🚀 go-pugleaf

I had a fabulous time as a juggler, ringmaster, and fire-eater for the
Circus Kingdom on their 1992-93 holiday Florida tour.  The weather was
great for the most part and the crowds were out in full force.  We
performed Dec 28 - Jan 11 under the Phills Bros circus tent in Miami,
Sarasota, Tallahassee, Bradenton, Largo, and a handful of smaller towns. 
The troupe was comprised of mainly college students from around the country
and numbered about 25 bodies, including 14 band members.  The Circus
Kingdom (TCK) is the only circus on the road today that has a live band
that plays old-fashioned circus tunes.  A double-cassette or CD recording
of the band's music is available from the director.

Speaking of TCK's director, David Harris: he is LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD
JUGGLERS for the summer 1993 tour.  Jugglers should be good passers and
soloists, and devil sticks, boxes, unicycling, fire, and other skills are a
plus.  Interested parties should contact David Harris, 951 Perry Highway
#103, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, phone (412) 367-0537.  David will send you info
and application.

At the Sarasota International Circus Festival, I met and juggled with
Tamara Ashton, a performer with Ashton's family circus (an old and very
large circus) from Australia.  She competed in the festival shows, and gave
a nearly flawless performance.  However, neither she nor any of the other
jugglers I saw at the festival would have a chance at an IJA competition. 
Ignatovs and Popoviches aside, most circus jugglers are mediocre at best. 
For example, Tamara was incredibly fast with three clubs and rarely
dropped, but she doesn't do five clubs at all ("stubby fingers" says she)
and nothing spectacular impressed me about her fine act.  Other jugglers I
saw were from Franzen Brothers Circus, and their team act was plagued with
drops and was completely uninspired.  Remember the shows you did when you
had been juggling for only a few months?  Admit it, they sucked.

On the other hand, another collegiate circus, Florida State University's
Flying High Circus, lent three of their jugglers to TCK's Tallahassee show
and they did some nice two-high feed work and triangles passing patterns
and such.  

Missing sunshine and 80 degree weather,
Milo  (J Cannon)