabaret after a
crowded Cajun-theme party. The
talent level at Groundhog Day was impressive. Besides the
winners listed above, show and competition people included Jeff
Daymont, the Fettucini Brothers, Benji Hill, the Jongleur Jugglers,
Bob Whitcomb and Brad Zentmeyer. Henry Slack, a.k.a. Professor Henry
Huggler, failed again to win a Phil in his 11th straight year of
competition. However, he got big audience points by adding his
newborn son to the act.
Those
who shied away from the public, but shone among jugglers
nonetheless, included Dan Berg, Alexis Lee, Mark Lippard, Andre
Vincent (a.k.a. . Arry Pavarotti) and Art Werger. The Atlanta
Jugglers Association again did a great job of hosting a friendly,
smooth-running event. Standing firmly behind president Toni Shifalo
in staging the event were Rodger French (now relocated to
Washington, D.C.), Charles Shapiro and Ginny Slack. Many thanks to
them and many others who worked for the common good of the jugglers
who attended. |
Groundhog Day trophy
winners (l-r, holding trophies) Cindy Marvell, John Nations, Will H |