Old friends, new faces make for Groundhog fun

Old friends and new faces created an atmosphere of familiarity and excitement at the 9th Annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 6-8.

Most of the 100 people present had attended several previous Groundhog Day celebrations. Mike Stillwell of the Jongleur Jugglers was on the Grady High School gymnasium floor working on pirouette kickups. Captain Slow (Louie Zeller) rocked the public show audience by getting himself caught in, and then swallowed up by, his big bag of tricks. Dana Tison was working on seven clubs with increasing success.

But a few new faces shone among the old crowd. Most notable was Jeff Mason, a 21-year-old from Minneapolis on his way to Pittsburgh whose diablo work astounded even the most veteran Groundhog­goers.

"I like the fact that most people don't use the prop," said Mason, whose smooth, salon-style juggling technique came from studying some of the best - Scott Burton, Dan Holzman and Peter Davison. Though he's been juggling for six years, Mason has only recently "gone public" with his act in juggling circles. He performed one night at Club Renegade at the San Jose convention, but his Groundhog Day appearances were the only other time most jugglers had seen him. The attention generated by mastery of tricks was slightly embarrassing, Mason said. "It's strange to be an instant celebrity," he admitted.

But Groundhog Day fans had never seen the likes of it. "Most of the unique tricks are hard to describe," Mason said. But one diabolo trick that impressed fans was Mason down on one knee with the string under the knee. The diabolo traveled under his knee and over his back to be caught on the string in front again.

In the spirit of utilizing unusual props, Mason said he would like to add nested cups to his repertoire next. He also does cigar boxes and up to five clubs and seven balls. IJA members may have a chance to see him put it all together this summer, because he plans to perform in the U.S. Nationals.

The Groundhog Day Festival followed its familiar format of Saturday afternoon competitions, Saturday night party and Sunday afternoon public show. Winners of the competition, as selected by three non­juggling judges, were: Barry Abraham of Nashville, Tenn., as Most Important; Benji Hill of Thomasville, N.C., as Most Distinguished; and the team of Manic Expressions from Boone, N.C., as Most Profound.

Another convention highlight was Bill Fry's "Twelve Days of Christmas" act complete with (of course) five gold rings and "a rubber chicken in a pear tree." Yvonne Wetherell of the Jongleur Jugglers did a Dr. Seuss-inspired juggling poem on eggs that ended up in a scrambled mess on the floor. Terrell Hayes of Nashville swung clubs in a frenzied air-band imitation of Mick Jagger, and Prof. Henry Huggler demonstrated devil sticking with his stuffed friend, John Aloisious Camel.