Juggler's griping
Jul. 28th, 2007 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
slipjig3Okay. Remember that video of juggler Chris Bliss that was making the rounds? I got directed there via links and e-mail at least six or seven times, always with a tag to the effect of, "Omigod, this is the most amazing juggler ever!"
Um, no.
See, when you're a juggler, you realize that the non-jugglers in your audience have some very skewed perceptions of what is difficult and what is not. For example, you could present a well-rehearsed, polished and technically difficult five-ball routine, and the audience would only be mildly impressed, not realizing the high level difficulty of the "numbers game" (i.e. going for more than three objects). But if you go out and eat an apple while juggling, they'll go absolutely nuts. Look, people: eating the apple is ridiculously easy. Juggling isn't as fast-paced as it looks, and your hands are sort of moving in the direction of your mouth anyway.
So let me lay it out where Chris Bliss is concerned, from a juggler's point of view: He is technically competent, and certainly worthy of getting on the stage and performing. But the Beatles' routine is simply not that difficult. Moreover, his styling is a bit on the awkward side, and his transitions aren't terribly smooth. He is widely praised for choreographing his movements to the music, but although he's rhythmically pretty good, his choreography isn't even close to what a sizable number of professionals do.
You know who makes my jaw drop? Anthony Gatto. He's a true prodigy, juggling better at age seven than 99.999% of jugglers achieve in their entire lives. And now he's an adult, and doing things that no one, no one else is doing. Here, here's the bit he's been doing for Cirque du Soleil lately:
Part 1
Part 2
Go watch. You'll not be sorry.
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Um, no.
See, when you're a juggler, you realize that the non-jugglers in your audience have some very skewed perceptions of what is difficult and what is not. For example, you could present a well-rehearsed, polished and technically difficult five-ball routine, and the audience would only be mildly impressed, not realizing the high level difficulty of the "numbers game" (i.e. going for more than three objects). But if you go out and eat an apple while juggling, they'll go absolutely nuts. Look, people: eating the apple is ridiculously easy. Juggling isn't as fast-paced as it looks, and your hands are sort of moving in the direction of your mouth anyway.
So let me lay it out where Chris Bliss is concerned, from a juggler's point of view: He is technically competent, and certainly worthy of getting on the stage and performing. But the Beatles' routine is simply not that difficult. Moreover, his styling is a bit on the awkward side, and his transitions aren't terribly smooth. He is widely praised for choreographing his movements to the music, but although he's rhythmically pretty good, his choreography isn't even close to what a sizable number of professionals do.
You know who makes my jaw drop? Anthony Gatto. He's a true prodigy, juggling better at age seven than 99.999% of jugglers achieve in their entire lives. And now he's an adult, and doing things that no one, no one else is doing. Here, here's the bit he's been doing for Cirque du Soleil lately:
Part 1
Part 2
Go watch. You'll not be sorry.
Blogathon 2007
In support of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Sponsor me!
Current pledge total: $325
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:38 am (UTC)That is DAMN impressive. I've known some good jugglers in my life. But whoa.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 12:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 01:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 01:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 04:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 11:06 pm (UTC)I'm really looking forward to taking Iris to her first juggling festival. :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 04:51 am (UTC)I exclaimed aloud at some of those stunts.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-07-29 04:56 am (UTC)