I found this article about pick pocket Apollo Robbins really interesting.
Little Paul - - Parent #
He also did a nice talk about framing and direction at the "Magic of Consciousness Symposium" here:
https://youtu.be/pUihsucC-0s
It looks like it was a really interesting event, with a great lineup (Apollo Robbins, Teller, James Randi, Mac King and Johnny Thompson) but I can only find Apollo/Teller/Randi on youtube.
Little Paul - - Parent #
I should probably have said, I think the concept of framing attention he describes could be very effective if applied to a juggling performance - and could lead to some really nice surprises and "wow!" moments.
As could the stuff he says about the eye getting stuck at the end of a curved movement, but not at the end of a straight movement.
So even if you're not interested in magic, or pickpocketing, you should watch this video.
I've had vague thoughts about what I term 'close up juggling' for a while too. Walkabout performers tend to limit their interaction with their audience to comedy, spinning a ball on a child's finger or passing around a volunteer. But I've never seen a juggler pull a person from an audience & juggle around them or use the volunteer's body as a prop.
I've seen Maksim Komaro do a routine juggling around a dancer but this was obviously choreographed & designed as a stage act to be big & visible for those at the back of the audience.
If you could pick out a suitably suggestible person like Derren Brown does then lead that person using techniques as described by Apollo Robbins I think you could create something pretty special.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
You can juggle kids in a 52512 which is easy and fun. I have seen this performed by street performers as well.
Any other ideas how you can use volunteers as a prop? :p.
If you're going to do it at all, you may as well do it properly - none of that 52512 nonsense - just good old fashioned 3.
Why stop there? Grab the kid by the ankle & swing them round your head in The Helicopter1.
1 For the youngsters, before throwing clubs with a horizontal spin became popular 'The Helicopter' was a 3 club trick where you juggled 2 in 1 hand while swinging the 3rd club horizontally in a circle above your head in between each throw. It was also known as the Lasso (or Lassoo by those who can't spell).
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
Well obviously you still want the mother to tip the hat... I think that would be easier with the 52512 ;)
Easy: "If you'd like me to stop performing this trick please take your donation from your purse, fold it carefully & drop it in the hat"
Little Paul - - Parent #
Was it the passing zone who include a "people juggling" routine in their show? That's direct manipulation of people.
I like the idea of juggling around a spectator and creating interesting effects for that person in the process (balls appearing/dissapearing? changing colour?) but the rest of the audience get a different view so get a very different experience of the same routine.
Or by leading the volunteer during the routine, there's the potential to use their body as stall points for props generating new patterns etc.
It'd need careful handling so that the punter doesn't feel awkward, or ridiculed - but there's scope there if someone wanted to explore it.
Yes, it's the risk of embarrassing the volunteer that would be the greatest obstacle. Most of the ideas I have are quite intimate & touchy feely.
But there are so many possibilities. For example imagine standing in front of your volunteer, throw a ball to a forehead stall, then roll it up onto your crown. I think that would be quite startling to a muggle because they would be able to see that you were 'balancing' the ball blind because they can see right into your eyes. Then take the volunteer's hands & hold them out wide, turn 180° taking one hand over & one under so that you are back to back, drop the ball so that it is caught between your two necks then roll it out to one side down the channel between your arms. As it approaches the hand spin again & catch the ball between your & their palm, swing your hand down & up on the other side throwing the ball up & do a whole turn under the throw (relaxed & flexible volunteer a must!).
Another idea. Stand face to face, get the volunteer to put their hands up with their palms facing you & with their fingers spread, then ask them to tip their hands forward 45° & to keep their fingers outstretched no matter what. Do the same & take their hands by interlacing your fingers through theirs so that if you viewed your left/their right or your right/their left from the side it would form an X. Then kick up one ball from each side catching it on the top of the X, kick up the third ball & juggle with them.
This would give the muggle the sensation of juggling for themselves which is something you can't give an audience while standing on a stage.
Daniel Simu - - Parent #
The x thing sounds cool, I will try if that works!
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