Page 12 Fall 1990
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Census
Reveals Mother Lode of Jugglers Could
it be that as many as 55.2million people in the US can do a three
ball cascade? That would be hard to believe, but the IJA's 1990
Juggling Census did indicate that an impressive number of people do
know how to juggle.
More
than 30 IJA affiliates, clubs and individual members served as
census takers on Juggling Day, June 16, in the firstever
attempt to compile some comprehensive data on the pervasiveness of
juggling in today's society. They returned 739 completed forms. The
results showed 23 percent of respondents reported they could do a
three-ball cascade. Extrapolate that to a US population of
240-million people, and you've got 55.2-million jugglers!
However,
the census cannot be considered scientifically valid because of its
random nature. Groups and individuals administered the census to
members of the general public at exhibitions and demonstrations all
across the US and in Canada. Scientifically valid surveys must be
administered to specific groups of people under controlled
conditions.
Still, the results of the survey do indicate just how popular and common juggling is today. Besides the benchmark Question of whether respondents can do the three-ball cascade, other Questions and their data were: 1.
If you don't juggle, have you ever wished you could or tried to learn? Y-53%,
N-22%, No answer-25%.
2. Do any of your immediate family members know how to juggle? Y-28%,N-70%
3. Do you personally know anyone who knows how to juggle? Y-58%,
N-41%
4. Have you ever seen a live juggling performance? Y-85%,
N-14%
5. Have you paid to see a juggler, or given to a street performer? Y-38%,
N -61 %
6.
Have you ever heard of the IJA? Y-23%, N-76%
7. Do you think juggling should be taught as a phys. ed. skill in schools? Y-74%,
N-22%
8.
What do you believe to be the record
number of balls, clubs and
rings juggled? Balls-8, Clubs-6, Rings-8
9.
Do you consider juggling to be primarily a
sport, performance art or comedy act? Sport-9%, Per. Act-65%, Com. Act - 9%
10.
Do you prefer to watch individual jugglers
or team jugglers? 1-27%, T
-48%
11.
On a 1 (neg.) -to- 10 (pos.) scale, what is your overall opinion of
juggling entertainers? 7 Age of census respondents: under 15 -19%; 15-25 - 20%; 26-35 - 23%; 36-45 - 18%; 46-55 - 18%; over 55 - 7%
Sex
of respondents: M-49%, F 43%, No answer - 8% |