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International Jugglers' Association

The IJA Mission Statement

To educate and render assistance to fellow jugglers.

To provide an accessible source of information pertaining to juggling to jugglers and the public.

To record and maintain the history of juggling.

In 1947, the IJA's founders — George Barvinchak, Bill Dunham, Jack Green, Art Jennings, Eddie Johnson, Bernard Joyce, Harry Lind and Roger Montandon — created the IJA to answer the need for "an organization for jugglers that would provide meetings at regular intervals in an atmosphere of mutual friendship," and their motto was "to render assistance to fellow jugglers." The IJA was created on June 17, 1947, in Pittsburgh, PA, where our founders were attending a meeting of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.).

It took three votes to name the new organization. There was a lot of debate over simply calling it "American," but [Art] Jennings pointed out that there were jugglers in England and Germany who had already, through [Roger] Montandon's "Bulletin," voiced an interest in joining. He said they should be included — and why not think big anyway?

&mdash Juggler's World Vol. 39 No. 2.

And the International Jugglers' Association (IJA) was born. The IJA has fulfilled the founders' commitment through its annual festival (or convention, as it was called until 1990), which is held every summer, and through its videos, publications and World Juggling Day.

Jugglers attend the IJA's annual summer festival to participate in games and championships and in workshops and excursions, as well as to enjoy informal camaraderie, meet world-renowned performers who attend as IJA award winners and guests, and to exchange ideas on performance and juggling technique. Oh, and to juggle with people from all over!

The IJA seeks to provide members with education, inspiration and communication. Communication takes the form of: JUGGLE magazine; an electronic newsletter; the IJA roster; and the IJA Forums on this web site. The IJA also produces professional festival DVDs for purchase.

The members of the IJA constitute a savory blend of top professionals, avid hobbyists and enthusiastic beginning jugglers. It is the intention of the IJA to provide services at a reasonable fee to all who seek to share their love of juggling.

Part of maintaining the history of juggling has been to create an archive of props and other materials related to juggling.


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