Although he has worked hard perfecting seven balls and five clubs, Duncan pursues three ball variations with unflagging creativity, and his supply of unusual tricks seems inexhaustible. During a visit to Philadelphia last year - his first convention in nine years - he demonstrated many of these with his eyes closed.

 

"For me, the process of inventing tricks is completely internal. I think about how it feels, rather than how it looks from the outside." This process of learning is what fascinates Duncan most about juggling. In college at Rochester, he switched his major from astrophysics to evolutionary biology, subjects that encouraged logical thinking and may have influenced his analytical approach to juggling. "I find it amazing that a year ago I couldn't do this, and now I can," he frequently observes. "There's just so much that goes into really mastering something, and then being able to do it in performance. Why it doesn't work every time once you know it is a mystery to me."

 

Duncan shares a point in common with the 1992 Silver Medallist Miguel Herrera: Duncan's parents lived in Cuba when he was born, and he spent his early childhood there. The family also lived in Mexico and Brazil. Since his days as a long­haired juggler's juggler practicing in the park and teaching classes to help pay for a loft, Duncan's image as a performer has changed somewhat. But his passion for learning new skills and his willingness to teach and encourage others have not.

 

While Duncan has successfully made the transition from his days as a street juggler to a blossoming career aboard cruise ships and in theatrical shows, his long-time collaborator Jaki Reis has become an innovative and polished partner in the act. Together the two have a more outgoing rapport with the audience, and they have evolved some unconventional duet techniques which require precise timing and illustrate their co­operative coordination.

 

One of their first jobs as a duet was in the touring company of the Broadway show "Sugar Babies," a situation they considered ideal because the audience was already enjoying the show and was in a receptive mood for their act. Jaki's interest in juggling began when the two shared a small room in Japan while performing at the Hiroshima EXPO, and whoever was practicing got the most space. She admits that it is "sometimes a bit discouraging practicing with someone who does all the tricks you are trying to learn ­ with his eyes closed!"

Duncan attributes their success on stage to their lack of pretension and evident enjoyment of what they do. He said, "People enjoy being impressed more if they like you. I think Gatto is successful because he has a good time and he shares that experience with the audience. They appreciate difficult tricks even if they don't understand them."

 

The latest Duncan-Reis project is a col­laboration with the "Quintet of the Americas," a wind ensemble specializing in up­beat, Latino music which combines well with a spirited style of juggling. At a recent benefit performance for the Quintet, Tony and Jaki delighted the audience with a new version of their six-ball duet, their intricate exchanges perfectly executed despite the proximity of a crystal chandelier. After the show they talked about an upcoming cruise to South America and Antarctica , one of the few routes they have not yet traveled.

 

While frequent cruises sometimes mean giving up other projects, they find the experience a welcome "vacation from the world," as Tony puts it. "A good ship is one with room to practice, and finding a place to hang my slackrope is always difficult - but when the ship rocks, I'm the only one who can stand up straight!"

                    

While Tony packs up, Jaki tosses various items of increasing value to him from (address book... whoosh. . . here comes the tape recorder... why not.. .camera. . . may as well). "This is how we unload our groceries at home," says Jaki. "We're used to it, but sometimes it makes people nervous." Soon everything is packed except five brightly colored silicone balls, which always seem to evade confinement.

 

 

They linger in Duncan's palms as if they intend to weave their way to Antarctica with him and still be chasing undiscovered patterns when he comes back.

 

Authors Note: This seemed like a picture-perfect ending at the time, but things are never that simple in the juggling world. In fact, the real story had just begun! After an icy, penguin ­ filled excursion to Antarctica , Tony and Jakis ship took a detour through the Amazon River , where the ship ran amok and sank. All passengers and crew members escaped, briefly becoming celebrities in the Amazon news. Among the survivors were Tonys five silicone balls and a water-logged computer. When questioned by a reporter, one of the balls commented, "I heard a crash and thought one of the hatchets must have fallen again, but then the floor started coming up at us much faster than normal, so I realized this was no ordinary cascade. Now we're just glad to be back in Tonys hands. After this, head rolls should be easy!"

 

Undaunted by the experience, Tony and Jaki spent a few weeks recouping in New York City and then headed out on another ship in early May, this one bound for China. May they return safely to tell the tale!