Juggler's World: Vol. 38, No. 1

Festivals


Coconut juggling in monkey pod trees

The Beach Scene at the Hawaiian Convention Public Show - a sellout!

Those who attended described the Second Annual Hawaiian Vaudeville Festival as "juggling in paradise." More than 60 people came from as far away as New Zealand to enjoy the earthly delights served up at the Kalani Honua Cultural Center and Retreat on the island of Hawaii from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.

Highlight events included an Anti-Nuclear Juggling Extravaganza Public Show in Hilo, a big final night luau, excursions to bubbling ponds, steam vents, a burping volcano and the nearby nude beach. Festival organizer Graham Ellis took care of everyone's comfort and needs. Vegetarian meals were served for 75 in one of the world's biggest woks.

Located far from civilization, the jugglers played in splendid isolation. Gathering in the central area of the compound, impromptu workshops started as two or three people began working together on a manipulation. When Jeff Napier and Waldo began passing clubs in unimaginable ways, everyone had to stop and watch. The lights went out at the cultural center at midnight when the generator shut off, but candles were supplied for the multitudes who couldn't get enough of a good time and wanted to watch dawn rise from the comfort of a hot tub.

Many of the top street performers in America made the Hawaiian festival their winter vacation. The Renegade Jugglers, long known for their anti-nuclear activism, won first prize in the Hilo Show. Waldo and Woodhead came in second with a parody of Uncle Sam juggling versus Vladimir in which they passed dynamite sticks. Roberto came in third, and Sarah Felder finished fourth with the evening's best received performances, a seriously political devil stick routine. The sellout crowd of 6-700 also enjoyed a massive choreographed juggling scene called "Hawaii" that opened the second half of the show.

Emcee Robert Nelson, the Butterfly Man, was supported by Bosco the One Man Band. Nelso also had the pleasure of introducing to the crowd Charlie Brown with his cigar boxes, Bob Whitcomb doing four and five soccer balls and Jim Kerr from Alaska spinning rope. Dan Menendez showed the crowd something no one could ever remember seeing -- four ball juggling with a bounce on either side of his body mixed with ear-to-ear head rolls.

Other performers included the American Dream Juggling Team and Cliff and Mary Spenger. Stanley the Clown performed excellent gymnastics and served as the "emcee's emcee."

Proceeds from the show went to the Hawaiian no-nuclear power fund. Many performers moved on to Honolulu after the convention to put on another show to benefit the Hawaii Children's Storybook Theatre there. It was held in conjunction with an all-day auction. A big article in the Honolulu Sentinel about juggling, the opening up of street spots and Benji Marantz made it seem like juggling week in the Pacific.


Please don't fall into my mashed potatoes

More than 175 magicians, clowns and jugglers rubbed elbows the last weekend in January during Circus Magic '86 in Virginia Beach, Va.. The jugglers and juggling students were treated to a dazzling display of showmanship from Jenack Circus Corporation's Jean Paul Jenack. He brought the house down during the evening banquet as he juggled three clubs, held a spinning plate on a stick in his mouth and rode a six foot unicycle while singing a song. On top of it all he even rode down the aisles, sending the non-believers scurrying under their tables!

There was an impromptu competition for jugglers in seniors and juniors division. Seniors winner was Mike Kushla of the Flingling Brothers and the junior winner was Stacey Long.

Circus Magic '87 will be held Feb. 27 - March 1 in Virginia Beach. There will also be a Wacky Weekend Aug. 2 this year. For more information, contact Steve Kissell, 1227 Manchester Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23508.


A juggling "scoop" for Atlanta groundhoggers

Pat Cox at Groundhog's Day

The real top performer at the 8th Annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival in Atlanta didn't win a trophy. As a matter of fact, he never even made it inside the gym. Everyone's most valuable player was David Barash, director of community relations for Ben and Jerry's ice cream, who parked his truck outside and dished up 25 gallons worth of free scoops during the weekend.

"Just tell your friends about it," Barash said. That will undoubtedly happen, because the five flavors he served were superb.

And so was the juggling inside the gym. The friendly confines of the somewhat run-down structure held more than 85 jugglers from 13 states. Some notable scenes were:

Susan Kirby and Robbie Weinstein passing clubs around Benji Hill as he did a five ring pirouette. Larry V riding an ultimate wheel -- a first in GDJF history. Jim Creveling and Art Werger doing takeaways of a four club triple-single pattern. Rebel Bailey passing nine clubs with Mike Stillwell just one year after passing his first club ever. Renee Brachfield, Toni Shifalo and Rebecca Dotson passing clubs in a women-only formation. Mark Lippard stuffing a basketball from atop his giraffe unicycle. Rodger French doing five balls on a rolling globe. Dave McGehee flipping playing cards with deadly accuracy and lamenting the fact that his former best of 150 feet could have gotten him in the Guinness book if he had only known they recognized the category.

The Saturday afternoon competition for the Punxsutawney Phil trophies attracted a dozen acts. After the props had settled, a three-person panel of non-jugglers selected Barry Abrahams for the "Top Dog" trophy, Robbie Weinstein for "First Prize" and Robert York for "Best In Show."

Other entrants were Benji Hill, Prof. Henry Huggler, Manic Expressions, Al Eisenhower, Tommy Gabriel, Captain Slow, Joel Heidtman and the Young and Nameless Jugglers.

York performed his stylish "Puttin' On the Ritz" ring act, demonstrating that three rings can be anything but boring. Weinstein's three ball routine was dressed up with a five ball shower and five rings. It was the second year in a row he has won a trophy.

Abrahams did one of the more technical acts. He juggled four clubs while balancing a unicycle on his head and later juggled five briefly while riding it. The Nashville, Tenn., high school senior plays comedy clubs and works summers at the Music Village USA theme park.


Schedule of upcoming festivals

April 12
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
The Drexel Hill Middle School Juggling Club will host Juggling Day in the gymnasium of their school from 10-4. For more information, contact Jackie Erickson at 215-853-4580.

April 12-13
Norman, Oklahoma
The third annual juggling festival will be held again in connection with the Medieval Fair on the University of Oklahoma campus at the newly refurbished Duck Pond. There will be open juggling all day and a gym available after 5 p.m. For more information write: Karen, Box 5215, Norman, OK 73070. Call 405-360-6912.

April 18-20
Columbia, Missouri
The 5th Annual Jugglefest, sponsored by the Y's Jugglers, will be held in Rothwell Gym on the University of Missouri campus. Expect workshops, a juggling parade through downtown, a drawing for props and free public show. Jugglers are encouraged to bring videos to show. Pre-register if you need housing. A $6 fee will be charged to cover costs of parties and picnic. Contact Doug Greene, University Y, A022 Brady Commons, Columbia, MO 65211. Call 314/882-1550.

April 25-27
Fort Wayne, Illinois
The Sixth Annual Isaac Newton Memorial Juggling Festival will be hosted by Jugglers Anonymous of Fort Wayne. There is both indoor and outdoor juggling space at the site, Franke Park. An $8 registration fee covers all events -- videos, public show, party and workshops. Contact Jugglers Anonymous, 1655 Wells St., Fort Wayne, IN 46808. Call 219/426-8998.

April 25-27
Copenhagen, Denmark
The second Scandinavian Juggler's Convention will be held. Contact Per & Bina, Studsgardsgade 64, DK 2100, Copenhagen 0, Denmark. Call 01-205657.

May 10
Durham, New Hampshire
The Third Almost Annual Live Free or Juggle Convention will be held in Ludholm Gym on the UNH campus. It will feature the IJA Eastern Regional Championships for U.S. Nationals qualifying at the summer convention. The convention runs 10-10, with Mark Nizer serving as emcee for a public show in the evening. If you're interested in competing, judging or just attending, write Andrew Schwartz, Box 1124, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Call 603-431-6644 or 431-5975.

May 24-25
Akron, Ohio
The Rubber City Jugglers invite all to Memorial Weekend Madness to check out Akron before the 1987 convention. For more information, write: Kevin Delagrange, 942 Palmetto Ave., Akron, OH 44306. Call 216-724-0649, or Tom Bennett 753-1185 or Denny Smith 499-6626.

June 6-8
Lake Forest, Illinois
The Illinois Juggling Institute is sponsoring the 1986 Juggler's Spring Fling. Contact Mike Vondruska, 143 N. Pershing, Bensenville, IL 60106. Call 312-766-1437.

August 1-3
Garden City, Long Island, New York
The International Unicycling Federation will sponsor UNICON II at Nassau Community College. Contact the IUF at 67 Lion Ln., Westbury, NY 11590. Call 516-334-2123.

9th European Juggling Festival
The festival will be held in the ancient walled Spanish city of Castellar de la Frontera, near Gibraltar. For more information, write Hermann Klink, Castellar de la Frontera, Camino de la Fuente vieja, Provincia Cadiz, Spain.

Festivals / Index, Vol. 38, No. 1 / jis@juggling.org
© 1996 Juggling Information Service. All Rights Reserved.