Affiliate Report

 

French Club Shines in European Artistic Competition

BY LARS BURGSTAHLER

 

The Club Jonglage de I'INPG (Institut National Poly technique de Grenoble, France) was founded in November 1993 for students of the eight Grenoble schools for engineers, and now meets twice a week. From the outset, the club has performed at INPG events such as the Gala and the INPG Show theater competition.

 

This year the group worked out a new act for the Gala. It's the story of two juggling groups of three jugglers each who start arguing about which should be allowed to juggle in the one small available space. One juggler proposes a competition to decide the matter, and the tricks begin. It begins with three ball steals, then continues with a numbers competition with four, five, seven and finally nine balls (three packs of three!). The club competition features two volunteers from the audience standing between two pairs of passers who try to knock a straw from their mouths. Passing tricks follow, including a three-person feed, a Y and a box (with one person standing in the center of the box).

 

At this point the two groups begin realiz­ing they are equal, and begin to work together. They finish with a six-person circle and a six-person feed, then juggle glowing balls and rings.

 

After a big success at the INPGala the club decided to enter Les Fugues, a European Students Festival organized by the Dijon (France) School of Commerce.

 

About 35 groups and soloists from all over Europe participated in the early April competition, including musicians, actors and dancers. The Grenoble group presented the only juggling act.

 

They survived the elimination round and were chosen among eight finalists for the big public show. The audience responded well to their act, and awarded the INPG juggling club its Fugue du public prize as the act most appreciated by the public. When the trophy was thrown to them, naturally enough they dropped it!