CORVALLIS, Ore. — Serious jugglers often find themselves correcting a slew of misconceptions:
That the activity is only meant for coordinated people with the utmost mental focus and discipline; that becoming a decent juggler means hours upon hours of practice; that all good jugglers fall into the demographic of middle-aged men.
Fourteen-year-old Rachel Leshikar, of Kennewick, Wash., spends most of her time shattering that last notion.
As a professional juggler for about five years, Leshikar has gotten good enough to perform next to jugglers who have been involved in the hobby for more than 50 years, and it all started at the Juggling and Unicycling Festival in Corvallis.
The festival, directed by Corvallis resident David Sallee, recently brought jugglers from all over the region to McAlexander Fieldhouse on the Oregon State campus for a weekend of workshops and performances.
The event is one of many held by the Pacific Northwest Juggling Convention.
“I was nine years old at the first festival,” Leshikar said.
She came with no experience but quickly learned basic tricks and was immediately “bit by the juggling bug,” Sallee said.
It doesn’t take much longer than 30 minutes for an inexperienced juggler to learn with three balls, he said. In fact, many hours throughout the three-day event are dedicated to introductory and how-to sessions for jugglers of all experience levels to learn from their peers.
Bill Barr, Leshikar’s professional juggling partner and a 53-year veteran of the pastime, said that is one of the best parts.
“It’s not gender separated or generationally separated,” Barr said. “We’re disciplined but we look at it as having fun.”
The festival attracts individuals and families for many reasons, but one reason in particular makes it possible for them to come back: the price.
“The goal is to make the festival free to everyone” said Sallee, who has been juggling for 28 years. “The community is incredibly giving and willing to share.”
The Corvallis Juggling and Unicycle Club sponsors the event, but does not have the funds to hold it every year. Each festival costs about $8,000 to put on.
“The way we do it is we raise money and, depending on how long it takes to get enough, that’s when we hold the festival,” Sallee said. The last Corvallis festival was in 2009.
Vendors also come to McAlexander, selling juggling and unicycling items.
While there is a set schedule of activities over the three-day span, participants spend a lot of their time practicing, learning new passing patterns and, in Leshikar’s case, teaching others her own trick — Rachel’s Rainbow.
“I like juggling with other people,” she said. “When you mess around and combine tricks with others, you get new ones.”
As her proud partner, Barr said the experience and practice time the festival provides strengthen Leshikar as a paid performer.
“It’s more about presentation and theatricality,” he said. “It’s taking something that appears simple and doing it well.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
