University Daily Kansan, November 7, 1984
ENTERTAINMENT
Page 8
Trading ideas keeps art of juggling alive
By CHRIS CLEARY Staff Reporter
Larry Weaver/KANSAN
Three knives whizzed through the air, tumbling over each other in perfect synchronicity. The blades, flashing with a shout, cut the sunlight.
Colorful juggling clubs flipped around and around across from the knives. With knitted brows and steady eyes, the jugglers rhythmically tussed the objects into the air.
Rex Boyd, Overland Park freshman, juggles three clubs during juggling practice outside of Robinson Gym. Boyd is a member of the newly formed juggling club.
The jugglers could have been a troupe of medieval troubadours except for the jeans, sneakers and KU students milling about in the late afternoon shadows. The KU juggling club was practicing near Robinson Gym.
GREGG MYER, Topea junior,
started the club with Rex Boy,
Overland Park freshman, at
the beginning of the semester.
"We started the club to promote juggling as a recreational art." Myer said. "We can meet and trade ideas."
Jugglers have been trading ideas since the time when ancient Egyptians first started the art, Artifacts, such as a coin showing a bear juggling three knives, reveal that although jugglers has increased in difficulty, the underlying principles have remained the same.
In the medieval times, jugglers were called wandering minstrels or troubadours, and they traveled from
court to court singing, reciting epic poetry and composing songs. At the end of the 14th century, jugglers amused the crowds by jugging and tumbling.
DURING THE 17TH and 18th centuries, jugglers could be found traveling with fairs, but it wasn't until the 19th century that jugglers became a major attraction in circuses and music halls.
Offer, Myer is the main attraction at Confetti, a nightclub in Kansas City. Mo., on Friday and Saturday nights.
"He's the best juggler in the Midwest except for some professional jugglers in Kansas City." Boxl said.
Myer and Boyd meet at a national jugging convention in Las Vegas and decided to create a jugging club at the University of Kansas. Currently there are about 15 members in the club.
club. The club doesn't compete yet. Myer said. Many people are still learning about the club.
"People see us juggling and come over," Myer said.
over, myer said.
Boyd said anyone could join the club.
"JUST COME BY and juggle," he said as he twirred some clubs in the air.
The KU troubadours learned to juggle in various ways, but it didn't take any of them long to master this minstrel art.
A sailor taught Myer to juggle
when Myer was in the Marines on his ship, the USS Guam.
"I met a sailor who jugged in the North Atlantic," he said. "That boat would rock, and we'd stand there jugging." He rocked back and forth from one foot to another imitating the
turbulent waters. "I could juggle four balls pretty fast, and I could do five in six months."
Boyd became skilled at juggling while working at the Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs
as we caught the three clubs he had been juggling. "A year ago, I couldn't juggle well, but after juggling every weekend I started getting
"I had juggled a little," Boyd said.
TIM HUGGINS, Overland Park freshman, went bananas over juggling when he started tossing lemons.
"My mom always had temens in a basket on our kitchen table." Huggs said and shrugged. "I just got them. Then I got cluth in high school."
Steve Ross, Wichita sophomore, said his high school needed jugglers for a madrigal dinner so he volunteered. "I practiced for two weeks and I did OK," Ross said. "I like performing."
Myer said anyone could learn to juggle.
"Anybody can learn to juggle balls in 20 minutes." Myer said. "If they can do it, they're balls, that's good. If they could do five clubs, that's very good."
ALTHOUGH MYER SAID almost anyone could learn to juggle, he had seen a certain type of juggler more often than not.
"Most are fairly skinny, although I've seen some good fat jiggers. Myer said with a smile "Ninety percent of them and most of them are student age."
Although the members each juggle for different reasons, all agreed that juggling is addicting.
"It's challenging," Myer said "You just get the urge."
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