In this age, we expect higher jumps over a bar, faster sprints down the track, and get them at a rapid pace. But the pace is much slower in regards to juggling records. Enrico Rastelli, who juggle 10 balls, is commonly acknowledged as world record holder even now, 50 years after his death. It also appears that Sergei Ignatov's record of 11 rings may stand for quite a while.  In his act with the Moscow circus, Ignatov made 22 throws with 11 rings and finished by pulling all of them sequentially over his head! He was said to think 13 rings was possible, but we may never see proof of that from him because of  shoulder  problems. "Juggling Large Numbers" (Juggler's World, March 1982)

Juggling two balls in each hand is quite easy, but when all four at once are tried, problems sometimes begin. When juggling two balls in the right hand, the natural tendency is for the pattern to move to the left. When two are juggled in the left hand, the tendency is to move right. When combined, you have a tendency for collision in the middle! 

A good exercise to try utilizes a household door. Open the door and stand with the door edge against your chest and each arm extended on either side of the door. Practice each hand independently until you are able to move the pattern of each hand away from the door. Then back up a little bit and try both hands. I think you'll discover immediate improvement. "Secrets from a Pro To Help Your Technique by Dick Franco"  (Juggler's World, March 1983)

After concluding the interview, Moschen appeared to have something else on his mind. He hesitated and then asked if he could comment on an aspect of the juggling would that he feels  merits consideration. It related to competition: "I love IJA  conventions and hope to be able to attend another one in the  near future," he said. "There is only one aspect of the convention that troubles me, though, and that's the  championship competitions. From my days as an athlete, I am  familiar with competition in sports, but I don't feel that there should ever be winners and losers in the arts.  

"I understand the natural tendency to compete, this is not necessarily unhealthy, but the true struggle of performing artists to be better should be and internal struggle for self improvement." "Circus The Way It  Seldom Ever Is" (Juggler's World, May 1982) 

It has been observed that learning to juggle is like learning  mathematics. One starts from obvious or known fact or skills and is led be a careful process to apparently new facts or skills.  In mathematics, teachers often persuade students by  their reasoning that the new facts were entirely necessary consequences of the known one so that in  some sense they are not new facts. In the obtuse sense, someone who accepts Euclid's axioms knows geometry and someone who can throw  and catch and see knows how to juggle. "The Physics of  Juggling's Ups and Downs" (Juggler's World, May 1982)

Juggling - profession to some, recreation to others - is an art known to people of many cultures, including the Eskimos. In recent years, Barrow has including juggling races in its Fourth  of July festivities. The contestants must juggle at least two  pebbles in one hand while running. Although people of both  sexes and of all ages compete in the race, the women usually  win. "Juggling in Alaska" (Juggler's World, March 1984) 

According to its manufacturer, the original Juggle Bug beginner club has outsold every other model in the world, and today is available in stores in all 50 states. The vast majority of sales are through these retail stores, Finnigan said. The marketing  network is even growing overseas with new distributorship in  11 countries. "Some people call the Exxon of juggling,"  Finnigan joked, "but I'm just trying to make a good product, keep the price down and get it out there where people can get  their hands on it." "Jugglebug Grows" (Juggler's World, March  1984)

By age seven, Rejean St. James was learning to juggle. He recalled an party juggling experience, "I missed one of the balls once and it rolled over near the elephants and one ate it! I was  very upset since 1 only had two left. But, I smiled again when the elephant trainer returned it to me all washed and clean the  next day so I could continue with my juggling practice." "Rejean St. James, Vegas Star to Watch!" (Juggler's World, June 1984) 

Offering advice to the crowd she (Lottie Brunn) observed, "Everybody does the same tricks - five clubs, seven balls, seven rings - with the same props purchased from the same  makers. You have to have something on the ball. It is not the tricks you do but how you do them!" "Women's Forum" (Juggler's World, Fall 1984)

Return to Index

Next Page