41-4,p13

Moschen feels that it's important to be open to influences from outside juggling itself, from contemporary society, from people one comes in contact with, from other art forms. Sculpture is an important source for him. The work of the twentieth-century Romanian abstract sculptor Konstantin Brancusi is a particular inspiration, his sleek and mysterious forms and his working process, visceral abstraction of form and idea coupled with timeless patience. Another important person for Moschen is his frequent collaborator, the sculptor John Kahn, who has designed objects and sets for him, as well as acting as a sounding board and giving him the use of his studio to experiment with objects himself.

Now Moschen is planning to expand on elements of the SAM show, doing more work with circles and also going in the direction of architectural elements. The ten-foot triangle that stands in his loft apartment is a major current interest: Moschen is working on using his feet to make different rhythms complementing those of the balls caroming inside it, a complex challenge indeed. In spite of the tap dance classes he had at one time, he still doesn't think of himself as a dancer. But he met the Hollywood dance star Gene Kelly at an American Sallet Theatre gala in 1985. Kelly has always been an idol to him, and he was thrilled when Kelly watched him warming up and said simply, "That's good." It's inspiration enough for Moschen's next big step.

Photo credits: Linda Alaniz (pg. 12) Jim Moore (pg. 13)

Michael Moschen

VIDEO REVIEWS

"Airborne! The IJA 1989 Convention."

By IJA/Maverick Media. $38.50 from IJA, Akron OH.

At almost 100 minutes long, "Airborne" allows plenty of time for exploration of all aspects of the IJA's 1989 convention. And producer Don Reed, with help from his crew, has done a good job of presenting a comprehensive convention overview.

A 15-minute focus on Anthony Gatto and a shorter, high-paced view of the joggling races are the highlights of the film from the point of view of studio production. ·

The stage performances are presented simply from a single camera view in front of the stage, and stand on the merits of the performers.

Beautiful, ethereal string music introduces Gatto and plays behind him during long introductory views of his steady numbers juggling in the gym. Gatto then talks a little about himself and juggling in an interview, and we see his energetic public show routine that ended with a seven torch finale. The film moves on to introduce the other convention honoree, KarlHeinz Ziethen, creatively through shots of some of his rare tapes of European performers. The three winning routines of Johnathan Rosenberg (Juniors), the Passing Zone (Teams) and Cindy Marvell (Individuals) seem to close out the film. But then, at the end, Gatto takes center stage again for a long, impactful scene that forcefulIy punctuates the whole film with a demonstration of his incredible numbers ability.

Besides championships performances, the video includes short personal interviews and scenes of diverse events like the Big Toss-Up, Club Renegade, Harborplace, awards ceremonies, a workshop and open juggling on the gym floor. The placement of Michael Menes' s smooth and creative Individuals routine as the first of the championships segments gives the film a strong introduction.