Probably the most successful of the groups, and the one that has remained most loyal to its roots, is The Flying Karamazov Brothers. Their theatrical presentation of comedy, juggling and music was born in the streets of Santa Cruz , and has since then entertained audiences on Broadway, at Lincoln Center , on major television shows and all over the world. However, they have maintained a communal spirit, traveling with their families, allowing themselves time for personal pursuits, and spending several weeks on the road each year with the counter-culture Chataqua tour of the Northwest.

Karamazov Brother Tim Furst says their current show in every way reflects its street heritage, "the fact that we don't work with a director, the improvisation, bantering back and forth with the audience, not being afraid to drop things or try different things, and the general energy level. If you do street a lot, it means you can do some things in your sleep. You can improvise around them and don't have to concentrate on the actual juggling,"

As these early street performers have moved onto more legitimate stages, the street scene has faded away. You don't find jugglers at the L.A. Art Museum or in Westwood. But you do find them doing the same sort of act on private properties throughout the country. Seeing how much people enjoy the spontaneity and close contact with performers on the street, business has built performing stages in private complexes. Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco was the first, but many have followed, such as Pier 39, Seaport Village in San Diego , Faneuil Hall in Boston , Harborplace in Baltimore and Underground in Atlanta . Renaissance fairs and street performers festivals also have been established to replicate the atmosphere of the street in a more controlled environment.

Mark Nizer, for one, regrets this institutionalizing of the street scene. "The purist thrives for the no-control environment," he said. 'We've lost the places where people can develop their acts and form their performing personalities."

Nelson fears the era of free-spirited street performing is over, its brief flame consumed and institutionalized in a way that will prevent a younger generation from enjoying opportunities for growth that were available a decade ago. "Especially since the earthquake last fall it's the end of an era in street performing out here it seems," he said. "A lot of people are not coming to San Francisco any more because of the earthquake. We're hoping it'll pick up, but performers are focusing their attention elsewhere. I really think it would be impossible for someone to come here and start out now. The general feeling is that it's the end of an era."

Nevertheless, the increased exposure of juggling in the 20 years since those first street jugglers began has inspired thousands of other people to take it up as a recreational past time. That has, in turn, spawned a minor manufacturing business to cater to the aficionados. John Cassidy of Klutz Press in Palo Alto built his entire

business around sales of "Juggling For the Complete Klutz," a book with three bean bags attached that has found its way into hundreds of thousands of homes.