The Bindlestiffs

Documentary. "The Bindlestiffs" documents a year in the travails and triumphs of The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. Sixteen years ago, Stephanie Monseu and Keith Nelson created the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, one of the last true touring vaudeville shows in America. Their shows combine traditional circus high wire aerialists, clowns, and juggling with sideshow denizens like sword swallowers, fire eaters, and burlesque dancers. With these basic ingredients, The Bindlestiffs cook up an alchemical brew that promises to enthrall audiences. But their showbiz dream does not come easy. It takes hard work, dedication, time and more than just standard juggling. The company is precariously balanced and fighting off bankruptcy. Without a patron of any sort, and a national economy in tatters, Stephanie and Keith must find the will to make it happen. The show must go on. The path they find, and the heart and strength it takes to get there, involves gunning a motorcycle across a wire twenty feet in the air, cracking whips, eating fire, and their clown Kinko's audacious real-life bid for the presidency of the USA. Prepare yourselves for a rare peek behind the curtain into the lives of true modern circus vagabonds as they live their lives, and run their business without a net.

There were at least three dozen scenes of juggling scattered throughout this 98 minute film. This was mostly 3 clubs, or club passing between 2 to 5 people, juggling 3 clubs each. There was also quite a bit of manipulation of 3 cigar boxes, and even some with 4 boxes. Use of diabolo was also common as well as ball juggling and ball spinning.

Much of the juggling was done by Bindlestiff founders Keith Nelson and Stephanie Monseu. Also, Adam Kuchler did a lot of club juggling and passing and cigar box manipulation. Sean Blue is seen club and ball juggling and ball spinning. Ariele Ebacher, Francisco Monroy, and Marcus Monroe were all seen juggling as well. Though they did not appear, jugglers Viveca Gardiner and Hovey Burgess were both thanked for their help in the production of this documentary.

The entire movie may be seen here.