From: jns@inoms.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Jesse N. Schell)
Subject: Re: Juggling and Early Childhood
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 21:16:57 GMT

In article <dean.711740047@white>, dean@white.rtsg.mot.com (Richard Dean) writes:
|> i'm interested in knowing, at what age a child possesses
|> the mental ability, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination
|> to begin juggling.  naturally it will vary from child to
|> child.  i imagine that in performers' families that this
|> is begun at a pretty young age, so i am interested in the
|> experiences of others.

I've heard it said that Anthony Gatto was able to juggle his age for three
consecutive years (3, 4, and 5, if you couldn't guess). Is this mere 
mythology?

It is important to learn throwing and catching skills first. VERY important.
It is also important that the child WANT to juggle. If they have no motivation,
forget it. 

I have worked several places (fairs, etc.) Where in addition to performing,
juggling workshops have been requested. These workshops are usually attended
by parents (who have always wanted to juggle) with small children (who usually
don't want to juggle at all). The parents are often embarrassed about the 
fact that they would like to learn to juggle, so they put together this ruse
about how "little Jimmy" (age 5) has always wanted to be a juggler, thinking,
of course, that once I teach little Jimmy, they will be able to learn from
him in the safety and security of their own homes. 

Ninety-eight percent of the time, little Jimmy is a hopeless case. He is far
more interested in seeing how high he can throw a beanbag than how accurately
he can throw it. The parents, seeing their scheme collapse before their eyes,
realize that they are blowing what could possibly be their only opportunity
to learn how to juggle. They become stern with Jimmy. They insist that he
follow the nice man's instructions, and practice throwing the ball back and
forth. 

The nice man (who is fed up with scheming parents and bratty children) tries
to sneak away...over to the other side of the room, where a total stranger
is doing Mills' Mess with five balls. But the nice man does not get far, for
the parents now insist that little Jimmy has surely practiced throwing one
ball enough, (why, nearly five minutes now, and he even caught it a few
times!) and that now I should show him real juggling. The nice man tries to
show the uncaring Jimmy the secrets of the two ball crossover. Jimmy still
doesn't care, but he likes the idea of two balls, because throwing two balls
as high as you can in the air is a lot more fun than just one. Needless to say,
Jimmy doesn't get much better, and as I, I mean.. the nice man tries again to 
cross the room, over to the man with "Paramount Pictures Talent Scout"
embroidered on his jacket, Mom sees me leaving. Her only chance at jugglerhood
slipping through her fingers, she pipes up, "Hey, I know! Why don't you
teach me, and I can teach Jimmy at home! I'd hate for him to be disappointed."
So, trapped, I start over again with her. Since she really wants to learn, 
she is able to, albeit not quickly. I start her on three balls just in time
to see the talent scout and the Mills Mess guy leaving the building, and
signing a contract for the upcoming Sci-Fi film smash: "Jugglor, Master of
the Spheres." What did you say ma'am? No, no, it doesn't matter which
ball you look at...just try to keep them the same height...sigh...



-- 

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 |Jesse N. Schell                                                         |
 |Bell Communications Research                                            |
 |PY4 4G-316                   "I don't want the world... I just want     |
 |33 Knightsbridge Rd.          your half..."                             |
 |Piscataway, NJ  08854                                                   |
 |Phone: (908) 699-3649                                                   |
 |  Fax: (908) 562-0104                                                   |
 |Email: jns@inoms.bellcore.com                                           |
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