Here's a cool story about Michael Moshen. He was roommates with Penn Jillette in New York before Penn & Teller teamed up. Penn was a traditional juggler. Penn found those acrylic balls at some store in New York and was trying to come up with something to do with them. Nothing really seemed to work so he gave them to his roommate Michael and said "See if you can come up with anything to do with these." That's where Michael's contact juggling started.
This is by no means a definitive list! This video is mainly to showcase 6 contact jugglers who stood out to me among the rest! Contact Juggling is not my most confident topic, but I hope some of y’all could tell me about some contact juggling powerhouses I missed. If there’s enough of them I’ll make a part 2! Thanks for watching
This is tricky, since the existing list kind of merges those who evolved the artform and those who have made great achievements. Is it evolving the artform if no one takes what you've done and improves upon it? That's less evolution, more an amazing mutation that sadly died off (hopefully to be rediscovered). Kyle is an example of someone who evolved the artform. I'm less sure about Tatiana (I'd never seen that branch of juggling, so I don't know if there are others!). I'd say Teku evolved the artform. You can see their influence in (especially Japanese) CJing for years to follow. The winner of the JJF competition (early 2010s?) was a CJer who seemed to build off some of Teku's work. Maybe Okotampe, too. His isolations were some of the first to hold their own against Moschen's, IMO. And he had a viral video, which always helps. Maybe Komei Aoki (hybrid with pop/lock), maybe Masaki Hirano (early pioneer). I feel like I'm forgetting someone, too... And then there was the underwater contact juggler. I wish that'd caught on, that was HYPE.
Kyle Johnson is my favorite juggler! So much personality & style. Tatiana Konobas is new to me -- it's as if she's juggling herself. Thanks for featuring so many awesome people & take care!
It's hypnotizing and amazing. A decade ago I filmed a video of Tony Duncan showing off those skills at Turbo Fest 2013. You should probably look it up.
In 2009 I attended a Ministry of Manipulation contact juggling workshop at Katakomben in Berlin. Amazing experience! I was into body rolling and I remember that Jeanine was amazing, and I never missed a class from Kelvin Kalvus! I remember that Mr. Om was big among body rollers at that time, while Moon was a great manipulator! Okotampe also was big with his style. "In Isolation" was a legendary video that got me addicted to CJ! Beautiful memories! I guess it's time to polish my 110mm..
A bit disappointed there’s no Tekuflat in here. They have definitely made the biggest impact on contact juggling in Japan! But hey, Kyle, is also just a legend! Also contact juggling isn’t really your niche 😜 Another contact juggler to look out for is Tarorin (not sure of his last name) He blew everyone’s mind with his contact combine with throw juggling at the EJC 2019 :)
Hi Zak, thanks for the great video! It's really fun to hear about your perspective. Here are a couple of thoughts and infos that i remember from the last 30 or so years. Maybe it would be useful to know where/when this term "contact juggling" came about? In 1990, James Ernest published a book consolidating existing techniques. Through the name of his book, he was the first to coin the term "Contact Juggling", which was previously (in England at least) known as Crystal Ball Manipulation, or simply "Michael Moschen juggling". This book was the beginning of the technique becoming "open source". There was a juggler in the early 90's in London called William Green who's ball rolling technique was insanely high level. Rolling a ball from the foot, across the back to the opposite hand, as Kyle does in the video. Also William would start with three balls in one hand, roll them all up the same arm, catching one between left shoulder and neck, one on the back of the neck and one between right shoulder and neck. I've never seem this trick repeated. The Backscade i first saw performed by genius Finnish juggler Jani Nuutinen at the first 531 juggling festival in 1999 and i know Jani had many variations on related techniques back then. Here's a link to the Ministry of Manipulation website: www.ministryofmanipulation.com/articles/contact-juggling-james-ernest/ I'm not sure how up to date it is anymore, but it used to be a great resource... Best regards from Berlin, Ben
Thanks Ben, I would love to make a secondary video tying up loose ends as I learn more on the subject! These are all great resources and things to keep in mind for the future as well. I’d really love to get my hands on this book as well. Cheers!
One major thing that I did not say in my other comments is "Contact Juggling"(Moschen calls it Dynamic Object Manipulation) also spawned to be inclusive of all Props. This video is excellent except it is ballcentric. Every Prop has a Contact Juggling Element or sub genre if you will So Staff, Club, Poi hoop, hat, cigar box, and more. That leads to multi-prop Contact Juggling. Love the video and Keep up the Awesome!!!
Just came across this video randomly and I'm just in awe. I knew about Michael's work in the film Labyrinth but not the others. Great video. You've got yourself a sub 🙂
I'm working on a story project where characters use contact juggling crystal balls to perform magical abilities like teleporting so thank you for this video.
I know I asked you about it yesterday on stream, but if you haven’t seen how cardistry isolations evolved from using contact juggling techniques you 100% should. Every contact juggler I’ve shown that stuff too loves it
What did you say the banana one is called that Joseph was doing? It sounded like you said "Boogang". How is this correctly spelt and where can I find more? Trying to ask ChatGPT and it's got AI all confused
Here's a cool story about Michael Moshen. He was roommates with Penn Jillette in New York before Penn & Teller teamed up. Penn was a traditional juggler. Penn found those acrylic balls at some store in New York and was trying to come up with something to do with them. Nothing really seemed to work so he gave them to his roommate Michael and said "See if you can come up with anything to do with these." That's where Michael's contact juggling started.
This is by no means a definitive list! This video is mainly to showcase 6 contact jugglers who stood out to me among the rest! Contact Juggling is not my most confident topic, but I hope some of y’all could tell me about some contact juggling powerhouses I missed. If there’s enough of them I’ll make a part 2! Thanks for watching
This is tricky, since the existing list kind of merges those who evolved the artform and those who have made great achievements. Is it evolving the artform if no one takes what you've done and improves upon it? That's less evolution, more an amazing mutation that sadly died off (hopefully to be rediscovered).
Kyle is an example of someone who evolved the artform. I'm less sure about Tatiana (I'd never seen that branch of juggling, so I don't know if there are others!).
I'd say Teku evolved the artform. You can see their influence in (especially Japanese) CJing for years to follow. The winner of the JJF competition (early 2010s?) was a CJer who seemed to build off some of Teku's work.
Maybe Okotampe, too. His isolations were some of the first to hold their own against Moschen's, IMO. And he had a viral video, which always helps.
Maybe Komei Aoki (hybrid with pop/lock), maybe Masaki Hirano (early pioneer). I feel like I'm forgetting someone, too...
And then there was the underwater contact juggler. I wish that'd caught on, that was HYPE.
Kyle Johnson is my favorite juggler! So much personality & style. Tatiana Konobas is new to me -- it's as if she's juggling herself. Thanks for featuring so many awesome people & take care!
When I saw Tony Duncan doing that multiball I literally almost stopped the video to run over and start practicing that style
It's hypnotizing and amazing. A decade ago I filmed a video of Tony Duncan showing off those skills at Turbo Fest 2013. You should probably look it up.
Silly's VS acrylics it is night and day in difficulty. Definitely get smaller Silly's than you would acrylics.
Joseph died 😢...that kid was an amazing contact juggler ...God I wish I had the exquisite control he had over the spheres
In 2009 I attended a Ministry of Manipulation contact juggling workshop at Katakomben in Berlin. Amazing experience! I was into body rolling and I remember that Jeanine was amazing, and I never missed a class from Kelvin Kalvus! I remember that Mr. Om was big among body rollers at that time, while Moon was a great manipulator! Okotampe also was big with his style. "In Isolation" was a legendary video that got me addicted to CJ! Beautiful memories! I guess it's time to polish my 110mm..
A bit disappointed there’s no Tekuflat in here. They have definitely made the biggest impact on contact juggling in Japan!
But hey, Kyle, is also just a legend! Also contact juggling isn’t really your niche 😜
Another contact juggler to look out for is Tarorin (not sure of his last name)
He blew everyone’s mind with his contact combine with throw juggling at the EJC 2019 :)
Hi Zak, thanks for the great video!
It's really fun to hear about your perspective.
Here are a couple of thoughts and infos that i remember from the last 30 or so years.
Maybe it would be useful to know where/when this term "contact juggling" came about? In 1990, James Ernest published a book consolidating existing techniques. Through the name of his book, he was the first to coin the term "Contact Juggling", which was previously (in England at least) known as Crystal Ball Manipulation, or simply "Michael Moschen juggling". This book was the beginning of the technique becoming "open source".
There was a juggler in the early 90's in London called William Green who's ball rolling technique was insanely high level. Rolling a ball from the foot, across the back to the opposite hand, as Kyle does in the video. Also William would start with three balls in one hand, roll them all up the same arm, catching one between left shoulder and neck, one on the back of the neck and one between right shoulder and neck. I've never seem this trick repeated.
The Backscade i first saw performed by genius Finnish juggler Jani Nuutinen at the first 531 juggling festival in 1999 and i know Jani had many variations on related techniques back then.
Here's a link to the Ministry of Manipulation website:
www.ministryofmanipulation.com/articles/contact-juggling-james-ernest/
I'm not sure how up to date it is anymore, but it used to be a great resource...
Best regards from Berlin,
Ben
Thanks Ben, I would love to make a secondary video tying up loose ends as I learn more on the subject! These are all great resources and things to keep in mind for the future as well. I’d really love to get my hands on this book as well. Cheers!
@@ZakMcallister Great! i'm looking forward to seeing more!
Great video and great list of jugglers; all of these amazing artists are very influential, indeed!
Great video! Awersome performers! Thanks, Zak
One major thing that I did not say in my other comments is "Contact Juggling"(Moschen calls it Dynamic Object Manipulation) also spawned to be inclusive of all Props. This video is excellent except it is ballcentric. Every Prop has a Contact Juggling Element or sub genre if you will So Staff, Club, Poi hoop, hat, cigar box, and more. That leads to multi-prop Contact Juggling. Love the video and Keep up the Awesome!!!
Just came across this video randomly and I'm just in awe. I knew about Michael's work in the film Labyrinth but not the others. Great video. You've got yourself a sub 🙂
When i read the title Pilolip came to my mind. Thx for putting in the efforts :)
Thanks for the history lesson. Its a beautiful art form.
I'm working on a story project where characters use contact juggling crystal balls to perform magical abilities like teleporting so thank you for this video.
I hope you know that guys voice gives some of us flashbacks 😅
Great Video, but No Kelvin Kalvus Here?
So excited for more of these
I know I asked you about it yesterday on stream, but if you haven’t seen how cardistry isolations evolved from using contact juggling techniques you 100% should. Every contact juggler I’ve shown that stuff too loves it
@@parkermitchell4182 where would I find that? Thanks in advance.
Nice one, cool ideas, amazing Video
What did you say the banana one is called that Joseph was doing? It sounded like you said "Boogang". How is this correctly spelt and where can I find more? Trying to ask ChatGPT and it's got AI all confused
Buugeng! It is a type of isolation prop shaped like a big S!
Cyrille Humen is highly influential I think
That is a good point!
Fushigi ball : the Dream... 🤑💨
Can you do contact juggling
No Greg Maldonado?
I audibly laughed as I thought something similar
boaaa