Winter Magic

BY JESS MONROE

 

Although the January IJA convention in Las Vegas is a juggling convention and

not a magic convention, I titled this article "Winter Magic" because of the magical feelings produced at this event. I always look forward to returning to Las Vegas, city of dazzling lights, hot shows, gastronomic buffets, and ­ for a week each year in January - lots of juggling. Most of my passions in life come together during this week as I do what I like best with the people I like most.

 

The winter convention is traditionally an unstructured convention. Jugglers juggle in the daytime, and "do the town" at night. Las Vegas is the perfect location for a convention of this type, as all the ingredients for a good time are there in one vibrant city.

 

The first thing I usually do when I arrive in Las Vegas is to look through the show guide and decide which shows I would like to see. I've always had a love affair with review shows. There is no other form of entertainment I would rather watch than elaborate production numbers with spectacular sets, dynamic lighting and hot choreography mixed with first class variety act (preferably jugglers, of course).

 

I noticed a new show at The Plaza called "X­Posed" which starred Charlie Frye and company. I used to juggle with Charlie in New York in Brian Dube's loft in the early 80's, and I've always been a fan of his.

 

Sunday night after dinner at a great pasta restaurant I coerced Bud Markowitz, Ritt Rittenhouse and Greg Neumann into coming along to see "X-Posed." The show was sizzling with hot dance numbers directed by Ron Lewis, the greatest "putter together" of review shows ever. Charlie Frye did two spots. The first was card and giant linking ring manipulation, mixed with his own eccentric visual comedy. His second spot featured hat manipulation, three and four bottle clubs combination juggling, and balancing tricks, three-to-five balls, and other gentleman juggling routines. While trying to perform his juggling feats he had to deal with his disinterested assistant. His timing, music and routining are superb, and I felt great knowing that a silent visual act is still wanted in Las Vegas. We all had such a good time that we spread the word to everyone else and I returned to see the show a second time three days later (I liked it that much).

 

Although I've been going to juggling conventions for 13 years, this was the first convention I spent time talking with Ginny Rose, Richard Dingman, Sam Kilbourn and lots of other people I've always seen but never really got to know. I like this winter convention because it is intimate. A week-long party!

 

Monday night we headed for Bally's to see "Jubilee," the ultimate production show. All three variety acts were silent acts. Jean Nedel did lots of very impressive hand balancing. Anatoli and Irina did some club juggling mixed with dance, acrobatics, and manipulation of a giant cube. Very artistic! Denis Lancombe was the third variety spot. He performed his famous clownish orchestra conductor.

 

Tuesday, after a Mexican dinner at the Forum shops at Caesar's Palace, we returned to Ballys to see Penn and Teller. Penn did a broken bottle juggling routine and together with Teller performed many of their signature illusions. The script of their show is most clever, and the more I thought about the lines in the show, the funnier they seemed ("Las Vegas is built bad math").

 

During the day there was lots of juggling going on at the Showboat Hotel from the 81 people who registered during the week. There in one room were Penn Gilette, Michael Goudeau, Wally Eastwood, Anotoli, Vladik, Jeff Daymont, Dan Bennett, Sean McKinney, Bob Hartman, Rick Rubenstein, Nancy Darst, Amelio Diaz, Greg Bauman and many other stellar jugglers.

 

On Thursday I headed over to Circus Circus and saw Atsuko Koga performing her devil stick and racket, and parasol spinning in her beautiful graceful style. At Grand Slam Canyon by Circus Circus, Noelle Franco performed her comedy juggling as "Calamity Kate."

 

Friday I took off for Lee Canyon near Mt. Charlston to find the ski slopes and that night headed for the nearby town of Henderson to see Lazer Vaudeville (reviewed in an earlier issue). It was a perfect ending to a perfect week.

 

Saturday I loaded up my car and headed home for Los Angeles. My mind was filled with all the great memories of the week, such as the Vegas casino skyline that can be seen as we rode the moving sidewalk from Caesars Palace Forum Shops to the main casino. This is about the most spectacular view anywhere. Totally electrifying! Great people, great food, great entertainment, great time. I can't wait until the next one.