1992 was a watershed year. The first generation of Mr. Moon's protoges split up, with Giles moving to a job in Wellington, Jeremy heading for dance school in the same place, Jason going to medical school in Dunedin, and Karen the Hat moving to the UK for an extended working holiday.

 

Brian Ellens and I (who arrived in February 1992) began taking club passing to new limits during the weekend daytimes at the Arts Centre, and at the suburban campus (ugly place) during the week, promoting new growth in juggling as we went along. For me, the expansion into the wonderful juggle zone that is Christchurch (the largest city of the South Island at pop. 300,000) gave me an opportunity to breathe life into my previously stagnant juggling style.

 

Between the tourist jugglers and the visits of the previous Christchurch stalwarts, I was exposed to a great range of interesting people. Importing knowledge from the US about siteswaps, etc., further enabled me to improve by leaps and bounds, still believing the notion that "things from overseas are better" - but only just!

 

A further catalyst to the jugglisation of NZ was the opening of a juggling equipment shop in Christchurch on July 11, 1992. This meant that you did not have to go "overseas" to buy, as there was now a full selection of readily available gear (even if the initial stock looked decidedly like that of a typical UK store).

 

The owners, Pauline (a Kiwi = NZer) and Garry Nevin (from Manchester, UK), were prepared to vigorously market their stock by means as varied as their own roadshow to regeneration of the workshop concept. It was their idea to organize the first juggling convention in Aotearoa.

 

One enigmatic character still demands explanation. The name is Sugra. The colour of the beard is orange. The nationality is Australian. (Silly country west of NZ... mind you, Tasmania is hardly a typical Aussie place to grow up!). A bald man not yet 12 years old. Pastimes include swimming in the ocean at times when the penguins get out because of the cold, and juggling five in a behind-the-back fountain pattern whilst standing in a fountain of the wet variety.

 

Sugra is now a Christchurch institution, a legend is his own pattern time. Inventor of the freeflow system and developer of the Odd­God method (otherwise known as ultimate passing) are his technical marks, but his style of public entertainment picked up where that of Mr. Moon left off. You will know this person as soon as you meet him. Be where? Be where Sugra is for an inspirational session!

 

The Convention. A wonderful time in the best of the sort of weather Christchurch can provide.

 

The gathering of many nationalities for (you guessed it!) a British-style convention, but without on-site camping. The imported talent was lauded and studied, and everyone who participated gained a greater awareness of how the world of jugglers is shrinking to a common understanding, not based on nationality.

 

Special highlights included the Public Show, which was stunning in its talent density and depth. Simon Pipe opened with a wild display of club swinging, and his workshops were packed with those eager to learn from him the day after.Maike Aerden did a fitting finale for the show with her flowing diabolo routine, and the spirit in the dressing room and at the post-show party had to be experienced to be believed. Watching with disbelief as six ball bouncers mixed with eight club passers and three ball beginners in the practice gymnasium was far better than watching old lJA videos, such as those held in many NZ jugglers collection as examples of "what happens overseas."

 

Where to now for NZ juggling? The increasing awareness of the general public (who are these people?) and their greater willingness to watch and try it themselves will feed the growth of specialist jugglers. The necessary elements for the sustained growth of a juggling culture are present in NZ now. See you soon. And remember that learning claw and bounce juggling is easier in the Southern Hemisphere!

 

GAM is currently completing a Masters degree in electrical engineering at Canterbury University. He has a long history in juggling, but blossomed only recently due to Cantabrian influences, including Brian (Raph) Ellens. He has formed a passing partnership called GRAF­X with Brian and performs regularly at venues including the Arts Centre. Simon Pipe is an itinerant club swinger, originally from England. He is currently visiting the remote Chatham Island, East of Christchurch. He is a charming sprite with a gift for tuition in his specialist art form.