Changing Our Image

BY ROB PECK, EDUCATION DIRECTOR

 

One clear objective for the IJA, and performing jugglers in particular, is to contradict the prevailing stereotype that our craft is more spectacle than substance, a skill that depends largely on physical rather than mental coordination.

 

Until the general public wises up to the fact that juggling is an art, presenters are unlikely to give its practitioners either the prestige or the pay that other performing artists receive. My hunch is that popularity depends on being perceived as performing a skill that people relate to and respect through their own first­hand experience, but at a level well above that of the average person.

 

Think about it. Almost everyone has some appreciation for dance, sports, music, drama, etc., based on early involvement through play. Once we gain an inkling of what it takes to excel in any of these areas we are primed to both admire and attend professional-caliber demonstrations. Without this experiential frame of reference, one is both unable and unmotivated to be a discerning audience member.

 

Ironically, the best practitioners of our art are not only highly skillful, imaginative, comedically inventive and thoroughly theatrical, the medium itself is inherently harmonious. It is as fluid an example of a mind­body connection as any New Age health and wellness conference could hope to espouse. Above and beyond its pure entertainment value, juggling is a near-perfect blend of athletics and aesthetics. Equal parts sport, hobby, exercise and mobile laboratory for accidental discoveries, juggling is a zestful conduit to a more balanced brain and a more creatively co­ordinated body.

 

Face it. We're sitting on a gold mine. Its up to us to share the wealth and increase our membership. As any juggler knows there's strength in numbers. But the prospects of increasing membership and building a larger audience for our art in general depend on implementing better strategies for spreading the word.

 

One of the best places to educate people about the benefits of juggling is in schools. But all too often our art form gets a bum rap from academic types. In their narrow framework, if something doesn't fit in with core curriculum, it is considered a frill. This often makes it a very hard sell to convince administrators to consider - let alone fund - any sort of in­school juggling performance/instructional program or after-school juggling club.

 

I don't know how to figure all of this out, but I'm optimistic that if enough of us put our heads together we can collectively put together many pieces of the puzzle. If we share our "successes," we'll quickly expand our common pool of knowledge.

 

In hopes that it might motivate and/or help substantiate additional efforts to spread the word, the following is an excerpt of a proposal I recently got funded to teach teachers at an in-service day conference for our local school district.

 

A quick preface: Much of the credit for the proposal's substance (and no culpability for the style!) goes to Mike Hout, Dave Finnigan, Jackie Erickson and Wayne (a drummer from Philadelphia whose name escapes me), who generously shared their thinking and provided vivid examples for educating with verve, clarity and alacrity (although not necessarily in that order).

 

Overview: The basic skills one acquires in juggling - focus, centering, improved ambidexterity - can quickly translate to increased confidence in almost all sports-related activities, dance and musical performance. One of the unexpected fringe benefits of even very rudimentary juggling exercises is promotion of rapid eye movement (tracking), which can enhance a pupil's ability to scan a printed page and have proven beneficial in overcoming dyslexia. Likewise, juggling develops fine motor skills and heightened manual dexterity, which contribute to more controlled hand­writing, better keyboarding and other manual skills. Last but not least, the inevitable step­by-step milestones in learning to master more objects than you have hands can effectively model valuable teaching strategies such as goal setting, sequential learning, trial and error, and the rewards of delayed gratification. When viewed in this light, learning to juggle becomes surprisingly relevant for reading, writing, math and science. Best of all, it is fun (frequently funny!) and surprisingly accessible, especially when the initial steps are taught with slow-moving colored scarves.

 

Capsule Description: Surprisingly, the syncopated throwing and catching of three objects is not nearly as difficult as it appears. The secret is seeing the pattern - a figure eight on its side (the infinity sign). Once you know where to aim and when to release, your hands just "catch on" before long. Core components are broken down into a series of readily grasped step-by-step progressions. Subsequent guided exercises are designed to reinforce self-confidence, rhythmic timing and hand-eye coordination.

 

Modus Operandi (Method to the Madness): Right from the beginning, this workshop will attempt to overcome the widespread "fear of failure." To this end, the letters that spell the word "drop" are written in all caps on a large poster, with smaller letters coming down from each to form the maxim: "Daring Release Of Pressure." Likewise, each hands-on exercise is specifically designed to build confidence and generate laughter. Techniques to maximize accurate throws and minimize drops are demonstrated and practiced with one, two and three scarves. Each step builds upon the preceding one and frequently involves participants pairing up to work as partners, personal coaches and private cheering sections. The lesson plan also leaves ample time for one-to-one in­struction and opportunities for individual initiative in front of the group. Even with all the inevitable "ups and downs," this one-shot workshop is guaranteed to be a very comical and very centering form of meditation... like music to your eyes!

 

I know you're out there. Please call, write or otherwise share your thoughts with me or the Jugglers World audience. Either way it would be great to know that you care about the importance of getting whatever works out there for all to use! Rob Peck; Northfield MA.