Category: Interviews

Interviews with Contact Jugglers, Manipulators and jugglers

Interview & Video – Okotanpe / Mr Fuse


When it comes to smooth, polished technical contact juggling, few people stand out as much as Okotanpe (Mr. Fuse). His JCJC clip has racked up millions of views on youtube (and every other video sharing site) making him one of the Internet’s most popular contact jugglers.

Ministry: Where do you live?
Fuse: I live in Chiba, Japan.

Ministry: Is there a community of contact jugglers where you are?
Fuse: Not really, but I often play at Yoyogi park which is a famous place for contact jugglers.

Ministry: How would you describe contact juggling?
Fuse: The most beautiful entertainment that I’ve ever seen.

Ministry: Why do you contact juggle?
Fuse: Because I feel great when I contact juggle. especially the palm circle isolation.

Ministry: What is the best piece of contact juggling that you’ve ever seen?
Fuse: Michael Moschen of course! Labyrinth(movie) was my first time I saw his work.
I was impressed deeply. then I watched In Motion(by Michael Moschen). It was an amazing performance with more than just technique. That’s awesome. I was shocked. I was happy.
Also, let me say one more… The open stage at EJC2008 ‘Intrika’. (LINK)

Ministry: What is the future of contact juggling?
Fuse: I think people will increase the number of balls. but it will always go back to just simple technique to show beauty the ball.

Ministry: What do you think about when you are contact juggling?
Fuse: The line of ball as it passes the body… the next action. Where should the ball go next?

Ministry: Any advice for people who are learning?
Fuse: The most important thing to image what kind of contact juggling you want to play. Remember, ball movement should always be nice and smooth. Learn to know and feel how your body works and to see yourself objectively. Play with a ball a lot
(-;

Below are two amazing clips of Mr. Fuse in action.
Continue reading Interview & Video – Okotanpe / Mr Fuse

Interview – Metra

Metra

Japanese contact juggler Metra blew us away with the release of his recent multiball video Free Drive and is leading the way for the new generation of isolation-heavy ‘popping and gliding’ contact juggling.

MINISTRY: Where do you live?
METRA: I live in Tokyo, Japan.

MINISTRY: Is there a community of contact jugglers where you are?
METRA: Yes, There is. Yoyogi park is a mecca for Japanese contact jugglers. Contact juggling conventions and meetings (gallery link) are held periodically there.

MINISTRY: How would you describe contact juggling?
METRA: Contact juggling is a lens of the contact juggler (in a figurative sense). I mean, we must project ourselves onto a spectator. The leading part is contact juggler, balls and moves are nothing but an instrumental.

MINISTRY: Why do you contact juggle?
METRA: Contact juggling is a spontaneous action for me. It is as natural as breathing or walking.

MINISTRY: What is the best piece of contact juggling that you’ve ever seen?
METRA: Tony Duncan. I started contact juggling under the influence of him.

MINISTRY: What is the future of contact juggling?
METRA: It is not fixed. Therefore, almost everything we can imagine will be possible.

MINISTRY: What do you think about when you are contact juggling?
METRA: I do not think anything, but I feel. Mostly I feel the weight of balls, and the sense of acrylics.

MINISTRY: Anything else you’d like to say to our MoM audience?
METRA: The world of contact juggling is full of glory. Go for it!
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Thanks.

Interview and Video: Héctor Jiménez – “hipnopia”

With English translation by Ed

No estoy en ninguna comunidad, de echo he aprendido casi siempre solo , nunca etsuve en ninguna escuela ni en ningun circo , la escuela ha sido el viaje y la calle.

I am not part of a community, I have always practised alone, never in a school or circus, the only school I have attended is that of travel, and the street.

Para mi el contac es una expresion del movimiento interno, mucha gente ahora practica contac pero pocos veo que no copien o imiten a alguien que han visto, siento este malabar perfecto para desarrollar muy personalmente el movimiento de tu cuerpo

For me, Contact is an expression that comes from inside. Many people nowadays practice contact, but I have seen few that do not copy or imitate somebody they have seen, I feel that this perfect form of juggling should develop from one’s own body’s movements, from within.

La mejor pieza que he visto probablemente sea la de un aleman que me encontre en la convencion europea en Carvin pero lo siento no recuerdo su nombre ni su contacto, me impresiono su forma marcial de practicarlo y tenia trabajados equilibrios multiples de hasta 9 bolas …. un monstruo.

the Best that I have ever seen is probably a German that I met at EJC in Carvin, but I’m sorry I can’t remember his name or contact details. He impressed me with his martial form of practice and he had worked balancing up to nine balls… A monster! [Ed: We think Kelvin {edit}]

El futuro del contac es el cambio ,creo que hay que mutar , transformarlo y retorcerlo hasta que sea tan personal ,que sea otra disciplina diferente.

The future of Contact is in The Change. I believe it is to mutate, transform and twist it until it is very personal, almost a completely different discipline.

En los videos que se ven en You Tube , poniendo Hipnopia , estoy representando el papel de un viejoto indio que cuando termina su funcion en la vida , abandona todo lo material y se marcha caminando a encontrar la muerte , asi que cuando lo relizo me vienen imagenes , olores y recuerdos de personas de ese magico lugar…..

In the videos on youtube, I am representing the role of an old Indian Man, that when he has reached the end of his function in this life, abandons all things material and begins upon a journey to find Death. In this way, when I perform this act, it conjures up images, scents, and memories of people of this magical place…

Gracias de nuevo por darme animos , al apreciar mi trabajo , a seguir tranbajando, da gusto saber que la gente disfruta de lo que a uno le cuesta tanto esfuerzo, respeto al trabajo que hacemos porque creo es un arma poderosa para abrir los corazones del mundo.

Thanks again [to the Ministry] for giving me the encouragement, by appreciating my work, to continue working. It pleases me to know that people enjoy that which one has given a lot of energy, and respect for the work that we do because I believe that it is a powerful weapon to open the hearts of the world.

Beans: Video and interview

If Youtube views count for anything, then ‘jandrews1983’ is the most popular contact juggler on his internet. His black and white contact juggling video simply titled ‘Contact juggling: beans…’ has been the number one search result for contact juggling for almost a year now, and currently ranks with nearly 350,000 views (far more than any other contact juggling video on youtube)

beans!Ministry: Where do you live?
Beans: Atlanta, Ga. Specifically, Tucker.

Ministry: Is there a community of contact jugglers where you are?
Beans: Negative. But we do have the Atlanta Jugglers Association

Ministry: How would you describe contact juggling?
Beans: Illusion in motion.

Ministry: Why do you contact juggle?
Beans: It’s fun to feel special. Not many people have seen contact juggling as opposed to toss juggling, so they are instantly intrigued. And it still looks cool to me.

Ministry: What is the best piece of contact juggling that you’ve ever seen?
Beans: Michael Moschen. In his PBS special.

Ministry: What is the future of contact juggling?
Beans: I’m working on combining handbalancing and breakdancing with cjing. Whatever moves I can come up with.

Ministry: What do you think about when you are contact juggling?
Beans: Smooth, romantic, every move is a performance not just my tricks.

Ministry: Anything else you’d like to say to our MoM audience?
Beans: Keep practicing!!

Francis Brunn – Interviews, Articles & Obituaries

“I find that I am fascinated by controlling one ball. It sounds like nothing, but it is quite difficult to do properly.” – Francis Brunn

blaise1.jpgAn attempt to link to all the Brunn articles and pages on the web, if there are any missing, please email, or post in the comments below.

Interviews
A long and detailled Francis Brunn Interview from the IJA Newsletter, May 1981 By Gene Jones, (then) IJA President
Starts “My father was in a French prison camp in World War I. From behind barbed wire he saw a circus juggler warming up, and out of boredom he took three stones and tried it. Later, he showed me how using oranges..”

Francis Brunn and Natalie Enterline interviewed in Kascade 1996 Quote: “Don’t believe everything you read about Rastelli.”
Natalie Enterline was 1978 World Champion Baton Twirler. She combines her twirling skills with hat and cane manipulation and dancing and used to assist Francis Brunn in his act.
Now dead link: German site – jonglerie.de with great photos of FB from the archive of Karl-Heinz Ziethen. (also a photo of Natalie Enterline).

Articles
Short Article by KARL-HEINZ ZIETHEN IJA Newsletter, October / November 1978 Volume 30 No. 6
Juggling hall of fame – Francis Brunn
Juggler’s World: Vol. 38, No. 1 1986? Francis Brunn – After almost 50 years, Brunn still looks forward rather than back.
Brunn told Juggler’s World magazine that he had nothing to prove.
“I can understand why a man wants to run the fastest 100 meters, but I don’t believe in juggling competitions,” he said. “It’s like seeing who could paint the fastest painting.”
Brunn filmography on IMDB
“Francis Brunn” on Wikipedia
Some more people Brunn inspired (it would be easier just to write everybody!):
Brunn inspired Michael Moschen
Brunn helped Philippe Petit in his bid to walk tightrope between world trade centre towers

Obituaries 2004
Dick Franco writes (already posted last week)
The Villager
Blog of Death

“For me, the biggest success is when the audience stays quiet” – Francis Brunn

Moon Interview – contact in my hands



A newly discovered video from the awesome Moon!

YouTube :
Moon is an Italian contact juggler and bounce juggler who was featured on our Blog a few months back with a Discovery Channel feature. I managed to have a small chat with him about his work and his ideas regarding contact juggling.

25.10.06

MINISTRY INTERVIEW

[MINISTRY] : how long have you been contact juggling?

MoOn : I started… 2 years ago

[MINISTRY] : what inspires you?

MoOn : I was inspired by the Contactjuggling.org cjers: Ryan and Jago (note: Ryan and Jago worked together as Full Moon Performers from 2005-2007). And of course..something about me.. I do contact juggling when I need to think about something. And..as everybody I believe, from Michael Moschen.

[MINISTRY] : Where do you want to go with your contact juggling?

MoOn : I’m not a pro, but I don’t know if a day I’ll be. Now..my intention is to become a good contact juggler, and try to use all the techniques.
now I’m working on IMPERFECT CIRQUEL project, but in winter I’ll do some new videos..bouncing and cj, I believe

[MINISTRY] : can you tell me how the ”discovery” video happened?

MoOn : Sure. They found me..they’ve seen my videos online

MoOn : and they mailed me by GIOCOLERIA.ORG

MoOn : and so..I went to Milan (I’m from Rome)

[MINISTRY] : How much do you practice?

MoOn : now I play 1/2 hours a day..usually more bouncing than contact..but when I was learning, I’ve done 5-6 hours practice too

[MINISTRY] : what do you think about when you are contact juggling?

MoOn : uhm..usually I think about my problems It helps me to solve them..but sometimes I think about tricks and new ideas..I can say cj is an inspiration and a refuge

[MINISTRY] : ok.. and last question:

[MINISTRY] : what do you think is the future of contact juggling?

MoOn : I don’t know..maybe the future is dance..or manipulating objects in general.. creating illusions with objects in our all daily lives..

MoOn : surely I can say that contact jugglers level will be increased, and some new ideas will come out

[MINISTRY] : thats great, thanks Moon!

MoOn : thank you!

Ryan