IJA presents Jugglers Festival 54 Madison Wisconsin Alliant Energy Center 5 days - July 24 through July 28, 2001 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday

How could anyone NOT want to come to Madison? Madison has the second most bowling alleys per capita, the best cheese and milk, and Money magazine's vote as the best place to live in America.

Wisconsin is the soybean and cranberry capitol of the U.S., the original home of Duncan Toys, and the home of Melonhead! The Madison Area Jugglers have asked the Governor for special permission to make it a crime to miss this opportunity to visit. And besides, you might get a glimpse of Bessie, the ghost heifer of Loch Monona!

Support for juggling and related arts is very strong in Madison as can be seen by the continued success of the 47th annual MadFest each year. As the Capital City of Wisconsin, Madison enjoys a central location in the Midwest. Just a short drive or bus ride from Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Milwaukee, this year's festival promises to bring in an unusually large crowd of jugglers. There are many opportunities for street performers on State Street, the main drag downtown, and during the wonderful venue of the Saturday morning Farmer's Market.

So come to Madison and tell Melonhead that you love him!

Air Transportation

Call Summit Travel & Cruises, 877-578-6648 or 206-343-4480, identify yourself as a juggler and receive a discount on Northwest Airlines, the official festival airline.

Accommodations

Accommodations can be found at the following properties. Rooms at the festival rate are limited and will sell out. Space available on a first-come, first-served basis. When calling the hotels say you are with the INT'L JUGGLERS (IJA) to get the festival group rate.

Hawthorne Suites at Alliant Energy Center.
Sorry, sold out. For reservation info, call 608-284-1234.

Holiday Inn Express
Located across the street from the Alliant Energy Center. Single and double room rates for one to four people are $67.50 plus 13.5% city/state tax for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday night room rates are $89 plus 13.50% city/state tax. Standard rooms: 2 queen beds, private bathroom. Complimentary continental breakfast, indoor pool & whirlpool, laundry facilities, in-room coffee makers, fitness room. For reservations call 608-255-7400.

Sheraton Madison Hotel
Located directly across from the Alliant Energy Center. Single and double room rates are $83 Tuesday through Saturday nights for one to four people plus 13.5% city/state tax. Standard rooms: 1 king bed or 2 doubles, private bathroom, coffee makers, courtesy shuttle to and from the airport, restaurants, shopping locations, indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, two restaurants and two lounges. For reservations call 608-251-2300.

Other Accommodations

Miles indicate distance from the Alliant Energy Center.

Super 8 Madison: 2.0 miles
1602 W. Beltline Hwy., Madison
608-258-8882
$51-$73

Country Inn & Suites-Monona: 3.0 miles
400 River Place
608-221-0055
$74-$189

Americinn-Monona: 3.0 miles
101 W. Broadway, Monona
800-634-3444
$60-$125

Quality Inn & Suites: 3.5 miles
2969 Cahill Main, Fitchburg
800-228-5151
$69-$149

Days Inn-Madison SE: 4.1 miles
4402 E. Broadway, Madison
608-223-1800
$58-$135

Quality Inn South: 4.4 miles
4916 E. Broadway, Madison
608-222-5501
$65-$85

Knights Inn of Madison: 6.6 miles
3438 Hwy 12-18, Madison
800-the knights
$31 & Up

Wingate Inn: 6.9 miles
3510 Mill Pond Road, Madison
800-510-3510
$60-$149

Camping and RVs

Camping and RV hookups are available on the Alliant Energy Center grounds, 160 acres of green space and ponds. There is no limit on the number of campers allowed on site. Camp stoves are allowed (no campfires).

Each campsite or RV hookup costs $20 per night (plus parking fee, see above). Register on site -- look for Jugglers Camping signage, and please use the envelope provided at the Camper Self Registraion box at the northeast corner of the camping area. There is a sign board with a drop box where you can put your money.

The 24-hour shower facility is in building 7 (see map). The facility includes six women's and six men's showers and a disability shower/toilet combination for each. The women's restroom there has eight stalls, and the men's restroom has two stalls and six urinals. Sorry, there are no lockers in the shower facility.

Parking fee for all vehicles, including commuters, campers and RV's

There is a one time parking fee of $4 at the Alliant Energy Center if you park your vehicle and leave it for the week. If you're driving back and forth to the festival, it will cost $4 per day.

Pre-Register!

See the registration form for options and prices. On-site registration will take place in the Lobby at the Alliant Energy Center. Daily admission and individual event tickets will also be available. There will be no admittance to the juggling area until you have registered. For more information contact ... at ... or ....

Juggling Facility

Juggling will be in the air-conditioned Exhibition Hall A at the state-of-the-art 25,000-s.f. Alliant Energy Center. The Alliant Energy Center is on the southern edge of Madison, just off the Beltline Highway (Hwys 12 & 18), on John Nolen Drive. It will be open 22 hours a day. (Closed 7-9 AM for cleaning.)

Pre-Festival Day

Come check out the Mad City and surrounding area a day early! The Madison Area Jugglers and the Carmine Street Irregulars (from New York City) invite you to join them on Monday, July 23rd for a day of lounging, frolicking and maybe even juggling, at Devil's Lake State Park. There is swimming, boating, hiking and the best rock climbing in the state. Devil's Lake is a 5-minute drive from the Circus World Museum and a 40-minute drive from Madison. With Wisconsin plates you pay only $5.00 per car to get into the park for the day, $7.00 per car with out-of-state plates. It'll be a nice way to ease into the festival, and when everyone else arrives you can feel like a local. For more information contact ... at ... or ....

IJA Honors premier Hungarian Juggler
GYORGY ZSILAK ''FUDI''
Historical Achievement Award

Gyorgy Zsilak-Fudi will receive the IJA's Historical Achievement Award. This Award goes to jugglers who have shown extraordinary juggling achievements during their careers.

Fudi, born Gyorgy Zsilak, began his juggling career upon graduating from the national performing arts school of Budapest, Hungary in 1953. Growing up in a show business family, with parents who were jugglers working on the slack-wire, Fudi found juggling, acrobatics, and music natural pursuits. Fudi's juggling with rings and clubs kept him working constantly for more than four decades, traveling the world to perform in the most prestigious circuses and theatres.

Fudi's accomplishments were the envy of other jugglers and artists everywhere. Fudi provided inspiration for a generation of American jugglers; his influence can still be seen strongly in the performers of today.

KARL-HEINZ ZIETHEN'S
Video Lounge

Karl-Heinz invites you to join him as he presents rare juggling footage from his personal archives. Not to be missed!
 

WEIRD INSTINCTS
by Leo Bassi

I grew up surrounded by footjugglers. My father and mother, aunt and uncle, my cousins (direct and indirect) even friends who visited with the family, were all footjugglers. In the 50's, the Trio Bassi took footjuggling to heights it had never reached before, shedding the, somewhat, slow and boring image it had kept and dazzling audiences with speed and virtuosity.

My father, in the logic of circus families, painstakingly taught me all the tricks he knew to groom me for his succession and by the time I had reached 18, I had become an excellent juggler. There was only one problem: I wanted to be an astrophysician!

Most circus stories begin by someone running away from normal life to join a circus, I spent years of my life running away from circus, trying desperately to join a ``normal'' life . . . .

Fortunately I never succeeded. My scientific inclinations were not wasted, though, as I found I could apply rational reasoning to the art of juggling. In ``Weird Instincts'' I entertain my audience with the fruit of many years of exploring the inner meaning of a circus performance.

At my best, I am able to juggle with human emotions and balance the feelings of people. I have also come to terms with the fact that one of the principle driving forces of juggling, to be the best, the fastest, with the most spinning objects has something to do with machoism and testoregene and that the only civilized way to deal with it was through humour. A belligerent humour of the W.C. Fields kind. (No coincidence if Fields was a high class juggler . . . .)

What else to say about the show? Well, yes, juggling is all about surprising and the magic that flows from anything that can really surprise. I have dedicated my life to surprising people in a world that has already seen everything! A continuous challenge that follows me in every performance.

leo bassi

The 4th Annual
IJA YOUTH SHOWCASE
followed by JUGGLING MOVIES

The IJA Youth Showcase has become a highlight for festival attendees who want to encourage and be inspired by the next generation of the IJA. Far from being a ``Juniors Championships wannabe,'' the Youth Showcase is just that -- non-competitive showcase of youth from a wide variety of ages, ability levels, and juggling styles. The show will once again feature JUGHEADS Youth Juggling Company (with new routines by Jay Gilligan) and the St. Ignatius Circus Company, and a special push is being made this year to recruit new young jugglers to show their stuff by performing their polished solo, team or group routine, please contact ... at ... or ....

(NOTE: Several spots are reserved for first-time Showcase performers, so don't be shy about getting into the act!)

THE IJA CHAMPIONSHIPS
JUNIOR, INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM

The Championships will be judged on the basis of the ordinal system of awarding a gold, silver and bronze medal to the top three jugglers in each event. Each act in the Junior Championships may run up to seven minutes max and each act in the Individual and Team Championships may run up to eight minutes max. The judges count performance as 40% of a competitor's overall score and count technique as 60%.

Registration will be open until 10 am on Wednesday, July 25. For more information regarding the Championships contact ..., Championships Director, at ... or ....

For information regarding the Numbers Competition contact ..., Numbers Competition Director at ... or ....

For information regarding Joggling contact Joggling Director ... at ... or ....

MARK NIZER

Mark Nizer has changed the way people view the world. The impossible is possible, the improbable is probable. Since winning the International Juggling Championships, Mark has taken his one man show to thousands of venues around the world, including The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

His invention of new juggling tricks and juggling technologies, combined with his unique wit have set him apart from his peers. Imagine, four lasers being juggled at 1000 rpms, with the spinning laser beams dancing just above the audiences heads. You'll see why Performance Magazine called his show ``nothing less than brilliant''. Come see for yourself!

TINA LENERT
AND
THE VIVACE PROJECT

Made in Berlin

Three very special artistes will fly from Germany to join talents with magician Tina Lenert who adds a special American touch with her poetic magic act. Andreas Wessels, Kristin Sroka and Jojo Weiss explore new ways to present the traditional arts. They are trendsetters in today's artistic scene and are influencing a new integrative style of theatre, dance and juggling. Seven time German Gymnastics Champion, Kristin Sroka gives her performance an extraordinary touch with a unique manner of self-expression. Andreas Wessels has received international awards with his combination of dancing and juggling. His signature act combines creative ball manipulation and fancy foot work and is a rare treat to be seen. Jojo Weiss is a great comedian, blending juggling with sound effects and comedy.

CASCADE OF STARS SHOW

Truly Remarkable Loon, the purple juggler from Madison, Wisconsin is tremendously pleased to have the IJA back to his home town, last here in 1960. Loon is honored to be the director of the Cascade of Stars Show. A professional juggler for more than twenty years, Loon broke his juggling teeth as a street performer in the First Church of fun Juggling Company Show. For the last ten years he has directed, produced, MC'd and towel-boyed the 47th Annual MadFest Juggling Extravaganza, the public show of the annual Madfest Juggling Festival.

AUCTION 54

Be part of this years Mad MAD Auction in Madison! Send your donation of juggling related items today! No item is too small or too big -- too new or too old for this Y2K+1 Auction. Organizer Braidy Brown is looking for a wind-fall of juggling treasures this year.

Be part of this fun by donating your old, unused or unlearned props or any juggling related item. Put your donation in the mail today! If you bring your Auction donation to Madison, send a note today describing the item(s) you're donating. We're in need of ANY and ALL juggling related memorabilia! Calling all Professional Jugglers: your old (unusable) props, promotional pictures, or posters autographed by you make highly sought after items. Send donations to: ..., Auction Organizer, ...; ....

THE GAMES OF THE IJA

The IJA will hold its Games Day on Saturday in Exhibition Hall A. Favorites from last year and crazy new fun games with plenty of surprises are planned. Contact Games Directors: ... at ... or ..., and/or ... at ... or ....

Affiliates

The IJA encourages its affiliates and all other juggling groups to bring banners to hang in the Exhibition Hall. Affiliates are invited to present special awards to deserving individuals at the festival. There will be an affiliate meeting to discuss mutual concerns. For affiliate information contact IJA Director, ..., ....

Vendors

Floor space for vendors will be available around the perimeter of Exhibition Hall A for the festival week. Contact ..., ....

Video Policy

No videotaping of any staged championships event or show (except joggling) will be allowed. The IJA produces a festival events video which is available for purchase later in the year. Inside the Alliant Energy Center, videotapes for non-commercial use may be made with permission of the person being taped. Videotaping of workshops is at the discretion of workshop leaders.

Volunteers

The organizers need your support in lending a hand with registration, security, staging and other duties. If you can volunteer a little time at the festival, call ..., Volunteer Coordinator, ..., ....

Workshops

Dozens of workshops covering a variety of juggling skills will be offered during the festival. The workshop schedule is online. If you are interested in teaching, contact ..., ....

Madison Links

Below are some links to Madison resources, including maps and tourist information.

Madison tourist and city sites:
http://www.visitmadison.com/ (Check here for other hotels and motels.)
http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/
http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/madabout.html (Mad about Madison)

Map of Alliant Energy Center:
http://www.co.dane.wi.us/expo/grounds.html

Diagram of Alliant Energy Center Exhibit Halls:
http://www.co.dane.wi.us/expo/exhallmap.html

Tour book map showing Madison landmark locations (a little hard to read):
http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/transp/images/madison-area-map.jpg

Downtown Madison map (the Expo center is not downtown, but the theatre is):
http://www.greatermadisonchamber.com/graphics/1citymap-large.jpg

Mapblast map (big and slow) showing the area from the Capitol past Expo Center to Beltline

Chamber of Commerce (click on Visitors' Guide, then Transportation&Maps):
http://www.greatermadisonchamber.com/

And for some great suggestions on what to do in Madison (besides juggling) before, during or after the festival, read this great article prepared for you by Wisconsin juggler Ann Marie Ott.

National Public Radio broadcast from Madison

For you NPR fans who are going to the Madison fest, Melonhead says:

One of the unique things about Madison is Michael Feldman's radio show on NPR called Whad' Ya Know on Saturday mornings. After numerous attempts at contacting them, i finally found out there will be a show in Madison on Saturday, July 28th (10am to noon). A number of jugglers i've met at past IJA fests have asked me about this show, so i know there's some interest here in attending a live broadcast. I can get tickets ahead of time (they go quickly), but sure would like to know about how many folks are willing to be on the radio. If you want to be on the show, contact me directly at:  608-233-2251. -- Melonhead

Future Venues

If you know of a site that might be good for a future IJA summer festival, please compare it to the IJA venue requirements. We are looking for site suggestions for future years. Send your suggestions to ....
 

 

See you in Madison!