Affiliates

by Deena Frooman, IJA Affiliate Director

 

The International Jugglers Association affiliates are stronger than ever! With more than 70 "official" active groups, the clubs that make up the affiliates program are the real strength of the IJA.

 

Affiliate leaders are the people who represent juggling in communities everywhere. These volunteers create excitement locally, teach beginning jugglers, promote World Juggling Day (the next one will be June 21, 1997!) and perform local charity events. These leaders are the people who best represent the goal of the founders of the IJA "to render assistance to fellow jugglers."

 

If you are in a club that is not yet an "official" affiliate, contact me now! For just $25, your club can get in the swing of the excitement. Join the fun and help your juggling group become an asset to your community!

 

We hope affiliates will be very active at the IJA's 50th Anniversary Festival next summer. One goal is an "International Affiliate Feed" ­ to have a representative from as many nations as possible, and every state and affiliate to create an international club passing feed!

 

In addition, the ultraviolet (UV) room will be back. It was a great success - and received glowing reviews - in Las Vegas! We invite all affiliates to enhance the success of the 50th anniversary fest in other ways, too. Affiliates are already considering another ping pong tournament, and a beer exchange where each person brings a six pack of beer from their local brewery. If you have any ideas, please let me know! Of course, once I hear from you you'll be on the committee!

 

RIT Fest Features Talking Cats and Coin Juggling

by Greg Moss

 

The 19th Annual RIT Spring Juggle-In last spring attracted 196 jugglers from 10 states plus two Canadian provinces to the Rochester Institute of Technology. The event went smoothly, with a great mixture of juggling skill levels to create a fabulous learning environment. More than 400 people attended our public show to see The Gizmo Guys (Barrett Felker and Allan Jacobs) put on a phenomenal performance.

 

Saturday workshops included beginning juggling, three ball tricks, devil sticks, diabolo, three club tricks and balloon animals. Each workshop consisted of a ten minute "show off' session followed by instruction in small groups.

 

Mark Peachock presented three ball and three club tricks. Jim Gleich and Scott Vanderstouw wowed the audience with some slick and unusual devil stick moves. The diabolo workshop by Jim Gleich, Greg Kennedy and Bob Cates featured one, two and three diabolo tricks and drew the largest crowd. Larry Moss instructed the art of making balloon animals throughout the day and held a very popular workshop featuring tricks from his new book.

 

In the competitions, Will Stafford won the three object blindfold contest in a new record time of 2:12. For the "Most Humorous Trick," Geoff Bach took first place juggling two balls and a toy "talking" cat. Joel Harris was a close second juggling three lawn chairs. Other humorous tricks included: Andy Charney hand balancing his seven-month-old son; Chris Meaker juggling five-foot foam tubes; Bill Peirce doing three ball faker moves; the OK Jugglers doing a club "poop" routine; and Fred Strempel and Fran Favorini ball bouncing 10 balls between them while whistling "The Ants Go Marching...

 

" The "Most Technical Trick" was won by Mark Peachock doing a front handspring after a high throw out of three clubs. Other technical tricks included: Bob Cates doing high throws with two diabolos using a whip catch on one, and continuing; Bill Peirce juggling five balls by doing three in the right and two in the left, then switching to three in the left and two in the right; and Fred Strempel attempting a five nickel catch from the forearm by clawing each nickel individually. The five ball endurance contest was won by Geoff Bach in a time of 2 minutes eleven seconds. Mark Peachock and Greg Kennedy added a special flair to this competition by doing three-high pirouettes at the end of each minute! The "Three Dime Endurance" competition was won by Dan "Coyne" (how ironic) in a time of 2 minutes 58 seconds, and he collected about $8 in change for his efforts.

 

In the Open Stage Competition, Mark Peachock won with a routine featuring three, five and seven ball patterns. Other competitors included Andy Charney doing a plate spinning routine with a young member of the audience, and Bill Peirce doing an interesting ball and tennis tube routine exchanging balls in and out of the tube.