Juggling

Juggling is the skill of manipulating multiple physical objects continuously in the air without letting any of them drop. Jugglers control the timing and movement of various prop tosses and catches to create visually impressive cascading patterns. Objects juggled might include items like balls, rings, clubs, machetes, Bowling pins, rubber chickens, or chainsaws.

Advanced jugglers integrate juggling skills into other circus arts like acrobatics, clowning, unicycling, or stunt work. Jugglers most often perform to entertain audiences in contexts like theaters, circus tents, busking street shows, variety TV programs, charity galas, conferences, festivals, or private events.

History of Juggling

Juggling was first recorded in ancient Egyptian and Chinese writings over 4000 years ago. Tomb paintings show Egyptian performers juggling items between multiple people in acrobatic poses. Early Chinese jugglers tossed ceramic pots and other household items between multiple people or balanced various objects like feathers, banners, or swords on their hands or other items.

Juggling skills likely developed as useful coordination exercises before evolving into performance art over time. Variants spread across ancient Asian and European civilizations, with artistic ceramic jugs discovered in Mexico indicating Pre-Columbian Aztec jugglers as well. Juggling remained popular in Medieval Europe before expanding during the golden age of the circus.

Notable Jugglers

Popular early jugglers who propelled the skill to prominence included British performer Thomas Blacke who juggled multiple items between three people and Enrico Rastelli who mastered complex numbered ball patterns in the 1800s.

In the 20th century, technical jugglers specialized and pushed boundaries with specific prop skills like cigar boxes, bouncing balls, hats, diabolos, or rings. Famous modern jugglers include Anthony Gatto holding numerous ball juggling records, as well as innovative jugglers like Vova Galchenko specializing in club manipulation. Comedian jugglers like The Flying Karamazov Brothers also made juggling more popular for mainstream audiences.

Juggling Disciplines

Jugglers today advance skills across numerous disciplines using various juggling props. Common categories include:

Bouncing / Toss Juggling - Classic “cascade” patterns juggling items like clubs, balls or rings rhythmically tossed upwards between hands. Numbers, speed, and complex patterns vary by skill level.

Contact Juggling – Smooth sensuous movement of items rolled across the face and body, like crystal balls spun and manipulated without tosses.

Balance / Object Manipulation - Careful balance of poles, cigars, hats, swords or other items on the face, hands, feet, etc. Manipulating multiple objects at once requires great coordination.

Passing Juggling - Collaborative juggling with multiple performers tossing items between each other, demonstrating teamwork and precision timing to share complex patterns.

Comedy Juggling - Juggling intentionally incompetently for amusement and laughs. Faux clumsiness while struggling to juggle odd personality rich items like rubber chickens, bowling pins, or chainsaws. Physical comedy silliness.

Fire Juggling – Advanced jugglers incorporate flaming objects like fire clubs, torches, knives, whips, poi, etc. Combines exciting danger for spectators with drumming music for dramatic lighting choreographed routines.

Rogue Juggling – Jugglers perform balancing skills or passing patterns in unusual public spaces like art museums, along hiking trails, or in city streets for unsuspecting audiences. Strange performance art juxtapositions of everyday environments with circus skills subvert expectations.

The wide range of juggling sub-disciplines ensures constant innovation and surprise for audiences as jugglers invent new props and series of impressive manipulated illusions. With jazz or other musical accompaniment, skilled jugglers can entrance spectators under the Big Top or busking on urban sidewalks.