Bring on the Beach Balls!

It's a Quad Cities Fest!

by Dusty Galbraith

 

More than 150 jugglers fought cold and wind to reach the shores of the Mississippi River for The Second, Second Annual Quad Cities Jugglefest.

 

The Armory in Rock Island, Ill., provided almost an acre of cavernous juggling space. Reports are that no one could hit the ceiling with a club!

 

Groups came from Madison, Omaha, Minnesota and Chicago, but it was Up For Grabs from Aurora who brought along the hit of the weekend - five HUGE (four-foot diameter) beach balls and a Shopvac to inflate them. Everyone had to try patterns like the Two Juggler Four Ball Roll-And-Throw Shower or the Five Ball Eight-Hand Star.

 

Other highlights included Luke Jay coming within inches of a lO-ring flash and John Rauser's "Mills Mess & Beyond" workshop.

 

Saturday night featured an outstanding public show - at a REAL theater this year. Jerry Martin wore multiple hats as emcee, producer and director, besides doing his beautiful "Leap of Fate." Dave Walbridge was the "Silent Stage Hand" again for the show and the "Golden-Throated Games Master" in the armory. Anita Kelling welcomed the audience with her beautiful flute. Jon Poppele joined Anita, juggling with and against the music. And Anita proved to be much better at juggling than Jon is at fluting!

 

Luke Jay presented "Circumference" with multiple sized rings. Luke is showing outstanding showmanship, performing up to eight rings solid as a rock. Several members of the Twin City Unicycle Club (Constance and Andy Cotter, Jamey Mossengren, Marcus Lundwall, and Dana Scheider) presented true championship unicycling.

 

Dean Franzen showed the versatility of the street performer by dropping five balls in a non-force bounce. Dean had the best line of the show on the unsupported ladder: "It's easier if I lean it against my house, but it's too big for the stage." Paul Williamson did a very original routine, "Artful Moves," with loosely inflated garbage bags. Paul displayed back crosses, Mill's Mess, and every other pattern you can imagine, suffering one blown-out bag but no drops. Leif Pettersen and Steve Birmingham, as "Duck & Cover," (a name and good advice) offered the stage version of their club passing workshop.

 

Dan Kirk returned this year juggling with two children from the audience. Walter Szeezil appeared as "Walt West," throwing his voice instead of balls or clubs. For the second year Mike Price closed the show since nobody would juggle after him. Jugglers and civilians alike left with a new appreciation of the art.

 

A party with an outstanding raffle (shirts, clubs, devil sticks, artwork, videos, and lots of "etc.") topped off Saturday night. Prizes came from the festival vendors - Fergie Props, Illinois Juggling Institute, Midwest Juggling Company and Flying Designs - plus the IJA and all the major manufactures and retailers. The prize for "best prize" was split between Fakini's silicone balls and framed juggling baseball cards from The Juggling Arts. Free pop, beer, and food and lots of jugglers - need I say more?

 

Sunday was the day for combat, field ball and fond goodbyes. Plans are already under way for The Third Second Annual Quad Cities Jugglefest the weekend of November 7­9,1997. See you there!