Archive for September, 2009
Classic Performers: Enrico Rastelli
Italian juggler Enrico Rastelli is known for pushing the limits of technical juggling skill. In his day, gentleman jugglers dominated the spotlights, dressing in tuxedos and top hats to juggle canes, bottles, bread and other common items. But Rastelli stuck with balls, sticks, and plates in order to take these props to higher levels of manipulation. (A focus on technical skill over fluffy showmanship eh? Remind you of anyone?)
Here’s a brief video montage of some of Rastelli’s skills:
Read more about Rastelli here.
(Thanks for the info Wikipedia!)
Juggling Subculture Store
We’ve told you about a few different places to get a great juggling t-shirt, but we’ve neglected to talk about our own Juggling Subculture Store.
It’s a humble little store, with a few products to help you proclaim your juggling pride.
Click here to check it out!
Juggling for the King
Recently the Street Juggling blog linked to this clip of Wes Peden and Patrik Elmnert juggling for the King and Queen of Sweden.
Most of the time we only get to see Wes Peden and his friends in their own element; in some sort of video produced, edited, and performed by themselves. It’s nice to see what their performance is like in the “real world.”
The choir and orchestra standing and sitting still behind them make a nice backdrop for Wes and Patrik’s funky juggling style.
Performance Practice
Remember how we suggested that everybody needs a good rola bola?
Here’s a video of JynxedJuggler practicing a nice knife-juggling rola bola routine to put into his street show.
We like the jump start, it sort of scared us the first time we watched it. Keep up the practice Jynxed, we think you’ve got something here!
Juggler named Pennsylvania’s Funniest Comic
Who’s the funniest comic in Pennsylvania? Stephen Caruso, a comedy juggler who won the title at the Keystone Comedy Festival in Altoona, Blair County, Pennsylvania.
According to an article by The Morning Call, Caruso,
a full-time entertainer and juggling trainer, grew up in Saylorsburg. He started juggling at age 13, after being inspired by a juggler at Disney World. “I pretty much lived and breathed it,” he says. When other kids were going to the movies with their friends, he was at home or at the gym, practicing his juggling.
Caruso was one of four entertainers who competed for the title and the $1000 prize, winning after the audience voted for their favorite.
It’s always great when a juggler shows strong in a comedy competition. Way to go Stephen Caruso!
Read the whole article here.
Click below to watch Caruso’s promo video:
Juggling For A Good Cause
An article in the Daily Echo tells how Pete Matthews felt indebted to the Neo Natal unit that saved his son’s life. Once his son was home from the hospital he put his juggling skills to work to show his overwhelming appreciation. Calling some of his performer friends, he organized The Big Big Variety Show with all proceeds going directly to the Poole Hospital Neo Natal Unit.
It was such a success that Matthews has organized another event, The Big Big Variety Show 2, taking place this Saturday.
What a great story of using juggling to do something good in the world.
Read the article and watch the video here.
