Hello to the new users who all joined up today. Looks like you all came through the last mass invitation drop on rec.juggling. I notice that some people are a bit shy about starting new threads so I thought I'd start this one just in case you want somewhere to say hello!
I'm Orinoco & I run the site, if you need any help just let me know.
Oooo.... A "hello new people" thread.
My contribution: Hello new people!
Feel free to ask for more details. ;)
Cedric Lackpot - - Parent #
... and hello too to anybody who's arrived from /r/juggling, where I have just been busy whoring out kindly providing invitations.
Little Paul - - Parent #
Hello new people!
It'd be awesome if you could tell us a little about what juggling is like in your bit of the world, especially if you're outside the uk (and double especially if you've been to the Berlin convention)
I'm from Bristol, uk, and juggling round here is awesome (I assume, I don't actually make it to any of the local clubs any more!)
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
Juggling is frowned apon in the US and is stereotyped as an only circus activity i am the only juggler i know personally and ther are no clubs in my area so its an activity i do a lot in non public place ( exempt the mall at my workplace it gets uber slow)
The World Juggling Federation has helped to break that stereotype. Although I would argue that it's a stereotype that is not limited to the USA.
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
As a relatively new juggler i have no comparasin but your probibly right and ill keep juggling anyway due to the closenit community regardless of how small
Roflcopter - - Parent #
As an American I'd have to agree. The sterotype of the circus and clowning is very heavy. Juggle anywhere in public and you'll certainly hear the "Afro Circus" theme. WJF being on espn has helped but It's realization as a sport or as an activity like dancing or things like that. I guess its just underground here in the states.
Little Paul - - Parent #
Interesting - they actually sing the words to afro circus? Or do they just hum "entrance of the gladiators" (which is the real name of the tune)
Just wondering how strong a cultural influence Madagascar 3 really is...
To be honest, I don't think the public perception of juggling is much different anywhere else in the world, the association with circus is strong everywhere (and why not! Circus has historically given extremely high calibre jugglers an awful lot of work!)
Personally I don't have a problem with it, because I know enough juggling history to be flattered by the comparison rather than insulted by it.
"do you work in a circus?" - wow! I wish I was good enough to have a high level solid act that I can perform flawlessly 2 shows a day, day in day out *and* strike/set a bigtop every couple of days living out of a trailer... I just can't work that hard!
Roflcopter - - Parent #
hahaha they just normally hum it. true the associsation of the circus is everywhere. I dont rekon anyone gets offended unless the word clown comes up...I'm not a clown. Clowns are just freaky sometimes.
Little Paul - - Parent #
I think you've misunderstood clowning, you're not the only one... I've seen more than a few "clowns" who have misunderstood clowning
pumpkineater23 - - Parent #
Like Ronald McDonald for example?
thegoheads - - Parent #
"Juggling is frowned apon in the US and is stereotyped as an only circus activity "
I don't think it's so much that juggling is frowned upon as it is an unusual activity that presents possible liabilities. That's typically the reason to get kicked out of a rec center or something for juggling. That's been my experience anyway. From my understanding, other countries are less worried about everyone suing each other over everything. I've heard it's predominantly a USA problem. I'm sure my UK friends will back me up on that ;)
As far as the circus/clown stereotype goes, I totally understand why people make that connection, and I only find it annoying when people are commenting just to amuse themselves and have no real intention of finding out if I'm actually a circus clown or not. My biggest pet peeve is when people tell me I need to go on America's Got Talent, then I try to explain that I'm a hobby juggler and don't have an act, but they insist "yeah, but you're really good!" Good at what? Being a loner and throwing siteswaps while facing a corner? I'm sure that's what the judges are looking for. Hell, I even have a promo video for that act! https://www.youtube.com/v/HWKkXoHbNNk
Robotic juggle - - Parent #
So amazing had to track it down but glad i did holey crap i have tears in my eyes
RegularJugular - - Parent #
"an unusual activity that presents possible liabilities". I had a security guard tell me something about it being a 'safety hazard' in a UK shopping centre once. I was practicing juggling beanbags while waiting for a friend, I think I was a liability to them as people might confuse my activity for busking probably more than I was a safety hazard, but that's speculation.
Miserable hecklers:
I do find a small but vocal minority of people actively dislike jugglers. From what I can tell they are likely to dislike most people too apart from other narrow minded misery spreaders. I'm sure that type would gang together to make additional difficulty for other people jugglers or otherwise. Some of these people don't even heckle, but just being in their vicinity can still be a problem, which I don't yet know how to deal with, actively or
Tangent:
I actually want to try to become a paid performer... The first steps are really uncomfortable.
RegularJugular - - Parent #
"actively or passively"
Roflcopter - - Parent #
Albeit there are still some liabilities. I'm pretty sure we have all dropped a club on somebody,especially ourselves.
FUN FACT: Back in the middle ages Jugglers were considered just as evil if not more that witches. The power to manipulate multiple objects at once was obvious manifestation of satanic powers.
they could have been burned even more than witches.
Little Paul - - Parent #
"The power to manipulate multiple objects at once was obvious manifestation of satanic powers." do you have a citation for that? It's an interesting theory I'd not heard before and I'd like to read up on it a bit more.
Or is it from the "Renaissance Faire" book of historical stories?
I was under the impression that the usual reason given for mistrust of medieval jugglers was that jugglers and magicians were considered one and the same, and that both as forms of public entertainment took place at markets and fairs.
Much like anything else which draws a crowd (minstrels etc), they were handy distractions for theives/pickpockets/cut purses and were distrusted because of the criminal connection (a scene which Hieronymus Bosch depicted in "The counjurer") https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hieronymus_Bosch_051.jpg
Roflcopter - - Parent #
That too they were not very trusted.
I'm not exactally sure wheree o reead it but i remember wondering if there was some sort of anti-juggling group or idea so i thing I looked up on google someting like "Anti-juggling" or "God Hates Jugglers" (because if it exsits,somebody somewhere thinks god hates it)
so try that.
Little Paul - - Parent #
You suck at providing references...
Little Paul - - Parent #
https://www2.bc.edu/~lewbel/jugweb/history-1.html says
"Another modern misconception is that medieval church considered juggling to be a black art or a tool of the devil. In fact, I have never seen any evidence that the medieval church ever specifically persecuted jugglers or juggling. If anything, the examples in Fletcher [3] and the appearence of jugglers in the margins of illuminated manuscripts would suggest the Church’s approval of juggling."
And Arthur Lewbell is a name I respect when it comes to juggling history.
Roflcopter - - Parent #
dont make me make jokes about the queen...
I'm kidding i kinda like the queen.
Roflcopter - - Parent #
But I will make jokes..
Little Paul - - Parent #
Oh right, it's lazy British "we're all best mates with teh queen" stereo typing time is it? :P
Roflcopter - - Parent #
something like that :P
Roflcopter - - Parent #
The queen?
Yes, I doubt she'll sign up though, she's a bit busy at the moment & her husband is ill.
Little Paul - - Parent #
I'm sure once her birthday hangover has worn off though she'll jump straight on it like a corgi on a trouserleg
pumpkineater23 - - Parent #
The Queen's corgis are said to be delighted Prince Philip is back at the palace.
They won't get blamed for pissing on the sofa anymore.
Little Paul - - Parent #
Apparently the Corgis piss wherever and whenever they want:
"one footman said: ‘They’re yappy, snappy and we bloody well hate them — because for some reason the Queen will not allow them to be fully house-trained.’"
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2201308/Why-Queen-loves-corgis--rest-Palace-hates-them.html
(Apologies for the Daily Heil link)
RegularJugular - - Parent #
I particularly liked the 'they could have been burned even more than witches.' flair. It's better than what Wikipedia would have done/did.
I worried about historical accuracy once... Now whenever I hear a quote I rate how much I trust it and why.
RegularJugular - - Parent #
"they could have been burned even more than witches" by their hecklers. Although why they would pass the flaming torches to the hecklers I have no idea.
See this Banksy for a representation of more modern reprehensible behaviour by jugglers...
https://mrawa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Pg003_V1.png
Little Paul - - Parent #
Wait - Ian is Banksy?
He kept that quiet...
RegularJugular - - Parent #
I'm still expecting to see it cleaned up on a T-Shirt at some point...
I may have missed the Pre-Order and they could be on the way now.
*RegJug inappropriately plugs https://mrawa.com and https://LazyJuggler.com