The 4 Most Famous Jugglers Ever – Learn From Them, YOU Could Be Next!
Plus, in today’s juggling world, with all the tools you can use to promote yourself, anyone can become an international sensation overnight. But you really should see how those jugglers of yesteryear became famous if you want to join them in the history books. Below is a list of the 4 famous jugglers of all time. Read it well and learn from it and use your new knowledge to become a legend!
1. Enrico Rastelli (1896-1931) -For those who knew him, Rastelli was the most famous and greatest of all jugglers who ever lived. When variety was still the main form of entertainment, Rastelli was one of the most famous and popular variety celebrities.
One of Rastelli’s greatest publicity weapons had nothing to do with his juggling, it was his personality. His charisma and wit were deeply loved by the press as much as he was loved by his audience. Any young juggler needs to follow suit and develop a likable personality to become famous. You could juggle 100 balls at a time, but if you’re an idiot, no one will like you or hire you.
Rastelli’s unique acts became the standards that jugglers of his time had modeled and compared their acts. Three different periods characterized his career:
a) has inspired the Japanese juggler Takaschima, making this period the manipulation of the ball in the Japanese style;
b) in this period he wore a silk suit and later worked with rubber balls;
c) and finally, just when soccer had been gaining positive fame, he changed his performance again and decided to juggle leather soccer balls.
The great thing about Rastelli’s different styles is that he knew when to change them based on the fashions of the time, as well as to keep up. He set the record for juggling up to ten small balls. You can do the same by keeping up with all the new trends in juggling: Chinese devils, contact juggling, devil’s sticks, etc.
2. Paul Cinquevalli (1859-1918): Originally called Paul Braun-Lehmann, he got his stage name “Cinquevalli” after running away with an Italian acrobatic company. His outstanding trait is making and inventing his own tricks that involved handling billiard cues and balls, umbrellas, steel balls, hats, and those that are not nailed to the ground.
At this time, his appearance and style may seem dated, but in his time he was responsible for great strides in the general public’s appreciation of juggling. Promoting juggling in general (i.e. the guys who founded the juggling database on the internet) is a good way to get a lot of exposure.
3. Bobby May (1907-1981) – His real name was Ludwig Mayer and he is considered by many people as the best juggler in America. It was in 1922 that he made his first professional appearance, he was 15 at the time.
After 3 years, together with a partner, they started working on the RKO Keith Orpheum Vaudeville circuits called “Joe Candy and Bro.-Comedy Mad Hatters”. They did a double juggling act in which Bobby May was the straight man. However, in 1928, May decided to start working as a solo juggler once more. He also began using promoters to get his name known on the entertainment circuit. It was probably then that he took his strongest steps to establish a name among a vast audience (perhaps you can learn from his example).
Also, the years 1930-1948 saw his career develop as he did things that only the professional juggler can do. He even toured some parts of the world, an astonishing feat given the current World War.
One last interesting point about Bobby May was that although he could juggle 8 balls, his best act was always 3 and 5 balls, respectively. Just because one feat is more difficult than another doesn’t mean your audience understands and appreciates that fact. They want to see tricks that look great, not just that look difficult.
4. Francis Brunn – A writer once said that trying to define Brunn’s act was like trying to describe the amazing flight of the swallow. He was so fast and talented with his club tricks.
His act first included juggling briefly with three sticks and at incredible speed. Then he threw the last stick into the air, jumped up, and skillfully yanked it out of the air. This trademark, while not his most difficult trick, was loved by fans. Having an attractive and exciting opener is a great key to a memorable juggling routine.
Brunn became known for his incredible control. Sometimes he would bounce a ball erratically at extreme angles, sometimes jumping up to hit it with his head in that unexpected and exciting moment. The use of his head also clearly identified Brunn from his competitors. Creating unique and offbeat tactics is a great way to become famous as a juggler.
I hope you were inspired by reading about the lives and routines of these 4 experts. Perhaps you can incorporate some of his tactics into your routine and become the next famous juggler.
