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Letters

The French Connection Says "Merci!"

After nine hours of our dozing and tiny meals, USAir touched down in Paris, unloading the "French Connection" onto native soil. We all kept asking ourselves if our experience hadn't actually been some kind of dream. But the gold plastic bracelet wadded up in my pocket proved that everything had been for real.

On behalf of all the European Showcase performers, I want to thank the IJA, and all those present in Pittsburgh, for the hospitality and warmth we enjoyed during our stay. It was the first-ever experience with an American festival for all but one of us, so we were all somewhat intimidated by the prospect of coming face-to-face with an event, THE EVENT, that we had only seen on videos or read about in magazines. Questions like, "Will absolutely everybody be doing five club backcrosses?" or "Is the Renegade Stage really as dangerous as they say?" and "What will we eat?" kept gnawing at us on the way over.

The organization on the American side was immensely helpful in quickly calming our misgivings and setting up the show. We send out a very, very big thanks to Ginny Rose and her invisible army of trouble-shooters for all their assistance - and the beer!

But by far our biggest thanks go to all of you at the show on Sunday night. Never ever did we hope for, or expect, such a reaction. And we never in our lives dreamed of such a success. That's not true really - we had all dreamed about it, but never actually believed it could happen!

Rarely, if ever, is an audience so generous, so receptive, and so attentive to detail as you were. In my opinion we can put to rest the old idea that the worst audience a juggler can have is an audience of peers. Thank you all for such a memorable experience.

Several people said the European Showcase was probably the 'best show in the last 50 years. I don't know about that, but those who said so had seen a lot more shows than I. If that's the case, we give thanks for the distinction. In return we'd like to say that it was truly an honor to be able to share our creations with all of you, and a special honor to be able to offer the ensemble to the IJA in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

Tim Roberts, ChaIons-sur-Marne, France

The performers, in order of appearance:

Denis Paumier & Toon Scheuermann:

Two second-year students at the Centre National des Arts due Cirque in Chalons-surMarne, France. Denis is French and Toon is from Brussels, Belgium. The stealing number they did is part of the work they have been doing in class since January.

Didier Andre: Didier is French and has worked with several contemporary circuses in France and Germany - Archaos, Cirque O, L'lnstitut de Jonglage. He is presently part of the new creation, Le Cirque du Dr. Paradis.

Fabien Bisbal: Fabien is French, and is working with a street theatre company in France and Italy. He has also worked with Archaos.

lIke Licht & Luke Wilson: The passing routine that like (German) and Luke (English)

did in Pittsburgh was the routine they put together for their graduation from the Circus Space circus in London. They are members of the program's first ever class.

Jorg MilIer: Jorg, a German performer, has also worked in several contemporary circus companies - Cirque Plume, Ie Compagnie Philippe Goudard et Marie-Paul B. He also works periodically with different contemporary dance companies.

Tim Roberts: An American who has lived in France for the last 16 years, Tim started as a clown with Ringling, then ran away to Europe. He is one of the founders of L'lnstitut de Jonglage, a French juggling troupe, and was one of the organizers of the 10th European convention in Saintes. He is currently the juggling instructor at the Centre National des Arts du Cirque, the French national circus school.

A Concerted Thanks to the Festival Conductor

Dear Ginny (or should I say "Maestro")

Congratulations on your Pittsburgh masterpiece! An "opus" no. 50 truly worthy of a golden jubilee celebration. I can't imagine how you manage to make all the "sharps" and "flats" fit together to pull off such a "moving" composition. Maybe there have been more famous "conductors" (and no doubt a ton who have been better paid), but for my music I can't imagine anyone turning so much cacophony into such a well orchestrated ensemble.

Talk about a "concerted" effort. I think I have at least some inkling of how many months, meetings, emails, cards, calls and faxes you put in (and put up with). Yet I can't begin to comprehend what a truly concentrated, coordinated... near Herculean task it must be to hear so many "sour notes" and be the point person for so much discord.

Never mind a baton. Nothing less than a magic wand could account for how you interpolated all our disparate notes into a five day symphony of the spheres.

While I'm aware that the amount of point and counterpoint (never mind modulating all the "major sevenths" and "minor fifths") probably often felt a lot more acrimonious than harmonious, the "final score" was a soaring, scintillating success. In sum, who else but you, Ginny, could throw a 100 hr. party for more than 1,000 "mass manipulators" and somehow stay calm, centered, in control... and still have as lyrical a smile and melodious a laugh?!

Thanks with all the rhythm in my heart for making our "family reunions" like music to our eyes.

Rob Peck

Credit Where Credit Is Due

We would like to correct an announcement we made on stage during the Championships in Pittsburgh. It is true that Heather HackettBrinegar and her partner Darin Marriott kicked our butts in the numbers team club passing event. However, it is not true that Heather was the first woman to win a numbers event. There are in fact two women who won numbers events previously: Francoise Rochais and Merry Spahr. Our apologies to those two incredibly talented jugglers whom we did not mean to overlook. And our heartfelt congratulations nonetheless to Heather and Darin for their fantastic performance. It is wonderful to see more women involved in juggling, and especially at such a high, competitive level.

And on a related note, we would like to thank the following friends for their invaluable help with material and ideas for our emceeing duties that night: David Deeble, Dan Bennett, Rick Reubenstein, Jack and Kathy Kalvan, Craig Barnes, Peggy Reuss, Leah Vriesman, and Dorothee Morse. You are the wind beneath our wings.

Jon Wee & Owen Morse (The Passing Zone)