The Juggling Edge - Small Talk

A few years ago a friend of mine sheepishly posted a video on an old TWJC forum of the 2009 US Pole Dancing Federation Championships. I remember thinking that the performers were all better than Chinese Pole acts that I'd seen in the Moscow & Chinese State Circus & Cirque Du Soleil.

I've just spent much of the evening watching pole dancing videos trying to find it again (not as wrong as it sounds I promise). I found it again & I was right. I was particularly impressed by Sarah Cretul who won the Miss Trixter award for her flashy acrobatic moves. What I didn't remember was that a lot of the shots were 'less than respectful' which is a huge shame because the strength & ability of the dancers is really amazing.

But then I found this featuring Anastasia Shukhtorova which I do feel comfortable posting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obC7vjVc8Rk

It's not quite as spectacular but something I could see fitting into a public show.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-01 23:48 BST

you mentioned this in ##juggling last night, and it got me thinking.

I've seen cheerleader routines which were higher skill and more entertaining to watch than some acro acts I've seen on festival stages over the years - but what *other* non-traditional skills are out there which would sit well on a festival stage?

Also - the olympics are coming up, and while I'll be doing my best to ignore the majority of the whole gaudy affair - I will be making a point of watching most of the gymnastics. Some of the floor routines are very "juggly" and the equipment based stuff (eg asymetric bars, rings) ticks a lot of the same boxes for me that acro or trapeze do.

# by Little Paul, 2012-07-02 12:34 BST Parent

Sydney Juggling Convention 2011 featured a pretty amazing three-person acro skipping routine in the public show. It's not quite as non-traditional as pole dancing, but it was a good break from five-ball pirouettes.

# by Dave Cheetham, 2012-07-02 14:37 BST Parent

I'd like to see Danny McAskill live. I nearly did once at a motorbike event, but he went and broke his collarbone. There would be some challenges in getting this on a stage... but I'm sure it could be done!

I also absolutely love some of the object manipulation routines that can be seen in Jackie Chan films, for example there is a lovely sequence involving a step ladder, I think it's in First Strike. Straight-up slapstick.

Ooh and I saw a lovely video once of a guy dancing with crutches. That would go down well on stage.

# by emilyw, 2012-07-02 19:44 BST Parent

JACKIE CHAN!!!

He Chinese. /Senmaru

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0JYNznbL0Q

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-02 20:30 BST Parent

Why do you say non-traditional? I think both pole dancers & cheerleaders have taken traditional skills, have used & developed them in a different entertainment setting & just do them a lot better & in a more interesting way.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-02 20:37 BST Parent

I mean in the sense of "in the tradition of juggling festival shows" rather than in the sense of wider circus.

# by Little Paul, 2012-07-02 21:43 BST Parent

The Chinese Imperial Circus did a show in 2001 which included a guy in a suit with a microphone announcing in heavily accented English various things like 'helicopter', 'train', 'tweeting birds' & then doing the sound effects. It seemed so out of place but I thought it was one of the best acts of the show.

# by Orinoco, 2012-07-03 19:30 BST Parent