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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearls-Juggling-Anthony-Trahair/dp/192796749X
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Juggling as Yoga on Elephant Journal.
Just published an article I’ve been working on for a long time.
It’s an integration of twenty years of juggling and yoga. Follows on from where the book left off.
Here’s the link.
Love to know what you think.
Anthony
https://www.elephantjournal.com/now/juggling-as-yoga/
Directing Circus Theatre
I HOPE YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE NEW SHOW “AMMORE AMMARE” – “Love Overboard” with Ale and Martino from Spazio Kabum in Varese.
We have just finished a two week creative residency where they had invited me to direct.
The creation of a show “from nothing” is never simple but every day we made huge steps. Really!
I was amazed at the ideas that came from intuitions, deep listening and building everything around the story that was emerging. I am amazed at how even the smallest changes led to a much more true and heartfelt recitation of the characters and how this touched me.
We quickly created new acts within the show. Then we refined them. Adding and removing the superfluous to get to the very heart of the piece.
Every day we started early with a very varied Yoga practice, aimed at opening the breathing, waking up the body and the senses, focusing the mind and charging ourselves with energy! After breakfast followed by a concentrated juggling practice and fun session then immediately to the work of creation and interpretation.
Even though the process was very intense, there was no overwhelming stress or worry that we didn’t have enough time. How beautiful!
Ale and Martino have a mastery of juggling techniques (more Martino than Ale), aerial acrobatics with Alessandra on her Circle and Partner Acrobatic’s. The story of their two characters, that emerged day after day, portrays a story that will touch the hearts of all those lucky enough to see it. Fake acting only really happens when you don’t really know why you perform that or this action. When the context is clear the acting becomes much better.
It was not my first role as a director but I’m happy because this experience has reconfirmed my ability to take on the role and responsibility as a director of Theater-Circus Performances. It totally engages me, I put my whole self in and take out the best for the show. It hasn’t left me feeling exhausted, on the contrary and this for me is a good sign that it’s something I should consider offering a couple of times a year. I’m open to accepting new proposals from those who want to bring a message through their circus disciplines. My recommendation would be to take part in one of my workshops first. Then perhaps we could discuss this more a length.
so much in just a few days
Hello, just back from teaching at the intensive residential in Tuscany.
It was beautiful to see how each participant improved day after day towards a truly free juggling.
A few quick vids and photos can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/pearlsofjuggling/
This time the group was just men, it happens sometimes, and created a very special protected atmosphere in which to create.
Can’t wait for the Ten dayer from the 10 dayer, 1-10 August, always in Tuscany, there’s a great group of participants from all over Europe.
There are still a couple of places left if anyone is interested.
If not see you in Frieburg or at the EJC!
First article on EJuggle – Fluid Juggling
Here it is. My first of five articles to be pubblished on Ejuggle.
Would be great to hear what you think.
“Fluid juggling is the term I have coined for my work on Juggling and Movement.
It is the moment in which we stop “practising” and instead just have fun with our props and body at our current level of technique. The emphasis is on the pleasure that a trick gives us when we become fully aware of our body and the space around us—we are the centre of a sphere and anything is possible. We accept everything and no trick or throw (or movement) is discarded as being “too easy” as long as fully aware.….
https://www.juggle.org/fluid-juggling-pearls-juggling-articles/
Pearls of Juggling invited to Freiburg Juggling Convention 23-25 June 2017
I’m very exited to go back to Germany at the end of June with Pearls of Juggling with a couple of workshops:
- Fluid Juggling
- Juggling and Physical Theatre
I’ll be available to sign copies of my book there too of course.
More information on the Website here:
https://jonglieren-in-freiburg.de/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1760884684224088
Pearls of Juggling to the USA
Until now in these two years I’ve been exclusively to conventions and meetings in Europe. My desire is to go to the International Jugglers Association (IJA) Convention this July in Iowa, USA. It’s the longest running convention in the world and will be celebrating it’s 70th edition this year. It’s a convergence of some of the best jugglers in the world.
My plan is also to stop off at New York to meet the Bryant Park Jugglers
I’m funding my trip with donations in exchange for signed copies of my book.
Thanks for your support 🙂
Getting unstuck using your back!
Getting unstuck using your back!
At a certain point progress in Juggling can stall.
It happens.
There are tons of reasons for this that I’m not going to go into here.
Its often a normal part of the learning process with ups and downs and plateaus. “Progress” is mostly non-linear but sometimes we can really feel stuck and start losing fun. The fun may still be there but perhaps you’d like to make a leap with your technical and creative abilities.
To help get out of this sticky feeling why not try something completely different!
Perhaps change the way you see juggling,
ask yourself new questions,
meet other jugglers,
or what I’d like to propose today: INCREASE YOUR BODY AWARENESS and in particular that of your spine.
The spine is a massive organization of bones, cartilage, tissues, fascia, nerves and lots of muscles that all cooperate together and amongst other roles consents us to stay upright. When working well the spine connects the upper and lower parts of the body and supports harmonious and functional movement. When the spine is at the centre of our movements everything is organised better. The spine becomes a central axis around which everything else irradiates. This includes juggling. Shoulders and hips can relax and soften as arms and legs are more connected to our axis and allow for more precision and elegance. In Taichi and Yoga much attention is put into waking up the spine and giving it a life of its own.
“Correct” or functional posture emerges from this but the work is best when done from inside out through awareness and feeling without imposing a certain form on the spine as this may lead to rigidity. The head gently stretches upwards lengthening the back of the neck, while the lower part of the spine pulls downwards towards the ground with the tail bone gently tucked in.
When, through weeks, months and years of practice with awareness our spine starts to come alive we become more focused, have more energy and are able to move in a much more organic way.
Our Juggling can improve greatly after even a few exercises before training with props. Aim at lengthening, bringing in awareness and making the spine as flexible as a shower cable.
Working (or playing) with images of the spine as flexible as willow branches and as strong as a steel spring can help even more. Play with cats, especially kittens, and feel how flexible their backbone is.
Move your body in a way that feels good to you while listening to the spine can be enough to become much more aware. Feel how reaching out with arms and legs connect parts of the body all the way through the axis. Experiment with twisting too.
Try out these ideas with and without props and see how much this can help bring your juggling to a new level of satisfaction!
Love to hear your thoughts.
Have fun playing, exploring and juggling!
FINDING THE GAME (in juggling)
 Hi juggling artists!
In Pearls of Juggling there’s a short mention on FINDING THE GAME. This concept actually finds its way throughout the whole book and throughout most of my work.
I’ve just come back from teaching my FLUID JUGGLING lab in north Italy at SPAZIO KABUM. (Great space and great participants, relaxed but at the same time very intense I’ve added a few pics and micro-videos on FB and Instagram).
There I was inspired to go a little more into detail on just what is this “Finding the game”.
This is really fundamental for the whole of juggling
Without it you will quickly lose interest. But how to even start looking for the game? What is it all about?
Like much of what we do we aren’t fully aware of this process and we find “games” in a rather random way.
Once we realise how it works we can use it to our advantage. Great.
The most common game in Juggling is probably the one more prop challenge. Trying for the ever more difficult. We get into this game and get excited about it. Another game is collecting tricks. Nowadays we can also find the game though the multitude of siteswaps and their combinations.
Whenever we learn something new we get stimulated to try more and more. In a certain way the game is competing with ourselves.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY POSSIBILITY
We can also obtain a sense of playing and being absorbed while manipulating just one object and not even doing anything particularly difficult. HOW?
Often in our regular rather haphazard way of training we just don’t find the game. Or else we have so much structure in our training that there is just no space for it. Often we find it in moments and then we lose it.
To find the game without the “ever more difficult” try things out in a light-hearted way until you come across something that tickles your fancy. It could be something really simple or a combination that you never thought about before. Then just dive into it and find all the different ways there are of making that one throw and catch (or roll or whatever).
Play with your body too, get it involved. Move with the movement of the object being manipulated or move against it. Try other body positions. Vary your speed and quality. Make it bigger and smaller. You’ll soon find you are playing and questions will start to pop into your head? The what ifs. What if I try it this way or that way. Let it develop into something completely different. Add another object and then another finding ways that aren’t always the most obvious of inserting them.
Basically juggling feels great when it feels like a game.
It could be well worth training in a way where we find ourselves constantly playing and creating new games. New rules for old games and old rules for new ones.
Performances with also gain much from all the original material that comes out.
The possibilities are endless but to find the game we first need to home in on something and let it grow. In a sense its the opposite of pure exploration, explore until you can find something identifiable and expanding on that you find the game!
This is what I mean by keep having fun.
Thanks for reading!
Juggling Adventures – 12-16 June and 1-10 August
Pearls of Juggling Residential Intensive Workshops in Tuscany 2017
Join me for a Juggling Adventure!!!
Dear Juggling friends here’s news about two residential workshops Anthony is holding this summer.
Don’t hesitate to write if you have any questions.
Registration opens on the first of March.
jugglingisart@gmail.com
Held by Anthony Trahair, author of Pearls of Juggling
In Tuscany, Gricigliana (Prato), Associazione Venti di Terra –
in a old stone farm building surrounded by nature, far away from distractions, a full immersion into the Art of juggling, in a friendly and inspiring environment.
“The creative process is varied and exciting, alternating individual and group work. Efficient to integrate into your personal training.”
12-16 June 2017 – Physicality of Juggling The basis of creative and expressive juggling. All work is specific for jugglers and flow artists. Juggling and movement. Inspired training. Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga. Laban. Musicality. Creation of sequences and mini routines. Move and juggle with increased confidence and presence. New training ideas. Tap into your creativity while having more fun.
Only 12 places available.
Early bird price before 28th of April. Registration opens on the first of March. Info and registration: jugglingisart@gmail.com
1-10 August 2017 – Pearls of Juggling International Summer School. Ten day intensive. All work is specific for jugglers and flow artists. Juggling and movement. Inspired training. Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga. Physical acting and lots of improvisations. Creation of sequences, routines and act development. Gradually working towards the final presentation of original and new material. Perform with more confidence and originality while improving technique, creativity and expression.
Only 12 places available. Early bird price before 28th of May. Registration opens on the first of March. Info and registration: jugglingisart@gmail.com
Requirements
Willingness to learn and the desire to dive fully into the art of juggling in a group setting. A minimum basis of juggling with three objects is required but there is no maximum level.
All lessons will be held in English.
Meeting point at 3pm at Vaiano train station.
Vegetarian meals will be prepared in rotation by the participants. Accommodation in the common room or some rooms of 2 or 3 people (at a small extra fee).
Anthony Trahair explores the art of juggling for the last two decades. His residential seminars are exciting and surprising “melting pots” where the aim is to bring out the best of each participant. Anthony has studied Yoga, Qigong and Taiji since 1998 and graduated from the Dimitri physical theatre school in Switzerland in 2006. The work is technical and expressive, creative and profound. 2016 saw his book Pearls of Juggling published.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1929086680658902/
