Interviews with Jugglers

Seated next to me is the talented and giggling Mandy Dorn, who I am about to interview.

Mandy

Interrogate...

Andrew

No, I'm much nicer than that in person. I'm only nasty on the net.

Mandy

Yes, but I wouldn't know about that.

Andrew

Well, you're about to start on a Computer science and maths degree course, I hope we'll be seeing you on the net before soon.

Mandy

Before soon?

Andrew

Bugger it, I'm typing as fast as I can. Let's talk about juggling. When did you start?

Mandy

I learned to juggle about five years ago and started going to workshops about three years ago... getting on to the really thrilling stuff now.

Andrew

What jugglers do you like to watch?

Mandy

I'll watch anything. I don't know what I particularly like. I'll just moan about it.

Heckler

Especially if it's another woman who's better than her.

Andrew

Shut the fuck up. Mandy, so are there any gym jugglers who you admire?

Mandy

What was him name, that bloke from Wales... Toby.

Andrew

What first interested you in juggling?

Mandy

I'd always wanted to juggle, and my mother bought my brother a book for Christmas...

Andrew

Which book?

Mandy

"Juggling for the Complete Klutz."

Andrew

I suppose you outgrew that pretty quickly.

Mandy

My friend lost it for me.

Andrew

Tell me about the four club Mills Mess.

Mandy

I've done that perfectly before but I can't do it any more, unless I practice.

Andrew

And the five club Mills Mess?

Mandy

I started in Hagen with the warm up for the five club endurance, and it almost worked, so I thought, what the hell, I'll go for it.

Andrew

And do you have it working yet?

Mandy

I can get one side most of the time, occasionally two sides sort of. It feels like it will work.

Andrew

Do you just work with clubs or do you work on other props?

Mandy

Mainly clubs, I juggle balls as well, a bit of diabolo, a bit of everything. Nothing else particularly well.

Andrew

You're best known as a club passer. When you've finished proofing my typos, perhaps you could tell me if you have any favorite partners?

Mandy

French bloke, I passed with him on the last day of Norwich... His name sounded a bit like Hans... Tony Stapleton... Bruno Saxa (?Sp)

Heckler

Mention Tarim.

Mandy

All right, Tarim.

Andrew

What are your ambitions as a juggler?

Mandy

To get better... lots of passing patterns... five club Mills Mess... six clubs... seven clubs.

Andrew

Do you ever want to be a professional juggler?

Mandy

Oh, dear, ooo, probably not full time professional, anyway.

Andrew

Me neither. But I do enjoy getting on stage and showing off from time to time. Now about you?

Mandy

Yeah.... me too [grin] [giggle].

Andrew

Is there anything else you would like to say to the thousands of jugglers who read rec.juggling all over the world?

Mandy

No, Um, [giggle] I was going to say get a life, but I don't think that's very nice, particularly since I'll probably be spending a lot of time reading rec.juggling soon. How about "Come to London, or possibly Bristol, and do some club passing."

Andrew

Thank you. And good luck with the A-levels.

Mandy

Yeah, Thanks.

© 1996 Juggling Information Service. All Rights Reserved.