Pavel Artemyev
© Pavel Artemyev, 2023
ISBN 978-5-0059-5643-9
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
Pavel Artemyev
Juggling is Magic!
“To win,” first of all, you have to play.”
Albert Einstein
Word from the author
It just so happened that one of the heroes of my book learned to juggle. And then… Then demanding readers forced me to tackle the balls as well. Not to be too far behind his literary heroes. And so, collecting bit by bit heterogeneous information, rereading scientific articles and looking at the juggling technique, I realized with amazement that juggling is not just beautiful fun, but an extremely interesting and useful activity. Mental illness, dementia and depression, dysgraphia and dyslexia, problems with vision, with memory and motor skills of the hands, autism and daunism, the consequences of strokes and traumatic brain injuries are only a small part of those problems that can be treated with balls. If you want to improve your mood – grab the balls! If you want to warm up and have a sports training at work or right at home, juggling will help again! That is why hundreds and thousands of new clubs and clinics seriously practicing juggling appear in the world every year. Treatment with juggling is studied by doctors and has long taken note of scientific institutions. Extensive practice has confirmed that juggling is subject to any age – from 3—4 years old to 70—80.
Unfortunately, I myself took up the balls late (after 50 years), and yet, when after a few months I began to succeed, I realized that I would not limit myself to one skill. Juggling turned out to be magic, which I just had to share with others. So it came out.
I began to talk at meetings not only about my books, but also about juggling, about the close connection between these two arts. And when it turned out that there was no textbook on juggling for some reason (I did not find one), I wanted to fill this gap as well. So this book appeared, the purpose of which was – if not to teach, then at least to interest more people with this wonderful art. By that time, from my own experience and from the experience of my students, I managed to make sure: juggling is not something inaccessible: everything is in your hands! If you really want to master the art of juggling, do not doubt – you will succeed! Not after many mythical years, but quickly enough – after two or three months. And perhaps in a single week! The main thing here is not a factor in time, the main thing is that juggling is worth any effort! Since it is real magic affecting your health and mood, able to develop the brain and rejuvenate the body.
I’ll add: If you can’t wait to start learning, feel free to skip the first part of the book and start the second. Appetite comes with eating, and the theory won’t run away from us. It will be possible to familiarize yourself with the pauses between classes, having read about the history of juggling and the great benefits it brings.
And now we are charged with a fighting mood – and on the Way!
Part 1 History and Theory
“If you can train your arms and legs, then why can’t you train your brain?”
Grigory Perelman
Chapter 1 Once upon a time…
Of course, the art of juggling was not born today. Virtuosos throwing all kinds of objects into the air can be seen on the walls of the oldest Egyptian buildings. In Chinese history, before battles, it was not uncommon for warriors on both sides to show their agility and power by raising heavy boulders and juggling edged weapons. There is a reference to the warrior Lan Tzu from the Song kingdom, who could juggle almost seven swords at the same time! If we recall today’s record of Fowler, who managed to master nine clubs, then the authenticity of historical evidence can be believed.
Well, first we will give a definition of what is understood by juggling:
so, juggling refers to the simultaneous manipulation of three or more objects, such as balls, sticks, rings, clubs and other objects.
Today it is the oldest genre of circus art and one of types of sport. In former times juggling was a prerogative of the vagrant troupes consisting of actors, acrobats and jugglers. These actors moved on open spaces of Europe and charmed a look of curious public. Well, and when from the middle of the eighteenth century in the large cities the first circuses began to open, jugglers, at last, found the haven. Approximately in the same decades their status as circus actors finally was fixed.
Those who are interested in more detailed history of juggling with pleasure I send to books Dominica Zhando “The history of world circus”, Aleksandra Kissa “If you are a juggler”, Karl Hynes Tsiten “Juggling art”, etc. At the same time I will notice: as it is sad, there isn’t a lot of books describing this most fascinating kind of activity. Especially when compared with the amount of literature devoted to theatre, ballet, painting or cinema. One of the professional jugglers with whom I spoke on this topic, suggested that this was partly due to the caste of the juggler’s profession. Any caste protects the secrets and therefore doesn’t hurry to share the mysteries of craft. Alchemists, smiths, doctors, conjurers, skillful soldiers – on the whole preferred to leave the main secrets at themselves that is quite explainable: it was their bread, their way of survival.
Nevertheless, already in the twentieth century there was a fundamental change of a situation. Juggling from caste occupation passed into the category more open and arts of a popular type. It should be added that in the world two new professional holidays appeared: The International Juggler’s Day celebrated on April 18 and the World Juggler’s Day celebrated on the third Saturday of June. Juggling was splashed out of borders of the circus arena, people began to juggle for a tone and own pleasure, to unite in juggling clubs and to hold competitions. Besides numerous clubs there were also such authoritative organizations as the International association of jugglers and the World Federation of Juggling. The set of colourful innovations was added to former classics of single juggling and cross over juggling (when several jugglers throw each other balls, maces and rings). This and popular nowadays contact juggling (rolling of spheres on a body and in palms), juggling from walls and a floor, power juggling (weights and kernels) and even team juggling by maces through a volleyball net.
Till certain time art of jugglers of “three-subject teachers” which also arose in Europe approximately in the thirties of our century stood a little alone. Having been born from saloon juggling, it kept many initial traditions, of which work with a various requisite was main. Instead of habitual rings, maces and balls jugglers “three-subject teachers” used habitual objects in use there are canes, cigars, snuffboxes, cylinders, saucers, billiard balls, etc. A difference in weight, in sizes and a form significantly complicated juggling process, but at the same time made a show more fascinating.
In the last decades of the twentieth century the world got acquainted also with more unusual types of juggling – such as: “Kendam”, “Fleyring”, “Diabolo”, “A stick of a devil” and so forth. To whom it is interesting, details and fascinating videos can be found without effort on the Internet. As far as I remember, personally I was struck most of all by “Joggling” – juggling with objects on the run. The combination of the words “juggling” and “jogging” just also formed the word “joggling”. American Bill Gidaz was the first, who had an idea to combine running with juggling, – and it was rather recently – in 1979. And also the first official record belonging to British Owen Mors was soon set. In 1988, juggling with five objects, he overcame a hundred-meter distance in 13.8 seconds!
Honestly I admit, these figures just shook me as I perfectly remembered that I even in the best years ran a hundred-meter race only in 13.2 seconds, losing almost ten meters to the friend to the athlete who had result 12.0. Yes, upon we overtook Owen Mors, but he at the same time also juggled!!! Yes not three balls, and at once five!