February 9th isn’t all blah when you get to juggle

          Today we played with our juggling props in a shared gym space, pulling most kids away from the paper-lantern-making tables almost as soon as they and their parents arrived.  Lanterns were made, and made beautifully, but most of the time people spent in the gym today was spent learning new stuff with the juggling club members.

           Quite a few new participants were very young, so they were initially directed to the spinning plates and the poi.  Somehow, they still ended up chasing after big yoga balls and soccer balls, and really small juggling balls.  When Calder arrived, he began to juggle, but got side-tracked into a soccer game in which he was the goalie, and all the under-six-year-olds were the opposite team.  It was an epic game/battle.

           I think Calder is feeling a bit melancholy, since he is not going to be able to attend our Saturday club gatherings for quite a while.  Next weekend he starts training with the junior B. C. TaeKwonDo team in Port Moody, in preparation for the B.C. Championship tournament on February 23rd, in Surrey, and then the Canadian Junior Championship tournament in Calgary the week-end of April 4th.  So we do without him until at least after that date. 

             Paul is working on a new routine using big yoga balls.   It is very rough yet, but funny to watch one man wielding two or three enormous balls without letting them touch the ground.  He is also learning to pass to someone else.  Since Calder is not available for the next while, he is looking for a partner in this endeavor.  Any takers?

           The countdown to the Victoria Juggling Festival is raising people’s excitement level, and a couple of other club members are thinking of joining the Bowen Island contingent.  We are planning to head over early Friday March  14th, and the first event, a meet-and-greet-and-juggle, will be that evening at the University of Victoria site.  Then Saturday we get to play all day, doing workshops or being more casual in our learning process.  Sunday will be more of the same.  There is a Saturday evening dinner and show for all participants and people who aren’t actually participants as well.  I am hoping to see a bit of Victoria proper during our stay, but I know Paul will be totally immersed for the entire event.  The power of an obssession is a fine thing to see.

          Until we meet again, keep your balls in the air!