43-3,p25

Newcomer Pat McGuire Charms Audience and Judges in Juniors

by Bill Giduz

Pat McGuire, a 16-year-old juggler who has been at it for less than three years, combined technical skill with a good deal of personality to win the Juniors Championship.

His gentleman juggling styled routine opened with hat manipulations, then combined hat, ball and cane. McGuire bounce juggled seven balls and showed a high degree of skill with ball rolling on his head. It was his first time on the IJA stage and only his second competitive performance, following a winning performance at Atlanta 's Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival last February.

McGuire is a rising 11th grader, formerly of Pittsburgh but now living in Phoenix . He practiced four hours a day at the Pittsburgh YMCA, didn't miss a meeting of the Pittsburgh Juggling Club for two straight years, and created his routine with the help of videotape feedback. Following the advice of mentor Rick Rubenstein of Clockwork, he said he has always tried to be original, so he is now working on a routine with a single cardboard box!

The Juniors Championship was judged according to the "modified ordinal" system in place for several years, where competitors are ranked from first place through last. All eight entrants performed routines to music with no talking.

Second place went to Brian Patz, a 15-year-old from Albuquerque who also finished third in 1990 and second in 1989. He opened with five clubs, then did a routine with four. He did three cigar boxes, five and seven balls, and five and six rings.

Sean McKinney from San Diego finished third. Dressed in grubby jeans and performing to hard rock music, he did a highly athletic act with up to five balls and four clubs. It included a forward roll to catch a club thrown high out of a three club juggle.

Other entrants were:

- Sean Blue (6th). He did up to five clubs, a seven ball flash, six rings with a pulldown, and balanced a pole on his head while juggling five rings.

- Robin Chestnut (4th). He used numerous mechanical devices to pop his props out of his prop case. He moved well and used the whole stage as he juggled up to a seven ball flash and five clubs.

- Jay Gilligan (5th): He bounce juggled up to five balls, did a seven beanbag flash, and did up to six rings and five clubs.

- Jason Neistadt (8th). He did three balls to Neil Diamond's song, " America ."

-· Ben Tolpin (7th). He did three balls with head rolls, five balls and six bean bags, then finished with cigar boxes.