As a beginning performer, one of the hardest things to do is to actually start performing. Following these 6 helpful tips will help you get on your way.
-The best way to find gigs is by doing gigs. As a beginning performer, don’t pass up the opportunity to be on stage in front of potential clients. Open stage shows, variety shows and even street performing can help you find gigs. Get out there and hone your craft!
-Be prepared to perform for different audiences. Some audiences are old, some young, some warm, some hostile. Do not use the same routine for kindergartners that you use in burlesque shows.
-Have a clean professional business card ready with you at all gigs. If you don’t hand out your business card, they will never find you.
-Have a website! This really isn’t debatable. Clients will look to your website to see what sets you apart from other jugglers. A YouTube page is not a substitute for a website.
-Craigslist can be a valuable resource for finding gigs, especially for beginning performers. The problem is that it can become very tedious. In order to stay on top of potential jobs, you must search Craigslist everyday. Work around this problem by using a program like Craigsnotifica, which can automatically alert you when gigs are posted on Craigslist.
-Did you have a nice gig? Send a thank you note to the event’s organizer. People remember stuff like this. Didn’t have a nice gig? Send one anyway.
-Be nice! The people you meet on the way up are the same ones you meet on the way down. Don’t assume anything about people. Besides, a smile doesn’t cost a thing.
Everyone drops. It’s a fact of life. Unfortunately, the audience doesn’t always understand this. That’s why Dubé Juggling Blog has come up with a handy list of excuses. Now you can drop away without any sense of embarrassment or guilt!
For many people, making the shift from hobby juggler to performing can be daunting. Dubé Juggling Blog has got your back.
-Music selection matters! Pick a song that matches your style and personality. Super serious technical juggler? Pick something that reflects that.
-Once you select a piece of music, practice juggling to that music. Get comfortable with the rhythm and timing. Try different tricks to see what works and what doesn’t.
-STOP AND STYLE! It is important to connect with the audience. Some jugglers are so focused that they never establish a connection. Make sure to stop and style a number of times throughout the routine. When you stop and style, you give the audience permission to applaud. Try to time your styles to climactic moments in the song.
-Your clothing matters! Is your style goofy and fun-loving? Bright colors should work well. Is your style more Cirque du Soleil? Simpler more natural colors should do the trick.
-Think about what color your props are. Black props do not read well on stage. If you wear a white shirt you should not juggle white balls. If possible, select props that compliment your clothing.
-Drops happen. It’s a fact of life. Anthony Gatto drops. Jason Garfield drops. You drop. Be prepared for this eventuality. Pick up the prop, smile, and get back to work. Never show the audience your frustration!
-You might love siteswaps, but your audience doesn’t understand what they are. Just because a trick is hard, doesn’t mean that audience understands that. This is why the eat-the-apple trick is so popular–people get it!
-The end of your act is the part people will remember best. Your final trick should be flashy and impressive, but not so difficult that you can’t land it. There’s nothing worse than dropping on your final trick.
It’s been pretty quiet on the Fushigi front, right? Fushigi has failed to kill the art of contact juggling. You may need to explain to children under age 5 what contact juggling is; i.e no magnets, no magic, and no not Fushigi. Nonetheless the children of America have caught on. They’re mad as heck and aren’t going to believe anymore cheese ball infomercials with tall tales of floating magical anything for $19.99. From the mouthes of babes:
What’s more inspiring is the backlash of kids smashing their Fushigis as found on YouTube!
Note: Dubé Juggling does not promote smashing or destroying anything, because it’s dangerous and you can hurt yourself or others, or other things around you in the process.
Remember the first time you fell in love? You had been waiting for weeks for the moment when suddenly the doorbell rings. You rush to the door and see a tall, handsome man. He smiles and says “special delivery”. The moment you had been waiting for was finally here; your new Dubé juggling clubs had arrived.
We recently asked our Facebook followers about their first Dubé experience. We received a flurry of responses, here are some of our favorites:
MJ:I got a set of 5 stage balls and a set of European juggling clubs in the early 90s, when I was in high school.
RP: Euro clubs in the mid-eighties. Ah, fond memories of the early days…
CAR: Hideous 8-panel neon squosh balls…that I thought were SO COOL in 2000.
DG: The american style clubs,white with silver very early 80’s. They lasted hundreds, hundreds of shows. a dozen moves and finally got a crack after 100 sidewalk drops in 2008.
JW:One order: 9 classic American clubs, devil stick, 9 ABS rings, and some other stuff (torches?). The year was 1980, 8th grade. I ran to the mailbox every day for 12 weeks before those beauties showed up!
RC: All the folks I juggled with had their props for years… many of them would have had them from the late 70s — that is mostly why I went with Dubé over all the other options, yours had the best feel overall, and they hold up to use for years to come!
JDM: I got some Dube clubs in the late 70’s. I still have ’em although they have been gathering dust for a long time. Wait, I think my ex wife got them in the settlement.
Thought scarf juggling was just for kids? Think again. As the following videos demonstrate, scarves are quickly becoming the most extreme juggling prop out there!
Marvel at the technical expertise of master scarf juggler Bret Wengeler! My Sharona!
Is there anything more extreme than several dozen 4th graders simultaneously juggling scarves to Taio Cruz’s Dynamite? We think not!
Finally, Juggling mistress Divertida Devotchka of the Vixens of Vaudeville shows us that scarf juggling can be mysterious and erotic…
As jugglers, most of us lack the marketable skills necessary to stay competitive in today’s job market. Luckily, Dubé Juggling Blog is back with another helpful and informative guide.
Photo by Dan Harrelson via Flickr
-Flair bartending is a great way to earn extra tips and waste tons of alcohol.
-Panhandling is the second oldest profession on earth. You could always give that a try.
-Expert whip cracker and rope spinner? Have you considered an exciting career as a dominatrix?
-Teaching juggling to children is a great way to make sure that the next generation makes the same horrible decisions that you made.
-Professional athletes get paid pretty well. Maybe you could give that a try? Couldn’t hurt.
-Who needs a job? Just get a fire staff and set of poi and spend your days hopping from festival to festival.
-If you join the military, refrain from juggling live grenades.
-FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT MENTION THE WORD “JUGGLER” ANYWHERE ON YOUR RESUMÉ.
-If push comes to shove, you can always resort to this:
While Dubé Juggling and company are spending the summer trying to innovate props some of you have the summer off. Lots of time to sleep late, and pick up a skill or two. Here’s our summer to do video list to keep boredom away for FREE with no special equipment.
Airlines get away with murder by charging for baggage. Why not leave everything behind by working with whats on hand.
Stuck at home with nothing to do and nowhere to go? Turn your basement into the ultimate ping pong bouncing playground. Not a bad skill to take on to college either.
The ultimate fidgety time killer. Just try not to wear a white shirt while learning.
Managing the responsibilities of parenting can be tough. As jugglers, we’re up to the task. Follow these parenting tips to juggle your way to happier, healthier kids.
-Try to have triplets. It’s easier to juggle the children when they’re all the same size and weight.
-It can be difficult to get your kids to eat healthy. Teach them the eat-the-apple trick to make sure they get fiber and vitamins.
-Diabolo is a great babysitter. Not only will this challenging skill toy keep your child occupied for hours on end, you can also use the string to tie them up when they misbehave.
-If your child asks you to buy them a Fushigi ball, explain to them that the Fushigi is actually just a contact juggling ball and that contact juggling was pioneered by Michael Moschen and popularized by the movie The Labyrinth with David Bowie. Then, scare the living daylights out of your children by actually showing them this movie. After this, they should no longer be interested in the Fushigi ball.
-When teaching your children fire juggling, be sure to coat them with a non-toxic flame retardant spray. Flame retardant sprays now come in an array of kid-friendly flavors, such as watermelon, bubblegum and cool ranch.
-Make sure your children don’t get involved in drugs by keeping them away from poi spinning.
-If your child cannot juggle three balls by the time they are 10 years old, it’s ok to completely disown them.
-Disciplining your kids can be tough. Any time they act up, threaten them by showing them this video:
Congratulations! You’ve gotten a date. The dating scene can be rough for today’s juggler, but have no fear. Dubé Juggling Blog is here with romantic dos and don’ts for the dashing juggler on the go:
Via Flickr from Rem-Zel
-Explaining siteswaps is a great icebreaker.
-Juggling helps you relax in high-pressure situations. Make sure to get a good run of five-ball cascade in before attempting a kiss goodnight.
-Impress your date with stories about how many romantic partners you’ve juggled in the past.
-Spontaneity is an attractive feature. Surprise your date by standing on the dinner table and juggling breadsticks while singing the theme to The Bodyguard.
-Anytime anything happens, find some way to relate it to juggling.
-Reassure your date that, despite the fact you ride a unicycle, all of your downstairs parts are in working order.
-Most people are more comfortable in the company of friends. Take your date to the local renaissance festival or freak show so they can see you in your element.
-Methodically listing every festival you’ve ever been to is great way to kill an hour between dinner and a movie.
-Be sure to wear juggling-related t-shirts, so your date knows you’re for real and not just faking it.
-Always balance a barstool on your chin as soon as you walk into any bar.
-Don’t mention that you’re a juggler until the 6th or 7th date.
