Or: That time the Smithsonian Institution implied that I was a National Treasure.

Back in January of 2015, I was invited to host the American Circus Awards at the Big Apple Circus in Lincoln Center, New York City.  The event, a joint production between Circus Now and the Big Apple Circus, was a gala set to recognize luminaries in the American field of circus arts.  I was on the list of possible emcees who might donate their time to the cause.  I accepted, presented, juggled, and made an interesting connection – Preston Scott, Director of the 2017 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is a big deal – it’s been called the #1 event in the United States, and has an impact that rivals the World’s Fair and the Olympics.  So, when Preston called me a few months after our first meeting, inviting me to help represent juggling as an artform to the American public, I was thrilled.

The event happened earlier this month, and went off without a hitch.  I’d love to recap the whole event for you here, but that would be an impossible task.  Here, for your edification, are a few glimpses into the event as I experienced it.

In the initial conversations, I was slated to perform a version of my one-man juggling history show each day.  As is often the case with large-scale events with huge teams of volunteers, everyone had to be flexible as the Festival took on a life of its own.  By the time the festival was about to begin, my role had changed to a combination of host and one-man show – I was to introduce all of the acts in one of the main event areas, as well as present an hour-long show each day.  It turned out that my original proposal was too technology intensive (that is, I needed a projector or some other kind of visual aid in what would end up being an in-the-round performing venue,) so the end result was a patchwork of juggling show, story telling, and question and answer sessions.

(This is what the show I didn’t perform each day looked like.)

…was so, so much fun to do.

The administration at the Smithsonian told us time and time again – When someone goes to see the circus, they see five percent of the performer’s life.  This festival is about celebrating the other ninety-five percent.  It’s about people connecting with people.  So.  That’s just what I set about doing.

This video doesn’t show all of it (then, what two minute version of an hour long show could!) – the full thing included stories about being trapped in a stairwell with the Rockettes in my underwear, life on the Sideshow (my first gig,) and tales of juggling deaths and dismemberment.  But – that’s all fodder for a future blog post or three.

For your edification, here are a few juggling highlights from the Smithsonian!

Hosting the open air ring was an absolute delight.  Youth circus companies from Minnesota, Oregon, Florida, Vermont, and Missouri shared the space with a professional troupe from China.  Some incredible shows were put up, and seen by 600,000 people in the two weeks of the festival.  (What!)

A personal highlight was seeing this antipodism trick in person.  A girl lies on her back, with a perch with small platforms running along its length strapped to her feet.  She bounces a ball from one platform to another, allowing the ball to rise from platform to platform, until she maneuvers it into a basket at the very top of the pole.

It’s amazing.  But don’t take my word for it – watch the video!  This is the kind of trick you’ll probably only ever see once in a lifetime!

I put two (big!) new tricks on stage – one with a fishbowl, another with a tall platform balanced on my face.

The fishbowl trick:  I balance a fishbowl on a pepper mill on my chin.  While maintaining that balance, I place another pepper mill on my forehead.  By manipulating my neck, jaw, and forehead, the fishbowl transfers from one balanced pedestal to the other.

The platform trick:  I bounce a ball on a platform balanced on my forehead, then juggle while maintaining both the balance and the bounce.