Argentine Couple Present Pampas-Style Fury

BY Mariah Skinner

Direct from the Argentine Pampas comes an untamed array of South American fury, presented by... The Zacharys!" The man and woman enter, brandishing ceremonial knives. With shouts and stamping of booted feet they enact a mock sword fight, culminating with the man juggling three knives, then throwing them into a wooden pallet.

The music changes from Latin trumpets to rhythmic drum beats, as the two performers produce boleadoras and begin a Gaucho dance, punctuated by the staccato beats of the wooden balls as they hit the stage. Attached to the performers' wrists by thin ropes, the balls are spun around their bodies, precariously criss­crossing their heads, ruffling their hair, mesmerizing the audience with pulsating rhythms.

Suddenly the music changes again, and the bolas are traded for traditional juggling props. The woman juggles balls to a Rap­Latin beat, tossing them high and catching them in billiard-style pockets attached to her belt. Her manner is engaging. The audience claps in time with the music as she dances across the stage. The man grabs three European style clubs and begins juggling them. His partner engages him in steals. The pace is rapid. There is no wasted motion. Their energy is infectious. They begin a six-club duet, ending in a shower of passing.

Clubs are put away as the woman picks up an Argentinean drum and plays solo, without music. The man returns with bolas and executes what can only be described as a movement dialogue with the drummer, spinning the balls over and around her, then rushing towards the audience, and back to the stage, where he drops to his knees, bending backwards so his head almost touches the floor, all the while spinning the bolas.

The act comes to an exciting close as both jugglers spin flaming bolas. The effect is enhanced as the house lights are darkened and a strobe light is trained on the performance. When the lights are restored the audience cheers as the two performers execute a final flourish and bow.

Debbie and Emil Goetschi, who present this unique act as The Zacharys, have succeeded in combining a straight juggling act with the exotic excitement of the Gaucho dance. The act is well choreographed, using appropriately themed music and costumes, and Debbie and Emil have the genuine enthusiasm to "sell" it.

Emil Goetschi, 42, is a fifth-generation circus performer whose parents, Emil Goetschi and Lola Dobritch, came to the U.S.A. from Europe to perform on the Ringling Brothers circus. Emil learned to walk tight wire from his mother, and began to perform that act at the age of 11. Billing himself as the "Dynamic DeMille," he has presented his wire act all over the world in clubs, casinos, music halls and on television. He once represented the United States at the International Circus Competition in London.  Debbie, 38, was living the life of a normal Southern California kid until a circus family, the Cavarettas, moved next door. She became what she. describes as a "circus groupie," travelling with them during their summer tours. It was through the Cavarettas that she met Emil, whom she later married.

Debbie embraced juggling as her skill of choice. She received help along the way from jugglers like Wally Eastwood and Rejean St. Jules, but most of the credit for her accomplishments goes to long hours of practice. A member of the IJA, she is proud of the fact that she placed fourth in a regional competition, the only female to enter the event. She would like to see IJA competitions just for women, so that more women would feel comfortable about competing.

Emil picked up ball juggling as a kid, but did little with it until he and Debbie framed their first juggling act. For a time the juggling had second billing to Emil's wire act. That has changed, though, as the juggling act has become wedded to the Gaucho act. Working with another Gaucho act provided inspiration for this marriage, but it took imagina­tion, hard work, plus lots of bumps and bruises to bring it about. The best part about the Zacharys (the act is named after their son, Zack, who at the age of 15 has "retired" from show business), is that you don't see the sweat. What you do see is two people having a great deal of fun.

The spend much of their year working in circuses, clubs, school shows and cruise ships. When not working, they pursue other interests. Debbie is an avid golfer, and also enjoys teaching basic juggling at the Girls Club in their off-season home, Sarasota, Fla. Emil is interested in computer programming. At one time, he and Debbie edited a directory of performers and agents, but the demands of this endeavor clashed with other professional commitments.

By daring to be different, by stretching the limits of what a juggling act can be, Debbie and Emil have given us all some inspiration.

We wish them well.