Presenting: the Turks Head Jugglers!
Like to Juggle?
Like to Watch?
Like to Learn?
Three good reasons to visit the Turks Head Jugglers!!
KWIK KLIX
Click on the line below to get to:
WHEN/WHERE WE ARE
We meet Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM - 9 PM and Saturday mornings from 9 AM to 11 AM.
Thursdays: We gather in the gymnasium of the West Chester Friends School, at the southeast corner of High and Marshall Streets -- several blocks north of the center of town.
Saturdays: Weather permitting, we juggle on the Chester County Courthouse steps at High and Market Streets -- at the very center of beautiful downtown West Chester. If the weather's cold or rainy, we're back at the gym (see above).
PLEASE NOTE!! AS OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2007 OUR SATURDAY MORNING SESSIONS WILL BE IN THE GYM EXCLUSIVELY!!
There's lots of parking at both venues and good coffee shops nearby. What else could you ask for??
Click here for directions.
AJ'S SUCCESSES CONTINUE!!!
AJ continues to pursue his yo-yoing career as a complimentary skill set to his most impressive juggling. Just the other week, he won the Delaware State Yo-Yoing championship!! How 'bout that?!?
TURKS HEADS: SOME MOVIN' AND SHAKIN' GOING ON!!
Several members of our Merry Little Band have accomplished Stuff of Note. And we're here to Note it for you, dear reader!!
Audra Supplee has just had her second novel published -- and the Editorial Board of the Turks Head Jugglers has pronounced it to be a fine piece of work and "an excellent contribution to the genre." (Does that sound pinkies-up enough?) Seriously folks, the book is I Almost Love You Eddie Clegg, and it chronicles the activities of a really neat 13-year-old girl trying to cope with all the usual stuff that a person of that age has to grapple with. Plus some additional stuff that no one should have to grapple with. If you are a 13-year-old girl, know one, plan to be one, used to be one, or simply wish to understand one, the Editorial Board gives this book a BIG multi-thumbs up. You can get more details about Audra and her book at www.AudraSupplee.com. The book is available at your local book store or Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, etc. etc. etc.
Pete Ware (AKA Eddie Fye, the Juggling Guy) is moving his professional juggling career ahead with a wonderful new website. Check it out by clicking here: www.eddiefye.com. You'll be glad you did!! (There's cute, there's clever, then there's THIS!)
Adam Danoff, who's actually more of an alumnus at this point, is making excellent progress towards his goal of being a big-time, full-fledged professional juggler/musician on the National Scene. The current issue of Juggle magazine carries a story about "The New Old Time Chautauqua" -- the re-creation of a century-old form of entertainment -- that features a description of Adam's performance. Way to go, Adam!!
STOP THE PRESSES!! THIS JUST IN!!
In case you missed it, Reuters News Service (London) reported that scientists have determined that juggling will (are you ready for this?) INCREASE THE SIZE OF YOUR BRAIN!! No jive.
A comparison of brain-imaging scans of folks who just learned to juggle -- versus a control group, of course -- shows a clear increase in the "gray matter" of the newly trained jugglers' brains. (Gray matter refers to the cells -- found in the outer layers of the cerebrum portion of the brain -- which are responsible for advanced mental functions. Like juggling, natch.)
Arne May, of the University of Regensburg in Germany said: "Our results challenge our view of the human central nervous system." Report published in the VERY prestigious journal Nature. So there.
The bad news? Seems that when you stop juggling, your brain loses some of its newly acquired size.
Lesson to be learned? Simple:
Capiche?
SHOW ME THE PATTERN!!
A relatively small minority of jugglers (roughly 95% to 97%) find it useful to watch a juggling pattern as they try to learn it. The other 3% to 5% are actually space aliens, and who really cares what they need? And that's really all I really want to say about space aliens. Today. Thank you for your attention.
But I digress. We were talking about juggling, not space aliens. Sorry. You know how I get.
Anyway, there are at least two websites that shows dozens of ball juggling patterns including such doozies as Rubenstein's Revenge, Burke's Barrage, and two variations of the Boston Mess.
The first one has help written in English. Click right here to take a look. The only problem I can think of with the site is that all the balls are red -- but see below. (By the way, if you click on the pattern as it's moving, it halts. Most helpful for step-by-step analysis. The instructions don't mention that...)
The second is written in French. Because it IS French. As in parleyvoo. Click ici, s'il vous plait to take a look. And don't let the language throw you (so to speak). Remambahr joggling iss the lahnguaghe off love -- politics notwithstanding.
The French site is more helpful to lots of us (especially the Earthlings amongst us), since the balls are different colors. When you're going for that 7-ball gazornenplotz, it helps to see which ball gets stuck in which nostril.
FREQUENTLY (AND NOT-SO-FREQUENTLY) ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT is your name? WHAT is your quest? WHA... NO NO NO!! NOT THOSE QUESTIONS!!
Click here for the full skinny about the Turks Head Jugglers.
Then make plans to stop in and join us!
Click here for profiles of some of the regulars.
Here's some photos of us at the Courthouse Plaza!
Here's some recent photos of us in the gym!
...aaaaand here's some photos of us at the Friends School gym!
SOMETHING SERIOUS: JUGGLING FIRE
Juggling fire is dangerous. Period. The potential for serious injury to yourself, those around you, or the buildings and grounds nearby is very real. And it's likely you will not realize the mistake you just made until something -- or someone -- is in flames. (Read: its's a bit late to think about that now...)
Much to my surprise, not everyone takes my advice. Go figure. So here's some from a recent champion of the International Jugglers Association: "Real jugglers don't need flames or blades." Truth.
But, if you are committed to engaging in this risky behavior, you owe it to yourself and everyone and everything around you to do it as safely as you can. Fortunately, some folks with a great deal of experience and common sense have written instructions as to how to minimize the risk.
Click here
for some good words from Eric Bagai on the subject. But don't stop there.When you're done, click here for additional insights, advice, and cautions. This link is specifically about fire poi, but the advice is exactly the same, no matter what flaming equipment you're manipulating. It also lists several other links for additional information.
And please remember that the most important piece of safety equipment you can bring to this -- or any -- activity is that soft gray mushy thing located between your ears. THINK FIRST!!
SO TALK TO US, ALREADY!!
In our never-ending quest to be of service to the juggling community of southeastern Pennsylvania and environs, we herewith introduce THE TURKS HEAD BULLETIN BOARD for your information service, edification, and amusement.
Feel free to use this space to:OR just stop in and see what everyone else is talking about!
Click here
to get to the Turks Head Jugglers Bulletin Board.
GEEKS? YOU WANT GEEKS?
Randy Lyons and Travis Crum may have stumbled (we use this word advisedly) on an interesting principle that they have modestly named: "THE CRUM-LYONS THEORY OF ISOCHRONOUS LINEAR DISPLACEMENT." Hoo boy.
Click here here
for the gruesome details, then post a message on the Bulletin Board, to let the world know what you think.
WHERE CAN I BUY...?
A lot of folks have been asking us where they can purchase nifty juggling stuff like ours. Easy question -- not so easy answer. Click here for the lowdown on getting high-quality juggling equipment.
Email the webmaster at gotajugl@msn.com